Review: The Shepherd
Jean-Claude Van Damme stars as an emotionally tortured, bunny-carrying, Cajun ex-cop turned New Mexico border patrol agent who tackles a band of former soldiers turned operators of a drug cartel, led by Stephen Lord. Gary McDonald (no relation to the “Mother and Son” actor who shares his name) plays Van Damme’s rather chatty new partner, Natalie Robb his new superior officer, and Scott Adkins plays Lord’s very efficient chief henchman. This 2008 Isaac Florentine (the excellent “Undisputed II: Last Man Standing” ) actioner seems more suited to Chuck Norris or Steven Seagal including a barroom brawl at one point. It’s all rather watchable, but a bit disappointing after JCVD’s more ambitious films around this time like “Replicant” , “Wake of Death” , and “Until Death” . That bump on his head meanwhile, looks like it’s about to give birth to octuplets. Apparently it’s a benign cyst, but it seriously looks to be in labour. Lack of a credible lead villain hurts the film in particular