Jean-Claude Van Damme was among the biggest action stars of the 1990s, a decade that boasted just as many misses as hits for the Belgian martial artist. While most will think of JCVD’s work in the late ‘80s on iconic movies Bloodsport and Kickboxer, it was during the 1990s that Van Damme truly started to break through in Hollywood as he began making a name for himself alongside тιтans like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. While Van Damme struggled to achieve the same widespread cultural relevance as those two stars, among action movie enthusiasts he’s just as much of a legend.

Many of the best Van Damme movies were released during the 1990s as he punched, kicked, and fought his way through action, comedies, sci-fi, and thrillers. Whether it was showing off his dark side as sinister villains or with hilarious blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo appearances, there was a variety to Van Damme’s 1990s output that showcased an actor finding his footing in Hollywood. While JCVD never really got his due as a major action star, and his worst movies have somewhat tarnished his legacy, this was a decade that also featured some all-time great releases.

17

Universal Soldier: The Return (1999)

Jean-Claude Van Damme as Private Luc Deveraux

It’s hard to admit, but Jean-Claude Van Damme’s worst movie of the 1990s was a sequel to one of his very best. Universal Soldier: The Return was the universally reviled fourth entry in the long-running sci-fi franchise that signaled the end of an era in Van Damme’s career, as its total failure critically and commercially meant it was the action star’s last widely released movie in the United States until The Expendables 2 in 2012. With a generic story, subpar action, and terrible performances, even JCVD superfans can skip this one.

16

Inferno (1999)

Jean-Claude Van Damme as Eddie Lomax

While Inferno was loosely based on the Akira Kurosawa samurai movie Yojimbo, it sadly did not have any of the enduring appeal of that all-time great Japanese movie. Instead, Inferno saw Jean-Claude Van Damme play a veteran soldier with a death wish whose purpose is reignited on a revenge mission after an encounter with a gang of thugs. With a 0% score on Rotten Tomatoes, this action movie, which was also released under the тιтle Desert Heat, was a total dud.

15

Double Team (1997)

Jean-Claude Van Damme as Jack Paul Quinn

The action comedy Double Team received plenty of accolades, although they were not the kind of accolades that actors and directors usually hope for, as it earned several Razzie Awards and even a Stinkers Bad Movie award. With plenty of criticism going toward Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dennis Rodman as the “Worst Screen Couple” of 1997, this story of a counter-terrorist agent and flamboyant arms dealer taking down an elusive terrorist known as Stavros (Mickey Rourke) just missed the mark. Although Double Team has its apologists, major plot holes stopped it from standing among JCVD’s best action movies.

14

Knock Off (1998)

Jean-Claude Van Damme as Marcus Ray

Jean-Claude Van Damme teamed up with Rob Schneider for the comedian’s first dramatic role in Knock Off, the story of a fashion designer joining forces with a C.I.A. agent to combat terrorism. While there were some enjoyable action sequences and enough cheesy dialogue that this may appeal to the so-bad-it’s-good crowd of movie lovers, Knock Off’s plot was too muddled to make much of an impact. As director Tsui Hark’s second American film following Double Team, the filmmaker opted to call it a day on U.S. productions following this movie and return to work in Hong Kong.

13

The Quest (1996)

Jean-Claude Van Damme as Chris Dubois

As a film co-written, directed by, and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, The Quest was an ambitious martial arts adventure that followed a New York thief sold into slavery in 1925 who must earn back his freedom in a martial arts tournament. With Van Damme and Roger Moore in the lead roles, The Quest harkened back to the classics of old Hollywood productions, although it never quite reached the heights of the films it was influenced by. Best described as a noble failure, The Quest was an interesting but uneven addition to Van Damme’s filmography.

12

Legionnaire (1998)

Jean-Claude Van Damme as Alain Lefèvre

Legionnaire saw Jean-Claude Van Damme play a French boxer in 1925, forced to join the Foreign Legion to evade a mob boss who paid for him to lose a fight he refused to throw. While those looking for a typical Van Damme adventure culminating in overcoming the odds at an epic martial arts tournament will be left disappointed, Legionnaire was a compelling exploration of the French Foreign Legion and the alliances and brotherhood that develop between fellow soldiers. With a chance for Van Damme to show off his dramatic side, there was a lot to love about Legionnaire.

11

Maximum Risk (1996)

Jean-Claude Van Damme as Alain Moreau / Mikhail Suverov

Jean-Claude Van Damme pulled out all the stops for his dual role in Maximum Risk, the story of a French police detective who finds his life in peril as various parties hunt him down, believing him to be the mob informant Mikhail Suverov. Featuring encounters with Russian gangsters and corrupt American officials, the only ally Van Damme can seem to find is his doppelganger’s girlfriend (Natasha Henstridge) in this thrilling life-or-death story. As a film packed with stunts and car chases, Maximum Risk wasn’t a perfect movie, but it will certainly keep fast-paced action fans happy.

10

Street Fighter (1994)

Jean-Claude Van Damme as Colonel William F. Guile

Video game adaptations are notoriously difficult to pull off, and the Street Fighter movie has had a mixed response among lovers of the arcade classic. With Jean-Claude Van Damme as Colonel William F. Guile, Street Fighter maintained the game’s classic characters and signature aesthetic, which, although appearing absolutely ridiculous in live action, was a commendable creative decision. With plenty of action, a unique sense of humor, and a woefully miscast Kylie Minogue in a starring role, Street Fighter had its highs and its lows.

