Director Philippe Martinez brings a touch of French class to what is a very unusual and striking revenge thriller, boasting some fine moments of originality, great camera-work, and top-notch performances. Now, these aren't things you'd usually associate with the likes of Van Damme and Seagal, whose recent films have all been straight-to-video fare. The good news is that Van Damme seems to be coming out of his rut, and, with this and IN HELL, making some of the best films of his career. The focus on these films, and what makes them so successful, is that Van Damme actually acts and gives a decent performance. Recently, he seems to be drawn to darker, more mature fare and he's been great, proving to be a stable, fleshed-out lead with whom the audience can really engage.
WAKE OF DEATH borrows from modern Asian cinema in providing thrills which have a real dark edge, a real bite to them. The level of violence is pretty extreme, with shotgunned heads and nasty knife slashings. The film's darkest moment is in a gratuitously nasty torture sequence, in which a guy gets his just desserts when a French mob start working on his arms and knees with an electric drill. The blood spatters and gore sprays everywhere, making this possibly Van Damme's most violent film.
The performances are good, with Van Damme's grieving widower equally matched by Simon Yam's cold-hearted gangster, who likes nothing better than slashing a woman's throat with his flick-knife. Van Damme's buddy Donny is also great. The action is over-the-top in places – the motorbike/car chases, for instance – but the stunts are good, the effects fantastic, and the physical battles brilliant. I especially loved the ending on the boat, which offers vintage thrills and spills. All in all this is a very good film with plenty to offer for those who can stand the intensity.
WAKE OF DEATH borrows from modern Asian cinema in providing thrills which have a real dark edge, a real bite to them. The level of violence is pretty extreme, with shotgunned heads and nasty knife slashings. The film's darkest moment is in a gratuitously nasty torture sequence, in which a guy gets his just desserts when a French mob start working on his arms and knees with an electric drill. The blood spatters and gore sprays everywhere, making this possibly Van Damme's most violent film.
The performances are good, with Van Damme's grieving widower equally matched by Simon Yam's cold-hearted gangster, who likes nothing better than slashing a woman's throat with his flick-knife. Van Damme's buddy Donny is also great. The action is over-the-top in places – the motorbike/car chases, for instance – but the stunts are good, the effects fantastic, and the physical battles brilliant. I especially loved the ending on the boat, which offers vintage thrills and spills. All in all this is a very good film with plenty to offer for those who can stand the intensity.