JCVD
Peace Arch Entertainment Group | Release Date: November 7, 2008
8.0
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 85 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
69
Mixed:
11
Negative:
5
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
10
JGFeb 2, 2009
A very refreshing action movie, with a heartbreaking performance by Van Damme itself. The monologue's great!
1 of 1 users found this helpful
10
KatherineLJan 27, 2009
I watched this movie at a screening at my school and was really impressed by it. It was an interesting way to tell a story and is unlike anything I've seen Jean Claude Van Damme do. The main story is fictional, but Jean Claude basically I watched this movie at a screening at my school and was really impressed by it. It was an interesting way to tell a story and is unlike anything I've seen Jean Claude Van Damme do. The main story is fictional, but Jean Claude basically plays himself. Very well made film. Excellent acting. I would recommend this to just about anyone.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful
9
EternalzAug 6, 2012
Who said Jean Claude Van Damme can't act? This movie is really good. It really shows all the prejudice people have against Van Damme after all his bad action movies in the past. He wants to put all that behind himself and move on. And thisWho said Jean Claude Van Damme can't act? This movie is really good. It really shows all the prejudice people have against Van Damme after all his bad action movies in the past. He wants to put all that behind himself and move on. And this movie really shows how great he really is.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
All this user's reviews
0
ZiggyZNov 7, 2008
Wow. Failed horribly.
0 of 1 users found this helpful
2
ColinCJun 22, 2009
Probably is his best movie and hence I gave a full 2.. DULL DULL DULL! Cannot believe folks think it is a 9 or 10.. Maybe I watched a different movie ?
0 of 2 users found this helpful
9
albertjMay 5, 2009
Another good JCVD movie. Anyone who thinks he's "Just" a martial arts actor doesn't know what there missing!
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
MarcoM.Nov 20, 2008
I grew up watching JCVD in movies like, "Blood Sport,
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
DennisDDec 6, 2008
Wow! He almost had me in tears at one point. I was so incredibly blown away by his performance in this movie that I went to see it twice. I've been a huge JCVD fan for as long as I can remember. I knew he could act ever since I saw him Wow! He almost had me in tears at one point. I was so incredibly blown away by his performance in this movie that I went to see it twice. I've been a huge JCVD fan for as long as I can remember. I knew he could act ever since I saw him in Wake of Death. Now he finally had his chance to prove it to the world. I'm glad that JC is finally getting the respect he deserves.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
FrisseP.Oct 16, 2009
A surprise and a very good one. Stallone did Copland Roarke did The Wrestler and Van Damme dis JCVD.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
AdrieHJan 21, 2009
JCVD sheds much needed light on the humanity of Jean-claude. His performance was amazing-- easily up there with the years best.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
SteveCMay 29, 2009
This movie is deeply flawed, mostly by way of poor editing. But overall, I enjoyed it. It's different, unpredictable, and takes risks.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
DaveRJul 6, 2009
Surprisingly honest, JCVD proves he can act too! - very enjoyable.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
UrsulaNov 7, 2008
Happy to see that this rare treat is released in the US! I saw it here in Germany at the Fantasy Filmfest and enjoyed it enormously! Jean-Claude Van Damme plays himself with so much self-mockery, I would have never expected that from him! Happy to see that this rare treat is released in the US! I saw it here in Germany at the Fantasy Filmfest and enjoyed it enormously! Jean-Claude Van Damme plays himself with so much self-mockery, I would have never expected that from him! Normally, German audiences are very rarely applauding during a movie, but here the audience erupted into applause and laughter a bunch of times. Go see it if you still remember who JCVD is! ;-)… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
JackMJan 14, 2009
Wicked smart.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
jethroaMay 6, 2009
Funny as hell! Classic!
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
KPMay 6, 2009
Hands down the best movie Van Damme will ever be a part of. The sincerity and honesty behind it was very refreshing.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
JizzleNov 7, 2008
Histerical and moving. It forces audiences to take Van Damme seriously for the first time in his storied career. Gotta give the guy major props for being gutsy and putting himself out there and telling it like it is. Nobody is perfect and Histerical and moving. It forces audiences to take Van Damme seriously for the first time in his storied career. Gotta give the guy major props for being gutsy and putting himself out there and telling it like it is. Nobody is perfect and JCVD's uplifting story asks the audience to consider that through all the fame and fortune, all movie stars are human, just like us.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
JonathanKJan 14, 2009
