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Legionnaire (1998)

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51 comments in total

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14 out of 14 people found the following comment useful :-
A pretty good Van Damme picture., 14 febrero 1999

Author: Rick Peach (beefsmack@webtv.net) de USA

This is better than most Van Damme films and it has a great score. The film is cliched, but it's a Van Damme picture. I don't think any Van Damme fan wold have it any other way. Some have said that Van Damme reminds them of Schwarzenegger, but I personally think the comparison runs closer along the lines of Charles Bronson. Jean-Claude Van Damme is the B-movie actor of our generation and to me that is a major compliment. Some might not like his accent or his fancy karate, but his films are usually entertaining and solid action pieces. I remember a long time ago somebody said to me that Steven Segal would outlast Van Damme, well all I have to say is "Has anybody really liked the last 4 or 5 Segal pictures?" People should appreciate Van Damme for the action star he is and not the actor he may or may never become.

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15 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
Worth watching even for non van Damme fans, 3 marzo 2004

Author: liebpferd de Seattle, WA

Legionnaire is beautifully photographed and contains both an engaging story (loosely based on Beau Geste) and good performances by the actors. Underrated from the start, the picture undeservedly went straight to video. However, it is not a 10 out of 10 as some suggest. The story and characters fall too often into clichés and some of the roles could have been given more depth. Particularly the love story, mostly told in flash backs, is depicted with emotionally appealing pictures and music but remains too superficial to be fully satisfying.

This film had the potential to be great with a bit more emphasis on the drama part and toning down the more usual action flick formula (the action scenes are well done, though). However, here is hope that van Damme will make more serious movies, even if they have martial arts and action themes. I always liked him as an actor. There is an honesty and modesty to van Damme's work that is missing in most Hollywood products.

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13 out of 14 people found the following comment useful :-
What? No kicking?, 2 octubre 2003

Author: (Stickboyprez@indy.rr.com) de Indiana

This has to be one of the oddest, yet best Van Damme films ever. It's not chop-socky martial arts kickboxing crud, and it isn't mindless sci-fi action... it's a war drama. And a surprisingly good one. Van Damme plays Alain, a boxer who is paid to take a dive, but who instead flees and joins the French Foreign Legion, where he learns about friendship, honor, and fighting to the last. Sound like a normal Van Damme movie? Far from it. Sheldon Lettich's script, while somewhat cliche, is very well put together. The acting is surprisingly top notch, with even Jean-Claude Van Damme himself turning in a good performance. What a shame this movie never made it to theaters. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys an exciting, epic war film. I give it 8/10.

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9 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
Van Damme does drama, 10 marzo 2005

Author: AwesomeWolf de Australia

I found 'Legionnaire' for $10 on a rack labelled "Movies that should never have been made!". I had never seen 'Legionnaire', but on the same rack was the Arnie classic 'Conan the Barbarian'. I decided that whoever was running the store obviously didn't know what they were talking about - I'm sure Arnie will forgive them - and so I picked up 'Legionnaire'. If I had known it had a lot more of Jean-Claude Van Damme acting rather than Van Damme beating the **** out of bad guys, I probably would have avoided it. Good thing I gave it a go, as it was actually pretty good.

Van Damme plays Alain Lefevre, a boxer paid to take a dive by a mobster. Alain and his girl-friend have other ideas, and plan to flee France and go to America. After giving his opponent a good butt-kicking, and enraging the mobsters, Alain ends up being chased by police, and finds himself in the French Foreign Legion and deployed to Africa to crush an insurgency in a French colony.

Funnily enough, it is pretty much 'Lionheart' reversed. Other than that, 'Legionnaire' feels more like a war movie than a Van Damme movie. Then again, you can tell Van Damme co-wrote it: He gives himself a lot of acting time, and not much arse-kicking time, but then you have various action clichés popping up and the odd one-liner here and there.

Van Damme's martial-arts skills are not showcased here as much as in his other movies. There are a few boxing scenes, and maybe one kick in the entire movie. The rest of the action is standard war stuff: explosions and gun-play (circa 1924, to be precise).

