Born to Kill

I wonder what all the negative voices expected. The film has a good atmosphere, it doesn't look cheap and Van-Damme shows again that he can act. The rest of the cast acts solidly and there is no disruptive factor. The action scenes are also impressive and are staged subtly but crisply. A particular highlight is a fight scene from the perspective of a van. Very creative and the force is literally noticeable. The days of helicopter kicks and splits are over. And somehow I'm even happy about it. Van-Damme is 63 and his roles should also be tailored to his age. For me, it's the perfect midnight film because of its neo-noir atmosphere.

After an informant by the name of "Esther" (Chika Kanamoto) dies while in protective custody, the Interpol agent responsible for her safety named "Russell Hatch" (Jean-Claude Van Damme) takes it upon himself to fulfil a promise he made to her to protect her son "Jayden" (Emerson Min) from the bad elements that surround him. The problem, however, is that Jayden lives with his Korean relatives who are involved in the illegal drug trade and the Russian mob is doing everything it can to muscle in on their territory. To that effect, Russell has to try to calmly navigate between these two groups in order to keep things peaceful, while at the same time, Jayden's uncle "Dae Hun" (Peter Jae) is doing his best to stir things up. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that, although the plot had definite possibilities, the overall direction left much to be desired. For starters, I didn't especially care for the narration provided by Jean-Claude Van Damme as it detracted from the movie rather than actually enhancing the overall effect. Likewise, having the main character sustain so many serious injuries within a limited span of time, only to engage in repeated fights to the death not long afterward, really strained all sense of reality. Only in Hollywood. Be that as it may, while I don't consider this to be a terribly bad film necessarily, it didn't quite realize its true potential, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly below average.

Set against the backdrop of a grim Los Angeles, the film weaves a complex narrative around Hatch's promise to a slain informant to protect her son, Jayden. As Hatch grapples with his own demons and the city's underworld, "Darkness of Man" delves into themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the cost of survival. While the film does not boast the high-octane action sequences of Van Damme's heyday, it compensates with a gritty atmosphere and a focus on character-driven storytelling. The noir elements are executed with a commendable finesse, adding layers to the plot and elevating the film above many of its DTV counterparts. Van Damme's performance is nuanced, showcasing his range beyond physical prowess. The supporting cast, including Emerson Min and Andrey Ivchenko, deliver solid performances that anchor the film's emotional core. The action, when it occurs, is well-staged, albeit less frequent than one might expect. The violence is visceral, with a raw edge that suits the film's darker tone. The cinematography and score complement the narrative, creating a cohesive and immersive viewing experience. In conclusion, "Darkness of Man" is a laudable effort that blends action with a moody, noir aesthetic. It may not reach the heights of Van Damme's classic works, but it stands as a testament to his enduring appeal and ability to adapt to the evolving landscape of action cinema. The substitles reminded me of JOHN WICK Substitles and the action was quite pleased, made me intense a little bit.

Stumbling upon the 2024 action thriller "Darkness of Man" by random chance, and seeing that it was starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, of course I opted to sit down and watch it. Solely because it was a movie that I hadn't already seen, much less actually heard about, and for the nostalgia of watching Jean-Claude Van Damme on the screen.

Sure, I can't claim that I was harboring much of any grand expectations to "Darkness of Man", as Jean-Claude Van Damme haven't exactly been spewing out overly great movies for the better part of two decades. But hey, I opted to give director James Cullen Bressack's movie a fair chance, if for nothing else, then just for the sheer nostalgia of fondly remembering Jean-Claude Van Damme from the prime of his career.

The storyline was a bit sluggish. There wasn't really much of any momentum to the narrative and it felt like the movie was running in Neutral throughout long parts. So writers James Cullen Bressack, Alethea Hnatko-Cho and Jean-Claude Van Damme didn't exactly conjure up something overly memorable or entertaining here.

The acting performances in the movie were fair, and it is showing that Jean-Claude Van Damme is getting older, naturally. So you shouldn't expect this movie to be up to par with something like "Bloodsport", for example. There are a couple of nice appearances on the screen, albeit rather short appearances, by the likes of Kristanna Loken, Shannen Doherty, Cynthia Rothrock, Zack Ward and Eric Roberts.

While I did manage to sit through the entire movie, I was only mildly entertained. But this is definitely not a movie that will be returning to watch a second time. "Darkness of Man" was a semi-watchable action thriller, without an abundance of action or thrills.

My rating of "Darkness of Man" lands on a generous four out of ten stars.

(2024) Darkness of Man ACTION THRILLER DRAMA

Co-written and directed by James Cullen Bressack that has cop and narrator, Russell Hatch (Jean-Claude Van Damme also credited as co-story) recalling an incident that happened two years earlier remembering how he failed to protect his love interest, Sue Min Kim aka Esther Martin (Chika Kanamoto) to which when two attackers broke into her apartment, she tried to call him while she manage to lock herself inside in her bathroom, it was at that point he was in the middle of a gun battle himself and was shot on the shoulder before he was able to answer his phone. But before she was murdered one of the last requests after handing him a worthy tip was to look after her 13 year old son, Jayden (Emerson Min). The movie then jumps 2 year later and Russell is now drinking more and living in a two bit sleazy motel, he basically acts like his guardian/ godfather to Jayden which the only interaction he has with him is to be his personal driver to and from school. Jayden is now being looked after by his grandfather, Mr. Kim (Ji Yong Lee) who owns a small convenience store, Russell sometimes does food deliveries for him while his actual, adult and only son, Dae Hyun (Peter Jae) happens to be a leader of his own Korean gang mixing himself and clashing with Russian mobsters led by Lazar (Andrey Ivchenko).

Although, the overall experience is watchable I was able to predict the course of events, with the action scenes was bad as the last few Van Damme movies. What can also make this a little watchable are some of the guest appearances such as actress Kristanna Loken who was synonymous from playing the killing machine from Terminator 3 she was also credited as co-executive producer she plays Russell's new girlfriend and animal veterinarian; Shannon Doherty that was said to be her last film appearance, she has a small scene as the school instructor, Vivian; and martial arts kick boxer, Cynthia Rothrock playing as the nurse from the hospital. I had no idea MMA fighter, Nate Diaz is dipping his foot into acting- when I saw him, I recognized him in the back of my mind, but as soon as I looked at the credits his name came up. I also have a problem with the fact, as soon as Russell takes down Lazar's right hand man, Alexei (Zack Ward) he does not even grab the money, it may have been better tactic for him to use to draw his boss out as opposed to posing as another one of his goons.

And to those who presumed the movie was over when the credits were running afterward, of Jean Claude Van Damme as Russell while Jayden (Emerson Min) was eating an ice cream, until actress Kristanna Loken who plays JCVD's new girlfriend, Claire came inside the diner to join them. She would then help herself with his ice cream before Van Damme joined them and ate some as well.