I was extremely surprised by how good this was. I was expecting something like a mockumentary, but it's more of a dramatic heist movie. Jean-Claude knocks it out of the park, I highly recommend catching this in the theater if it's I was extremely surprised by how good this was. I was expecting something like a mockumentary, but it's more of a dramatic heist movie. Jean-Claude knocks it out of the park, I highly recommend catching this in the theater if it's in your area.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
ChrisBMay 27, 2009
Probably his best movie ever, hopefully the start of a new phase in his career.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
currer_bellJun 6, 2015
Surprisingly good movie. The film is truly original while being very entertaining all the way through. It's also very funny. Jean-Claude at his best !!
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
9
hoops2448Jul 17, 2012
JCVD is not just a bizarre film chronicling Jean Claude Van Damme's fall from celebrity and to a certain extent, grace, but it is a film that cleverly mounts the boundary between tense thriller (something Van Damme is familiar with) andJCVD is not just a bizarre film chronicling Jean Claude Van Damme's fall from celebrity and to a certain extent, grace, but it is a film that cleverly mounts the boundary between tense thriller (something Van Damme is familiar with) and satirical comedy. The film follows Van Damme as he travels to Belgium to visit his parents following a nasty custody battle regarding his daughter. One morning he decides to transfer some money at the local post office unaware that the place is being robbed by three menacing but inept robbers. The film is both knowledgeable of Van Damme's career and reputation but also his ability as an actor. The film is surprising in the fact that it is utterly ludicrous but it is grounded by a powerful central performance by JCVD (That is something I never thought I would write). The film manages to balance the need for thrills and the need for comedy while also injecting some deep emotion into the movie. The film, due to the subject matter, is inherently dark but it is populated by characters who are good even if they do bad things. This provides an interesting view of morality in the film. Finally the films end allows for both the stereotypical Van Damme take down but also the ending that is grounded in reality, the one where things aren't perfect and Van Damme is still a thing of the past. I for one have found a kind of respect for the Muscles from Brussels through his powerful performance of a man extremely broken but constantly trying to do the right thing, even if at times he doesn't quite know what that entails.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
7
imthenoobDec 22, 2012
It's Jean Claude at his absolute best acting wise. His monologue near the end of the movie was so touching and so powerful, I loved it. It was a pretty good movie.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
CooterPatooterFeb 21, 2012
The film opens with an aging, depressed, desperately-broke Jean Claude Van Damme dealing with the disappointment and drudgery of his disappointing life, when suddenly he's stuck in the middle of a hostage situation. The whimsical,The film opens with an aging, depressed, desperately-broke Jean Claude Van Damme dealing with the disappointment and drudgery of his disappointing life, when suddenly he's stuck in the middle of a hostage situation. The whimsical, self-depreciating, semi-autobiographical writing is a welcome change to Van Damme's catalogue, which had for so long suffered due to him taking his (mostly) crappy movies so seriously. I love the "imaginary" moments where he jaw-jacks the bad guys and saves the day, only to cut back to the stark reality of him being just another helpless hostage. Unfortunately, the pacing is tortoise-speed and it proved lethal to my interest in the film as the minutes ticked by. Also, during Van Damme's long monologues, given directly to the audience, he speaks French(?) and is dubbed over by a different voice actor. This phenomenon is unexplained in the film and is grating. Mildly recommended.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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8
LeifOct 6, 2013
Interesting meta-film with a commanding and raw performance by Van Damme. It's conceit works out surprisingly well and the central performance is quite a thing to behold.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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9
ThegodfathersonDec 7, 2013
Bottom line: if you are that middle-of-the-road movie lover who loves art-house fare AND old-school 80′s testosterone flicks, definitely check out JCVD. I guarantee you’ll come away familiar with a Jean-Claude Van Damme you never even knewBottom line: if you are that middle-of-the-road movie lover who loves art-house fare AND old-school 80′s testosterone flicks, definitely check out JCVD. I guarantee you’ll come away familiar with a Jean-Claude Van Damme you never even knew existed.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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9
GzorefJun 12, 2014
A fun and funny meta-satire of Jean-Claude Van Dam, which switches views between JCVD's custody battle over daughter in the U.S, and his inadvertently walking in on a bank robbery in his native Belgium. There. he is used in the botchedA fun and funny meta-satire of Jean-Claude Van Dam, which switches views between JCVD's custody battle over daughter in the U.S, and his inadvertently walking in on a bank robbery in his native Belgium. There. he is used in the botched robbery as a means of distracting and confusing the police while the real real bank robbers try to find a way to escape.

