JCVD

Rating:

* * * *

Verdict:

Confessions of a former action hero has plenty of punch.

In this curious self-reflexive thriller the Muscles from Brussels plays himself as a has-been star who has fallen on hard times. He's getting too old to be an action hero. Even Steven Seagal is beating him to roles in straight-to-DVD movies.

The Hong Kong directors he once championed don't respect him anymore. He's got a custody battle. He's got money troubles. And arriving in Brussels jetlagged and being hassled for his celebrity, he wanders into a post office only to find himself in the middle of a robbery and hostage taking.

On the outside the cops think Van Damme has gone bad, while the robbers are amused about the action hero in their midst who is helpless against their guns.

And that's when it gets really interesting with director El Mechri shifting perspectives on the hostage crisis, while also saying something about the strange sadness of fading fame.

Actually, Van Damme says most of that in a long confessional and existential monologue in which he literally levitates out of the film and holds forth on his life and career.

The star beating up on himself is more riveting than anything he's ever done to his foes.

Yes, it begs your indulgence and with so many meta-things to do, it can't hope to sustain any sort of suspense as the

Dog Day Afternoon

-tribute heist film it also so clearly wants to be.

But it's funny, sad, poignant and Van Damme's best movie, ever. No, that's not saying much but it will bring a whole new perspective to future viewings of

Bloodsport 5

or

Universal Soldier 7

.

Russell Baillie

Cast:

Jean Claude Van Damme

Director:

Mabrouk El Mechri

Rating:

M (violence, offensive language)

Running time:

96 mins (subtitles)