Film Review: Lionheart (1990)

Perception of films is by its nature subjective. Single individual may remember a film for a reason that doesn’t mean anything to anybody else or, at least. most of other people. One example for the author of this review is provided by Lionheart, 1990 martial arts film directed by Sheldon Lettich. I remember it mostly for a single detail – rare opportunity to hear certain colourful phrases in familiar language spoken by minor character in Hollywood film.

Protagonist, played by Jean-Claude Van Damme, is Lyon Gautier, French Foreign Legion soldier stationed in Djibouti. The plot begins when his drug dealing brother François (played by Ash Adams) gets set alight by certain unsavoury characters on the streets of Los Angeles. After hearing the news, Lyon wants to visit his brother, but his superiors deny his request for leave. Lyon decides to abandon his post, survives trek over desert and embarks as a stowaway on merchant ship that would get him to New York City. There he is wandering the streets penniless until he stumbles on the illegal street fight where participants win small amounts of money. He takes part and impresses small time promoter Joshua Eldrige (played by Harrison Page) who becomes his manager and gets him in touch with Cynthia (played by Deborah Rennard), rich organiser of illegal matches for the wealthy audience. Lyon reluctantly agrees to fight only to get ticket to Los Angeles. There he learns that François succumbed to his injuries and left his wife Helene (played by Lisa Pelikan) and young daughter Nicole (played by Ashley Johnson) destitute because of unpaid medical bills. Feeling remorse over not preventing his brother to become drug dealer, he decides to financially help his family and agrees to take part in more big fights for Cynthia. In the meantime, Foreign Legion sends two of its men – Sergeant Hartog (played by Voyo Goric) and Moustapha (played by Michel Qissi) – to track him down.

Lionheart was directorial debut for Sheldon Lettich, who also co-wrote the script with S. N. Warren and his good friend Van Damme. For Belgian martial arts star that was an opportunity to prove that can actually act. Lionheart, therefore, provided plot and much deeper character development than in previous films. The plot can look overly melodramatic or old-fashioned (which is even implicitly admitted in one line of dialogue that compares protagonist’s life to “old movie”), but it works. Van Damme’s acting skills are limited, but more than adequate for the role and he does solid job in creating character the audience can easily sympathise with. The script even allows a little bit of social commentary, confronting the world of decadent upper class elite that likes watching and betting on illegal fights with the homeless people on the street that include even little girl (played by Lettich’s daughter Michelin in cameo). Van Damme is surrounded by relatively unknown but solid cast among which Harrison Page stands out as as his motormouth mentor and friend. Van Damme, of course, delivers goods as martial arts star in series of fight scenes that feature different opponents, fighting styles and match venues. The final fight, in which he faces huge man called Attilla (played by Abdel Qissi), is somewhat underwhelming and protracted, but made interesting through clever use of pathos and melodrama. Lettich made film with relatively small budget, but, despite his directing skills leaving much to be desired, did decent job. The most annoying flaw of the film is too melodramatic music score by John Scott that is often used at wrong scenes, turning the film into unintentional parody.

Despite that, Lionheart is very entertaining film and one of the rare pieces of Van Damme’s filmography that shows his humane and sentimental side. It is also known as the first during which he bared his posteriors, creating something of a trademark that would be used in many of his subsequent films. Film was distributed under different titles in many parts of the world (A.W.O.L. was. For example, used in UK) and became big hit, further maintaining Van Damme’s status as one of the big actions stars of 1990s. In countries of former Yugoslavia Lionheart gained additional popularity due to presence of Serbian actor Voyo Goric who delivers small but memorable pieces of dialogue in his native language.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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Movie URL: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/9399-lionheart
Critic: AA