Review: Wrong Bet

Jean-Claude Van Damme stars as Lyon, who goes AWOL from the French Foreign Legion when he receives word that his brother has succumbed to nasty drug dealers in LA, who set him on fire. Almost by accident, Lyon discovers the world of underground street fighting, and hooks up with likeable hustler Harrison Page, who introduces him to sleazy, rich fight promoter Deborah Rennard. Soon he’s earning dough participating in unsanctioned bouts in bizarre locales for the blood-thirsty rich-set. Lyon wants the money so he can support his brother’s wife (Lisa Pelikan) and daughter (Ashley Johnson). The latter is much keener on him being around than the former, who is resentful. Rennard, for her part, is not keen on letting Lyon take the money and run, wanting to own him for good. Meanwhile, two Legionnaires (one played by Michel Qissi) are dispatched to bring Lyon back. Clement von Franckenstein (coolest name ever!) plays a British investor associate of Rennard’s.

Belgian butt-kicker Jean-Claude Van Damme has made some pretty slick, if cheesy entertainments over the years (“Universal Soldier”, “Hard Target”, “Death Warrant”, “Replicant”), and his acting skills have improved considerably too (just look at “Replicant”, “Wake of Death”, “Until Death”, and of course “JCVD”). However, I have a particular fondness for his earlier, cheaper-looking efforts from when he was just climbing that ladder to stardom. This 1990 Sheldon Lettich (Van Damme’s later “Double Impact” and much later “The Hard Corps”) action flick ranks with his breakthrough effort “Bloodsport” as the most enjoyable film of his entire career, no matter how low-budget it is or how questionable Van Damme’s acting is in them. And unlike “Bloodsport” (a great tournament fight flick, no doubt) this one has a bit more emphasis on story and character, whilst obviously not neglecting the action. No, we’re not talking master storytelling here, but the story is there, and it’s appreciated. I have a special fondness for this film as it was the first Van Damme film I remember seeing.

The film gets off to a bit of a wonky start with Van Damme in the Foreign Legion. He looks spiffy in a beret, but his superior in the Foreign Legion sounds like a 1940s Nazi villain, and it’s a little odd to have a Nazi heading the French Foreign Legion, don’t you think? Especially when the film isn’t set in the 40s. Hokey or not, the storyline is much more fully-developed here than in “Bloodsport”, “Kickboxer”, and “Cyborg”. In fact, the film gives Van Damme the opportunity to show a bit of a sensitive side. Hell, it’s almost like an ‘unsanctioned fight’ version of “The Champ” at times. The fights, ultimately are the main course here, and we get several terrific fights in some bizarre locations; A half empty swimming pool, a squash court, an underground parking garage, etc. The fights themselves aren’t as varied as in “Bloodsport” (wherein Van Damme competed against fighters of varying styles and martial arts), but it’s always fun to see JCVD in his prime doing his thing and they are still varied enough. Van Damme’s spin kicks here really are poetry in motion, and you should keep an eye out for Michel Qissi (The villainous Tong Po from “Kickboxer”) and his brother Abdel. The former plays one of the Foreign Legion guys sent after Van Damme, while the latter appears as the hulking Attila, Van Damme’s opponent in the pool fight scene. That guy is a beast, looking damn near indestructible.

Van Damme isn’t exactly convincing in the acting department here, but at least he’s trying to show a soft side here, and at least he doesn’t make a total fool of himself like he later would in “Street Fighter”. Oh, and ladies, you get the standard JCVD butt shot around the 40 minute mark, just to let you know. The best performance comes from a nearly unrecognisable Harrison Page. Page is perhaps best known for playing the straight-laced African-American lawyer in Russ Meyer’s immortal “Beyond the Valley of the Dolls”. Here he looks like Frankie Faison, sounds like Richard Pryor (lots of profanity, for starters), and acts like Chicken George from “Roots” (in the best sense). He might be a bit hokey, but he’s lots of fun, and gets at least one hilarious line to Van Damme mid-fight: ‘That dude’s gonna kill your ass!’- Um, great encouragement there, buddy. By contrast, femme fatale Rennard is a bit too mannered, Pelikan is forgettable, and child star Johnson (wasn’t she on “7^th Heaven” or something?) is quite annoying and looks like little orphan Annie. There’s a few other familiar faces in the cast, including the freakish-looking Brian Thompson (“Cobra”) as Rennard’s right-hand man, Tae-Bo spruiker Billy Blanks (who also appeared in “Bloodsport”), and as a security guard, Jeff Speakman who flopped in his own attempt at action movie stardom in the deadly dull “The Perfect Weapon”.

Look, this is no “Citizen Kane”, but it is one of the better films of its type, certainly among the more entertaining. The screenplay is by the director and Van Damme himself, but his real expertise is in fighting, obviously. Beware the cut version of the film, though. It’s not an overly gory film, but I’ve never been in favour of censorship and I wouldn’t wish a cut film on anyone.

Rating: B+