HARD TARGET

US, 1993, 100 minutes, Colour.
Jean- Claude van Damme, Lance Henriksen, Yancy Butler, Arnold Vosloo, Kasi Lemmons, Chuck Pfarrer.
Directed by John Woo.

After a strikingly successful career in Hong Kong, during the 80s and 90s, John Woo moved to the United States and made Hard Target, Nowhere to Run and, a masterpiece, Face/Off with John Travolta and Nicolas Cage.

He also made the World War II story about Native American Indians, the Windtalkers. But he returned to China and made a number of films, especially dramatizing, in epic style, a lot of Chinese or history.

This is a vehicle for Jean- Claude Van Damme, nicknamed ‘the muscles from Brussels’ and here, getting older after his adventures in the 1980s, making quite a series of American action films – and then for many years relying on straight to DVD action shows. There was an interesting biographical action film made in his native Belgium, JCVD.

The setting is New Orleans, Jean- Claude out of work, seen using his muscles by a young woman looking for her father who has, after war action, gone to live on the street. The search leads them to two immoral entrepreneurs who seek out clients and offer them, for vast amounts of money, hunting humans. The girl’s father was one of these victims.

There is a sequence of a hunt of human, Jean- Claude and the girl and getting help from the local police, but finally a huge showdown in a warehouse housing all kinds of masks and puppetry for Mardi Gras celebrations.

Lance Henriksen is always effective as a villain, as is Arnold Vosloo.

1. The popularity of Jean-Claude? Van Damme, in the 1990s, his martial arts skills, athletic, his career in action films?

2. The work of John Woo, in Hong Kong, China, in Hollywood, action films? And his signature scenes of two enemies facing off, backs to teach other, turning towards each other with guns drawn? At the end of this film?

3. The city of New Orleans, the different neighbourhoods, police precincts, the streets and the homeless, the feel of the city? The musical score?

4. The title, the initial hunting humans, the hunting of Boudreaux?

5. The opening hunt, vivid, the arrows, the pursuers, the presence of those organising it? The death of the victim?

6. Boudreaux, his character, appearance, intervening and saving Natalie, needing work, being chosen, the union dues, his decision to get the money? Going to Natalie, for hire?

7. Natalie, the story, her absent father, his military background, keeping in touch, no word for six months, arriving in New Orleans, witnessing Boudreaux and his skills with the men, going to the police, Marie Mitchell and Natalie’s anger with her? Hiring Boudreaux?

8. Boudreaux, his friends, the black man, on the streets, the military background? The difficulties on the streets? Natalie’s father, on the streets, his disappearance?

9. The notices for the phone sex, going to the distributor, the threats, his link with Fuchon and van Cleef, supplying the names for hunt victims, supplying Natalie’s father, Fuchon and his anger, wanting another candidate, their choosing the black man?

10. Fuchon, the chip with an dependence on van Cleef, their travelling to different countries, an agency for human hunts, their clients, the interview and the money? The organising of the hunt, the discussions with the victim, the promise of money, giving five minutes start, the visuals of the hunt, the skill of the man, the pursuit, the appeal for help, his being killed in the street?

11. The kiosk proprietor, his fears, wanting to escape, Fuchon and his bikers killing him?

12. Marie Mitchell, her work, support for Natalie, with Boudreaux, the chase, the siege on the street, being shot?

13. Boudreau, the threats to Fuchon? Setting up the hunt, the wealthy clients, the weapons? The pursuit of Boudreaux, his leaving the city, going to his uncle, his uncle and the arrows?

14. The drama of the siege, in the warehouse, the carnival masks, their size, concealment, the bizarre aspects? Boudreaux, his skills, eliminating the thugs, the final confrontation with Fuchon and van Cleef, the arrogance, their deaths? The shooting at his uncle?

15. Success, Natalie, Boudreaux, the uncle?

16. Entertaining action, John Woo style, martial arts?