At 53, Jean-Claude Van Damme is still an extraordinary physical specimen, performing his trademark splits while perched on the side-view mirrors of semi-trucks driving parallel, in reverse, in that YouTube video that went viral a couple months ago.
Unfortunately the actor's new feature film, "Enemies Closer," focuses more energy on the eccentricities of his character, a French Canadian drug-cartel boss, than his martial-arts skills, saddling him with wild, reddish-blond Anne Burrell hair and a pathological regard for the environment. (He's a vegan villain!)
As Xander, Van Damme is at least entertaining in a so-bad-it's-good sort of way. Not so for poor
Henry is confronted by Clay (
Directed by Peter Hyams ("Timecop," Van Damme's highest-grossing lead role to date), "Enemies Closer" suffers from wincingly bad dialogue delivered as if by jocks in a high-school play and action choreographed as if for a gymnasium stage.
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"Enemies Closer."
MPAA rating: R for strong violence and language.
Running time: 1 hour, 25 minutes.
Playing: At AMC Burbank Town Center 8. Also on VOD.