'Legionnaire' is surprisingly good in the end. Van Damme gets to do something different for a change, and I'll give him credit for it. It is more dramatic than most of his other movies, but that should not stop Van Damme fans - and even non-fans of Van Damme - from seeing it - 7/10

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7 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Van Damme, 16 julio 2006

Author: (winner55) de United States

This is the least typical Van Damme film - and his absolute best. really, if you come to this film expecting a typical Van Damme film, please go see Double Impact or Hard Target again.

Based on a real incident during the 1925 Morocco campaign (and most of us didn't even know there was such a campaign), and highly suggestive of the many versions of Beau Geste that women have wept over in movie-houses for decades, this is a story about the French Foreign Legion. Viewers should be warned that the slogan of the Legion at this time was "March or die!" The only thing that kept these men from killing each other was that the Berbers were so much better at killing them.

The film has an epic structure to it. The cinematography doesn't quite match this, but it is rock-solid. The actors are all very able. Clichés do drift through the film, but the final battle makes up for most of these.

And, oh, yes, Van Damme can actually act. Quite well, when he doesn't let it get to his head.

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7 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Certainly different, and uniquely done!, 26 mayo 2004
Author: Theodore (tjranma) de Craven County, NC USA

I bought the DVD off the sales rack at Wal-Mart, thinking I could pawn it off after once viewing it. . . .not expecting much of it, even though I am a fan of Van Damme. BUT, it surprised me as Van Damme expresses his DRAMATIC skills! Not his usuall puncher-kicker film, he tells the story of how it is for a legionnaire watching people he knows being picked off one-by-one in the heated Hell of war! Although it's not a true story, it IS, however, true to the way it is with any heartfull man who joins the Foreign Legion and gets caught up in such Hellish realities of hatred in combat. Leaving behind all he's ever known & felt comfortable with and fighting for a whole different cause, and finding out later the trespasses that happen which can result in hatred. You can feel the loneliness he felt as the Arabs ride away & he's the only one left standing there in the death, rubble, and smoke of what was his fort in Northern Africa. Certainly a welcomed change from Van Damme's usuall martial arts mayhem. It's a keeper!

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7 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Turn Your Brain Off And You Might Enjoy It, 2 junio 2003

Author: Theo Robertson de Isle Of Bute , Scotland

Ah yes the French foreign legion , something every schoolboy with a sense of adventure has thought about joining , and something film makers have dedicated a lot of celluloid to .

Jean Claude Van Damme made a previous film set against the background of the legion: AWOL ( Aka LIONHEART ) but this is far superior . In fact AWOL and LEGIONNAIRE are complete opposites since one has Van Damme running away from the regiment to become a prize fighter while the other has Van Damme as a prize fighter who runs off to join the legion ! But like I said LEGIONNAIRE is the better film . It`s enjoyable in a very cliched way , and I mean very very cliched , no cliche is left unturned but at least we don`t see Van Damme strip off his shirt and engage the Arab hordes in fisticuffs

If you liked MARCH OR DIE you`ll like this movie

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7 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Not bad, 2 marzo 2002

Author: mm-39 de Winnipeg

I like history movies, so I like this one. Nice change for Van Damm he plays a different role. The film is interesting to follow. We have the reasons why people joined, and the harshness of being one. A solid 6, and I would watch this film when they show it on TBS.

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5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Excellent Van Damme Flick, 28 abril 2001

Author: The__Watcher de Mirage

A different style Van Damme movie, using no kicks or any fancy martial arts moves. JCVD plays a Legionnaire in this, as in 'Lionheart'. He has a boxing match in this movie, in the beginning. Well directed, and good story-line. It's another good Van Damme movie that's very enjoyable. Recommended for everyone.

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3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Van Damme did it!, 12 junio 1999

Author: Fletch-35 de portland, or

Oh the humanity! Van Damme does us all proud with his fine performance in this wonderful dramatic/action movie. Great story, top-notch acting, and wonderful directing, it's a wonder why they didn't orginally release this into the theaters. Departing from his usual action/karate persona, Van Damme gets into a serious role and pulls it off. This is a definite one to get, go to the video store now and pick up a copy. Van Damme hasn't let you down. 5 stars.

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