Jean-Claude Van Dammeis among the notable action film stars who dominated the late 1980s and early 1990s, and in recent years, he’s proven to be just as much of an exciting lead on screen. While Van Damme’s fame and box-office success fluctuated in the years that followed, the martial artist dubbed “The Muscles from Brussels” has mostly remained a consistently entertaining figure in the action genre, even if his work from the prior decades is seen as superior among fans.
Van Damme is a belovedmartial artist comparable to the likes of Bruce Leeor Jackie Chan, who has been praised for his signature high-flying kicks and ability to fuse various martial arts styles into one captivating display of athleticism. The martial artist’s popularity in the early years of his career has led to numerous sequels and remakes inspired by the action star’s work, as well as notablefranchises starring Van Damme. Though few of Van Damme’s recent movies have made as much noise as those of the ’80s and ’90s, Van Damme’s physicality and ability to keep audiences hooked remain impressive.
10We Die Young (2019)
A Dramatic Side Of Van Damme Is Shown
We Die Youngisn’t among Van Damme’s more critically acclaimed films, but it’s a movie that provides the actor with an opportunity to showcase his skills as a dramatic performer. The movie sees a young boy (Elijah Rodriguez) do everything he can to keep his younger brother out of the gang he’s found himself in. Van Damme’s Daniel is a war veteran who aims to protect and help Rodriguez’s character.
ThoughWe Die Youngcertainly plays it safe with its messaging and emotional storytelling, such elements are effective at getting audiences invested in the safety of its characters. Van Damme isn’t in his typical, action-packed element, but he still delivers a convincing performance that shows decades into his career, there’s more to Van Damme than high-flying kicks.
9Kickboxer: Vengeance (2016)
Van Damme’s Famous ’80s Film Gets A Modern Update
Two decades after the fifth installment intheKickboxerfranchise, the story of the original film was revamped withKickboxer: Vengeance. Stuntman and martial artist Alain Moussi takes on the role of Kurt Sloane, previously portrayed by Van Damme, with the latter returning to the franchise as Kurt’s trainer. Van Damme’s performance isn’t without its flaws, most notably the faulty dubbing of nearly half of his lines.
Still, Van Damme’s role as a mentor provides fans of the actor and the originalKickboxerwith a touching, full-circle moment as the franchise gets an effective update for modern audiences. There’s plenty of action throughoutKickboxer: Vengeancethat is reminiscent of that from the late ’80s film, and Moussi does a great job stepping into Van Damme’s shoes.
8The Last Mercenary (2021)
Van Damme Explores Comedy
Van Damme’sJCVDhas a lot in common withThe Last Mercenary.Both movies pushed the action star in a different direction as a performer, the former being a heartfelt exploration of the actor’s career and the latter being largely comedic. Similar toJCVD,The Last Mercenaryprovides the action star with the opportunity to be self-referential and poke fun at himself.
The Last Mercenaryfollows Van Damme’s Richard Brumère, also known as “The Mist,” who is a former secret agent on a mission to save his estranged son. Throughout the film, Van Damme references a famous meme fromKickboxerand several of his signature martial arts moves.The Last Mercenarymasterfully balances its callbacksto Van Damme’s earlier work with a refreshing comedic tone that differs from most movies the actor is known for.
7Darkness Of Man (2024)
Van Damme’s Character Vows To Protect A Deceased Informant’s Family
One of Van Damme’s most recent movies, just like much of his modern work, sees the actor in a dark, protective role. InDarkness of Man, Van Damme portrays Russell Hatch, a former Interpol operative tasked with protecting the son of an informant who was killed many years before during a raid gone wrong.
Darkness of Manhas somewhat of a formulaic structure, but is still a rewarding watch, namely due to its action sequences and Van Damme’s leading performance. The thriller features plenty of action that gradually builds into an exciting final half with Van Damme’s Russell at the center of it all. There are a few inconsistencies within the film’s narrative, but they are easy to overlook when Van Damme is delivering such a gritty performance.
6The Bouncer (2018)
Van Damme Leads The Well-Balanced Action Thriller
The Bouncer, also known asLukas, doesn’t add anything new to Van Damme’s filmography, nor does it introduce any new facets to the actor as a performer. Instead,The Bouncerplaces Van Damme in another dramatic role, which he handles with ease. Van Damme portrays the titular bouncer whose undercover deal with the authorities leads him to dangerous individuals, putting his life and that of his young daughter at risk.
