HARD TARGET (1993)
Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Most Dangerous Game
1993’s HARD TARGET is a film set in a New Orleans that could only exist in a universe where one can believe Jean-Claude Van Damme is a genuine Louisiana Cajun. This is not to say HARD TARGET is a bad film by any stretch of the imagination, but it is one that is best enjoyed when one fully gives into the lunacy of its premise. This was a fact that was lost on me until my most recent watches, where I finally decided to meet the movie on its own terms, and buy into the films story, let it sweep me up in it. It’s a film that’s filled with some of the most ridiculous action set pieces of both Woo and Van Damme’s careers, but younger possibly less fun me would have seen these as detractions, but during these recent watches I no longer saw its flaws in a negative light. One of the things I appreciated most about it, upon these repeat viewings over the course of a couple of days is how the focus of its action set pieces doesn’t entirely fall on the shoulders of its star. It’s a rarity in most action pictures at least the ones I have watched. I sincerely hope my words allow you to spy it with the right set of eyes.
Since this piece is part of a month long Van Damme extravaganza, I will start with highlighting his introduction to film. He is played in on the strings of a guitar, sitting at the counter of the Half Moon utility restaurant, back to the camera, eating gumbo he describes to the enquiring waitress as “a tragedy,” while managing a compliment for the coffee. He is clad in clothes meant for a hard days work, including a black duster trench coat, his shoulder length mullet glistening with grease. It’s at the restaurant that Van Damme’s Chance Boudreaux first encounters the films female lead, and at the time starlet played by Yancy Butler, as Natasha “Nat,” Binder. Natasha has come to the big easy in search of her estranged father. Natasha asks the waitress for change to use the pay phone, to enquire further with the woman his father rented from who was introduced in an earlier scene. Of course, she is flashing around too much money, and the other eateries dinner crowd is full of unsavory characters, who spy her roll of cash and begin thinking unsavory thoughts. Van Damme’s ludicrously named Chance Boudreaux (in a nod to his obvious counterfeit Cajun roots) exits the restaurant pointing out what is plain to see, these goons mean her harm. The goons surround the vehicle after Natalie exits the restaurant no closer to finding her father than she was when she entered After surveying the situation satisfied his instincts are correct Van Damme exits the eatery, of course he doubles back to rescue the distressed damsel.
If you will indulge me a brief bit of back tracking, in a pleasantly surprising move—at least to my novice action movie brain—HARD TARGET opens bereft of its star. The film fades in on the dead of night, as the films screen writer and occasional actor Pfarrer, who plays Douglas Binder, is in a point of view shot pursued through an unmistakable New Orleans, the French Quarter to be specific. It’s clear from the whizzing of a crossbow arrow that he is in mortal danger. As the credits roll, we watch him stalked through the city by motorcycle riding henchman, who take glee in thwarting his advances toward the mighty Mississippi and freedom. This death hunt, an obvious nod to Robert Connell’s The Most Dangerous Game/The Hounds Of Zardoff, introduces us to the films big bad—Emil Fouchon, played with almost perverse glee by genre stalwart Lance Henriksen. After Binder breathes his last Fouchon can be seen emitting an almost orgasmic shudder as he gazes at the unfolding death through the windshield from the relative safety of the vehicles cabin. With the nights hunt over and any danger quelled Henriksen offers the man responsible for Binder’s death, Mr. Lopacki played by Robert Apisa, a shot of brandy. Lopacki obliges and when asked if killing a man was worth it, Lopacki responds simply “worth every nickel.” It’s a cold reply for sure but it’s a good contrast to the almost rapturous joy Henriksen seems to feel from the act, even second hand.
HARD TARGET is a lean 97 minutes so there is little time for character beats. The film struggles most when trying to make the characters seem like real people instead of archetypes. Of course, that isn’t the fault of any of the actors, a cast that includes Arnold Vosloo, as Pik Van Cleaf who plays the role as Fouchon’s second in command with his usually tightly coiled intensity. Willie C. Carpenter co-stars as a friend of Chance’s named Elijah, a fellow homeless vet, who is also offered a chance to compete as the prey in the second of the hunts. In a sick nod to fairness, Van Cleaf (along with Fouchon) uses vets because they seem to be more capable and therefore have the briefest glimmer of hope for success. It’s after viewing his dead body that the film starts to speed toward the end. We also encounter the seemingly only competent police officer in the entire city of New Orleans, Marie Mitchell played with confident competence by Kasi Lemmons. It’s in the race toward the conclusion where we are finally introduced to Wilford Brimley, playing uncle Douvee who makes and even less likely Cajun than Van Damme himself. We are introduced to him with the same plucking of guitar strings as we were Van Damme, out at his homestead and moonshine still in the middle of the Louisiana swamp.
It is in the escape from the city that the film allows Van Damme a pair of signature hero moments. Two of many in the last half of the film, but for my money the two best moments. First, after a bloody shootout through the streets of downtown New Orleans that is set off by the murder of Randall Poe, who facilitates the quarry for Fouchon’s hunts. Mitchell, Boudreaux and Binder arrive moments after his murder and open bloodletting ensues. It culminates with Van Damme riding a motorcycle like a unicycle along a bridge playing chicken with a heavy duty pick up truck both going full speed, all while getting his gun off at the windshield managing to take out both the driver of the vehicle and one of the nameless henchman in Fouchon’s employ. To avoid being killed by the nasty collision, he manages to execute a perfect barrel roll over the top of the speeding car which takes out the motorcycle. He then shoots back at the vehicle hitting the gas tank turning the truck into a fireball.
Another of Van Damme’s surreal acts of heroism takes place as Chance and Natasha head for uncle Douvee’s home on the bayou. Chance straight faced earnestness asks Natasha if she trusts him. She replies that she does, before Chance tells her to close her eyes. She inquired as to why, but Van Damme’s insistent look is enough to convince her. Clearly she is expecting a kiss, as is the audience, but this isn’t that kind of movie. Instead, a rattlesnake is poised to strike and kill Natasha, but Van Damme stoically snatches the snake by the neck and executes a couple of punches to the snake’s face rendering it unconscious. It is a patently absurd moment but Van Damme looks so damn cool doing it that you can’t help but be won over by its absurdity.
I hope you will give HARD TARGET a chance. I know that it isn’t Van Damme or Woo’s best film but I feel like is a fine example of both men’s best tendencies when it comes to over the top action.