9

Death Warrant (1990)

Jean-Claude Van Damme as Detective Louis Burke

Death Warrant starred Jean-Claude Van Damme as a police detective going undercover in prison to discover the truth behind a series of murders, only to come face-to-face with his nemesis who swears revenge on him. While Death Warrant was brought down by a weak and predictable storyline, its action sequences more than made up for this, and it was thrilling to see Van Damme give one of his greatest acting performances.

8

Nowhere To Run (1993)

Jean-Claude Van Damme as Sam Gillen

Nowhere to Run began with the escaped convict Sam Gillen (Van Damme) finding refuge at a widow’s farmhouse after his partner was fatally wounded, and before long helping her fight back against the ruthless contractor who was trying to take over her land. With an emotional core, Nowhere to Run was certainly one of Van Damme’s better films and has even built up a cult following over the years. As a strong showcase of Van Damme’s acting talents, Nowhere to Run highlighted that, given the right material, JCVD can deliver a performance that brings depth and sincerity to his character.

7

Double Impact (1991)

Jean-Claude Van Damme as Alex Wagner / Chad Wagner

Jean-Claude Van Damme played two roles in Double Impact, the story of identical twin brothers who were separated after their parents were murdered and who reunite 25 years later to enact their revenge. As Van Damme’s third movie with Sheldon Lettich, who wrote Bloodsport and directed Lionheart, Double Impact was an exciting reunion that didn’t quite manage to reach the heights of the pair’s previous collaborations.

6

Sudden Death (1995)

Jean-Claude Van Damme as Darren McCord

Director Peter Hyams and Jean-Claude Van Damme followed up the success of Timecop the previous year with Sudden Death, yet another exciting, action-packed thriller. With JCVD as a lone fire marshal against a group of extortionists holding unsuspecting NHL fans and players during the Stanley Cup Finals, Sudden Death was yet another in a long list of Die Hard-inspired single-location action movies. While Sudden Death may lack some of the wit that made Die Hard so spectacular, it made up for it with its superior set pieces.

5

Lionheart (1990)

Jean-Claude Van Damme as Lyon “Lionheart” Gaultier

With a screenplay co-written by Jean-Claude Van Damme himself, Lionheart brought together everything action movie lovers enjoy about its lead star as he played a French Foreign Legionnaire enterting a U.S. underground fighting circuit to raise money for murdered brother’s family. By leaning into the appeal of Arnold Schwarzenegger movies from this, Van Damme was slowly building a reputation as a major action star for the 1990s with Lionheart. While Lionheart was a packed with non-stop action, it also offered the star a chance to show off JCVD’s more compᴀssionate side.

4

Hard Target (1993)

Jean-Claude Van Damme as Chance Boudreaux

Hard Target was the Hong Kong action movie legend John Woo’s first American film and saw Jean-Claude Van Damme play a homeless drifter helping a woman locate her missing father in New Orleans. While Woo’s later movie Face/Off has been remembered as one of the greatest action movies of the 1990s, it was unfortunate that Hard Target rarely got its due for its extraordinary action scenes and stylized aesthetic. Sadly, many of Van Damme’s movies were harshly judged upon release, but looking back, it’s clear that this was a top-tier action movie that’s worthy of far more praise.

3

Last Action Hero (1993)

Jean-Claude Van Damme as Himself

While Jean-Claude Van Damme’s appearance in the Arnold Schwarzenegger classic Last Action Hero was brief, it was also one of the most enjoyable cameos in his entire career. This satirical action movie was filled with plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor as the lines between fact and fiction blended when the fictional Detective Jack Slater gate-crashed his own movie premiere, which was being attended by none other than Van Damme. While JCVD was only seen for a moment on the red carpet, this was an incredible blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo that added to the film’s enduring legacy.

2

Timecop (1994)

Jean-Claude Van Damme as Agent Max Walker

Jean-Claude Van Damme showcased his exceptional ability to blend action and sci-fi with the cult classic Timecop. With Van Damme as a time-traveling police officer traversing different periods as he uncovers the crimes of a crooked politician, this incredible Peter Hyams movie was shockingly panned by critics but was a hit with viewers and became one of the star’s biggest successes as a lead actor, taking in over $100 million at the box office (via The Numbers.) While it’s easy to criticize plot inconsistencies, when viewed in terms of pure entertainment value, Timecop was Van Damme at his very best.

1

Universal Soldier (1992)

Jean-Claude Van Damme as Luc Deveraux / GR44

Jean-Claude Van Damme’s biggest success of the 1990s came with Universal Soldier, a sci-fi classic that showcased the martial artist’s incredible potential as a Hollywood star. Starring JCVD as a U.S. Army soldier who was killed in the Vietnam War, this fallen soldier was brought back to life through a secret government program that saw him revived for an elite counter-terrorism unit. With an equally compelling villain in the form of Dolph Lundgren as a psycH๏τic megalomaniac intent on killing the super soldiers, Universal Soldier was far more than the Terminator 2 clone it has occasionally been dismissed as.

Source: The Numbers