Jean-Claude Van Damme starred in a wonderfully goofy cyberpunk movie in the late ’80s, and silly names aside, it’s one of his best hidden gems. A staple of ’80s and ’90s action films, the Belgian martial artist and actor specialized in headlining B-movies that were usually better than many of the first-run features that Hollywood was producing at the time.
Bloodsport put Van Damme on the map, but he would soon move away from the strict martial arts genre toward a plethora of science fiction-inspired films. By the middle of the 1990s, Van Damme was in bona fide blockbusters like Time Cop and Universal Soldier, and he cemented his status as one of the greatest action stars of all time.
It’s hard to say that any of JCVD’s early movies are hidden gems, especially since they were already B-movies, but one cult classic stands head and shoulders above the rest. While it may be a beloved slice of late ’80s cheese, the cyberpunk film is still some of Van Damme’s best work.
Cyborg Is Probably Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Most Overlooked Movie
His First Sci-Fi Movie Kicked Off A Career Trend
1989’s Cyborg is not generally mentioned highly among Jean-Claude Van Damme’s best movies, but it certainly deserves a spot. The film was directed by B-movie maestro Albert Pyun, and is set in a post-apocalyptic version of the United States. Van Damme stars as generic action hero, Gibson, and he is allowed to kick his way through crowds of enemies.
Despite a razor-thin plot, Cyborg shines because of its martial arts choreography and intelligent creative choices. Pyun excelled at getting the most from the least amount of money, and Cyborg doesn’t suffer from the same lazy pitfalls as many of its contemporaries. The movie’s setting is unique, and the American South isn’t usually the location for a post-apocalyptic sci-fi film.
it kicked off a career trend for JCVD, and the ’90s saw him appear in more and more sci-fi films.
It also never pretends to be anything that it isn’t, and embraces the silliness while highlighting what it does right. Perhaps most importantly, it kicked off a career trend for JCVD, and the ’90s saw him appear in more and more sci-fi films. Without Cyborg, he probably wouldn’t have been cast in his biggest films a few years later.
Yes, Cyborg Has Some Of Cinema’s Most Ridiculous Character Names
Someone Had An Affinity For Musical Instruments
A good name is crucial, but Cyborg might have the most ridiculous names in film history. Van Damme plays a character named Gibson Rickenbacker, which is silly enough, but it’s even goofier for those who know about musical instruments. Both parts of his name are guitar brands, and he wasn’t the only one.
Cyborg spawned two sequels, Cyborg 2 and Cyborg 3: The Recycler.
The main villain is Fender Tremelo, a combination of a guitar brand and a guitar effect, which doesn’t make him more intimidating. Another character is named Pearl Prophet, which is a bit more subtle, but is still an obvious nod to instrument brands. While it doesn’t tank the Jean-Claude Van Damme movie, it certainly makes everything a lot more cheesy.
