1996's "Maximum Risk" has several things going for it, the least of which is that in my personal opinion, the film marks the last truly great martial arts action film of the Belgian-born "Muscles from Brussels" Jean-Claude Van Damme from the 1990s - before Van Damme's popularity in Hollywood began to decline considerably, and he retreated to direct-to-video and limited theatrical releases of his films overseas, before making a huge comeback with the French-language masterpiece "JCVD" in 2008.
But, back to "Maximum Risk." The film's trailer (scored to the song "Firestarter" by the English electronica band The Prodigy) promises a non-stop roller-coaster ride of car chases, shoot-outs, and high-kicking Van Damme martial arts action. "Maximum Risk" does deliver on all that, courtesy of the late Hong Kong veteran Ringo Lam, who made his American directorial debut with this film, and whose cult action flick "City on Fire" (1987) was a noted influence on Quentin Tarantino's debut "Reservoir Dogs" in 1992. Larry Ferguson also wrote the film's script, which goes a few places that you wouldn't think a Van Damme movie would go, but does.
While Ferguson's script is not terribly complex or thought-provoking, it does have intelligence, and it also gives Van Damme some much-needed dramatic depth, which he had showed some degree of in previous vehicles such as "Lionheart" (1990) and his most critically acclaimed and commercially successful film up to that point, "Timecop" (1994) - and which we would see on full display in his brilliant "JCVD."
"Maximum Risk" is Van Damme's second attempt at playing dual roles. As Alain Moreau, a former French army sharpshooter-turned-police detective, he is called to the scene of a gruesome murder that involves his identical twin brother Mikhail, whom he never knew he had. Seeking to find answers to his brother's demise and mysterious life, he travels to Little Odessa in New York City to retrace his steps, where he learns that his brother had been involved with the Russian mob and was desperately trying to find a way out, while not only being relentlessly pursued by the gangsters he double-crossed (who are surprised to see that Alain/Mikhail is still alive, and are more than eager to finish the job), but a pair of corrupt federal agents, as well. Alain/Mikhail's only source of comfort is Mikhail's former girlfriend Alex ("Species" Natasha Henstridge).
"Maximum Risk" opens with a "Bullitt"-styled car chase through the streets of Nice, France - but obviously with a European twist through crowded, narrow alleyways. The film does contain the usual car chases and shoot-outs - with a distinctly European flavor, peppered with some of the frenetic pacing of Hong Kong action cinema - and martial arts fights, the best of which feature Alain going toe-to-toe with the imposing Russian mob enforcer Red Face (the late Greek Pankratiast Stefanos Miltsakakis) not once, not twice, but three times over the course of the film. The three separate Shotokan Karate/Pankration brawls between these two are worth the price of the admission alone and also represent some of the most realistic fight choreography of Van Damme's career.
The film's real emotional centerpiece, however, does belong to Jean-Claude Van Damme, in one brilliantly acted scene late in the film where he listens to a recorded message from his deceased twin brother; the silent emotions and facial expressions say everything in this scene. After seeing "JCVD" and then going back to watching this scene again, you'll see why Jean-Claude Van Damme should have received an Oscar nomination for his performance in that film. In fact, seeing "JCVD" and then going back and re-watching all of Van Damme's movies will make you think twice about whether or not he is a truly great actor. Let me tell you - he is.
"Maximum Risk" marked the end of an era in the career of a great martial arts movie star, but not the end of his career - see "JCVD" for details. And it marked the West's introduction to yet another prominent figure in Asian action cinema (Van Damme had previously starred in 1993's "Hard Target," which was the first American film of John Woo).
7/10
But, back to "Maximum Risk." The film's trailer (scored to the song "Firestarter" by the English electronica band The Prodigy) promises a non-stop roller-coaster ride of car chases, shoot-outs, and high-kicking Van Damme martial arts action. "Maximum Risk" does deliver on all that, courtesy of the late Hong Kong veteran Ringo Lam, who made his American directorial debut with this film, and whose cult action flick "City on Fire" (1987) was a noted influence on Quentin Tarantino's debut "Reservoir Dogs" in 1992. Larry Ferguson also wrote the film's script, which goes a few places that you wouldn't think a Van Damme movie would go, but does.
While Ferguson's script is not terribly complex or thought-provoking, it does have intelligence, and it also gives Van Damme some much-needed dramatic depth, which he had showed some degree of in previous vehicles such as "Lionheart" (1990) and his most critically acclaimed and commercially successful film up to that point, "Timecop" (1994) - and which we would see on full display in his brilliant "JCVD."
"Maximum Risk" is Van Damme's second attempt at playing dual roles. As Alain Moreau, a former French army sharpshooter-turned-police detective, he is called to the scene of a gruesome murder that involves his identical twin brother Mikhail, whom he never knew he had. Seeking to find answers to his brother's demise and mysterious life, he travels to Little Odessa in New York City to retrace his steps, where he learns that his brother had been involved with the Russian mob and was desperately trying to find a way out, while not only being relentlessly pursued by the gangsters he double-crossed (who are surprised to see that Alain/Mikhail is still alive, and are more than eager to finish the job), but a pair of corrupt federal agents, as well. Alain/Mikhail's only source of comfort is Mikhail's former girlfriend Alex ("Species" Natasha Henstridge).
"Maximum Risk" opens with a "Bullitt"-styled car chase through the streets of Nice, France - but obviously with a European twist through crowded, narrow alleyways. The film does contain the usual car chases and shoot-outs - with a distinctly European flavor, peppered with some of the frenetic pacing of Hong Kong action cinema - and martial arts fights, the best of which feature Alain going toe-to-toe with the imposing Russian mob enforcer Red Face (the late Greek Pankratiast Stefanos Miltsakakis) not once, not twice, but three times over the course of the film. The three separate Shotokan Karate/Pankration brawls between these two are worth the price of the admission alone and also represent some of the most realistic fight choreography of Van Damme's career.
The film's real emotional centerpiece, however, does belong to Jean-Claude Van Damme, in one brilliantly acted scene late in the film where he listens to a recorded message from his deceased twin brother; the silent emotions and facial expressions say everything in this scene. After seeing "JCVD" and then going back to watching this scene again, you'll see why Jean-Claude Van Damme should have received an Oscar nomination for his performance in that film. In fact, seeing "JCVD" and then going back and re-watching all of Van Damme's movies will make you think twice about whether or not he is a truly great actor. Let me tell you - he is.
"Maximum Risk" marked the end of an era in the career of a great martial arts movie star, but not the end of his career - see "JCVD" for details. And it marked the West's introduction to yet another prominent figure in Asian action cinema (Van Damme had previously starred in 1993's "Hard Target," which was the first American film of John Woo).
7/10