There is plenty of tension throughoutThe Bouncerto keep audiences invested, and Van Damme’s captivating performance leads them to root for his character despite his questionable actions.The Bouncerfeatures enough action to keep longtime Van Damme fans satisfied, but has a strong emotional father-daughter story at its center that grounds its formulaic thrills.
5Enemies Closer (2013)
Van Damme’s Eccentric Villain Is A Highlight Of The Action Movie
Van Damme’s ’90s moviesTimecopandSudden Deathwere both directed by Peter Hyams, and the two collaborated once again in the early 2010s forEnemies Closer. This time, Van Damme portrays a villainous character, Xander, whose actions force former Navy SEAL Henry Taylor (Tom Everett Scott) to work with a man (Orlando Jones) who initially set out to kill him.
Enemies Closerhasn’t earned as high critical praise as some of Van Damme’s earlier work, but was received relatively well.Enemies Closermoves at a fast enough pace that audiences can appreciate, though some may wish for more time with Van Damme’s character. Van Damme is delightfully bold and sinister in his portrayal of Xander, with his performance on its own makingEnemies Closera necessary watch.
4Kickboxer: Retaliation (2018)
Van Damme Returns In The Improved Sequel
Of the modernKickboxerfilms,Kickboxer: Retaliationis widely considered to be the best, and is a massive improvement fromKickboxer: Vengeancefrom just a few years earlier. Both the action and storytelling are bolder than in the preceding film, and Van Damme reprises his role as Kurt’s (Alain Moussi) trainer. This time, Kurt prepares to take on champion fighter Mongkut (Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson).
Every returning actor inKickboxer: Retaliation is more settled into their roles, which allows for fewer distractions and for the action choreography throughout the film to shine.Kickboxer: Retaliationdoesn’t seek to reinvent the martial arts genre, but does feature some creative filmmaking techniques, as seen throughout a memorable prison fight sequence, and is overall a worthwhile continuation of the martial arts film that helped shape Van Damme into a star.
3Minions: The Rise Of Gru (2022)
The Animated Movie Proves Van Damme Isn’t Limited To Action Movies
Van Damme has dabbled in voice acting a few times throughout his career, with his most recent animated role being inMinions: The Rise of Gru. TheMinionsfilm sees the titular species and Gru team up to facethe villainous group known as the Vicious 6.Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren reunite in the film, each lending their voice to members of the Vicious 6.
Van Damme’s villainous Jean-Clawed is a comical spin on the actor’s name and is a reference older audiences are sure to appreciate. Jean-Clawed’s appearance is comical, and it’s evident Van Damme is having a lot of fun with the animated role.Minions: The Rise of Grudoesn’t offer much substance for Van Damme to work with, but it is a lot of fun and shows Van Damme’s career is still evolving decades after he first made a name for himself.
2The Expendables 2 (2012)
Van Damme Joins A Fun Cast Of Action Film Stars
Following the commercial success of 2010’sThe Expendables, the team of mercenaries led by Sylvester Stallone returns inThe Expendables 2. This time, Van Damme joins the movies' ensemble of action film stars, which also includes Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Chuck Norris, Terry Crews, and more.Van Damme portrays the film’s main antagonist, Jean Vilain, who kills one of the titular group’s own and threatens the world with five tons of weapons-grade plutonium.
The Expendablesfranchiserelies heavily on its over-the-top action sequences and impressive roster of action icons, so it only makes sense for Van Damme to have joined in on the fun. Van Damme stands out amongThe Expendables 2’s exciting cast and delivers a refreshing, sinister energy to his role.The Expendables 2was released early on in Van Damme’s return to prominence, with the final showdown between Jean Vilain and Stallone’s Barney Ross proving Van Damme still has it.
1JCVD (2008)
Van Damme Shows There’s More To Him Than Being An Action Star
Van Damme’s career and public image earned a bit of a revitalization with the introspectiveJCVD. The movie cleverly combines comedy with action and drama for one ofVan Damme’s most underrated films. Van Damme leadsJCVDas a fictionalized version of himself, imbuing the film’s narrative with real-life details as his character’s personal life and career begin to fall apart.
JCVDisn’t nearly as action-packed as Van Damme’s other work, but it’s a self-referential movie that his fans can appreciate. Van Damme’s performance inJCVDpositively stands apart from those in the buzzy action films he’s most known for. WithJCVD,Van Dammeshowed a different side of himself as an actor and was positively received by critics and long-time fans alike.