Little comic touches are peppered throughout, like using his knowledge from filming "Hard Target" to dispense medical advice, finding out that Steven Segal has been given a role meant for Jean-Claude, a bank TV playing one of JCVD's most **** insane interviews ever (1+1=2, it should be 1+1-11), and one of the robbers being starstruck at holding "The Muscles from Brussels" as a hostage.

This movie may make you reconsider Jean-Claude's acting chops.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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8
BroyaxJan 23, 2017
Une idée originale et audacieuse que celle de filer à Jean-Claude Van Damme le rôle... de Jean-Claude Van Damme ! Le film joue en effet très habilement sur la limite devenue floue entre fiction et documentaire, opposant sans cesse.la star àUne idée originale et audacieuse que celle de filer à Jean-Claude Van Damme le rôle... de Jean-Claude Van Damme ! Le film joue en effet très habilement sur la limite devenue floue entre fiction et documentaire, opposant sans cesse.la star à l'homme "normal"... Et les guillemets sont en effet de rigueur, car on ne présente évidemment plus le bonhomme aussi connu pour ses films "vidéoclub" que ses interviews... devenues "légendaires". Le JCVD est un personnage dont la réalité dépasse sans cesse la fiction, son parcours, son ascension, sa descente et sa carrière à nanars... "légendaires" eux aussi.

Ainsi, il s'agit en même temps d'une sorte de biographie ou plutôt d'un portrait condensé plus vrai que nature de la vedette belge dans une situation fictive qui permet à JC de faire preuve d'une sincérité touchante. Mieux qu'une téléréalité ou un quelconque reportage, on voit de suite qu'il ne triche pas et qu'il "est" le fameux JCVD dans toute son entièreté (comme on dit en Belgique).

Emouvant donc mais aussi drôle et sans concession, le film ne cherche pas à le mettre en valeur et appuie aussi là où ça fait mal : une satire réjouissante mais toujours sincère.

A côté de ces lauriers mérités, le film a quelques soucis de réalisation (caméras à l'épaule, usage forcené de filtres ridicules) tandis que les acteurs "braqueurs" font preuve d'un dilettantisme assez consternant. Heureusement, le scénario reste solide et Jean-Claude délivre une excellente prestation dont on ne l'aurait jamais cru capable. Très courageux de sa part, ce qui le rend encore plus sympathique !… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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7
r96skAug 5, 2022
Pretty good!

I wouldn't class 'JCVD' as anything above that, though it is a film worth watching. I really like the way the story is portrayed, while it's interesting to have JCVD play JCVD. It's not as entertaining as it perhaps could'vePretty good!

I wouldn't class 'JCVD' as anything above that, though it is a film worth watching. I really like the way the story is portrayed, while it's interesting to have JCVD play JCVD. It's not as entertaining as it perhaps could've been, though it merits props for how it's put together and how it comes out - which is positively… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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