Lionheart

• Released in the United Kingdom as A.W.O.L: Absent Without Leave and in Oceania (it’s a real area) as Wrong Bet
• Directed by Sheldon Lettich
• August 1, 1990 (France) / January 11, 1991 (US)

A French Foreign Legionnaire must desert to the US and enter the underground fighting circuit to raise money for his murdered brother’s family. No easier way to get money?

There was a time when movies could meld mindless action with the pretense of depth. Sometimes they even got to that aspiration. A charismatic lead, a sad story, and character(s) that need to step up to a challenge to prove themselves while righting a wrong. It did give them a little more meat allowing the movie itself to be enjoyable beyond the time period even if there was questionable acting and script choices. Enter Lionheart, which reportedly drew some inspiration from the Bronson film Hard Times.

In the story Jean-Claude Van Damme is French Legionnaire Lyon “Lionheart” Gaultier. See what they did? When he learns his brother got set on fire after a drug deal went bad, he goes AWOL to get revenge amongst other things.

This wants to be an action focused Rocky. Rather than boxing we got early MMA brought to us by the able-bodied Jean-Claude Van Damme with a spin kick so powerful that it earned the respect of Chuck Norris. What would a wannabe Rocky be without its answer to Mickey who here is a black man named Joshua Eldridge (Harrison Page) that shows Lyon the ropes of the underground circuit and has his back despite a gimp leg. Not that Jean-Claude Van Damage needs any of that!

Brian Thompson shows as Russell who is a heavy in this but not exactly a main threat. He may never have been great yet certainly puts his best foot forward in everything he does. His 10 seconds in The Terminator alone is very memorable. Thompson never shrinks into the background here or anywhere. Mostly acting here as a facilitator and the dude that adds stress. Cynthia Caldera (Deborah Rennard) is much more of a threat. The woman keeps trying to screw up his goals and use him to make money. Nothing that he can’t overcome by keeping his eye on the prize. 

As is expected the story works to make Lyon a character with a heart of gold who can kick tons of ass. He may run afoul of his brother’s widow Hélène (Lisa Pelikan) but bonds with precocious niece Nicole (Ashley Johnson). That immediately makes him much more of a great guy!

Since Lyon went AWOL, he’s pursued by just two agents to bring him back for trial because he also beat crap out of several people to get out of the Foreign Legion. They are always lingering in the background as a threat and eventually catch up before having a change of heart and letting him go because he’s such an awesome guy. We get the added hint of a spark between Lyon and Nicole because nothing wrong with moving on so fast and taking up with your husband’s brother.

There is one thing I need to bring up that has nothing really to do with the movie. Kind of does but not the actual quality or enjoyment of the film. There is an actor in here (Abdel Qissi as Attila) who when I saw that my first commercial for this back in the day, I thought he would’ve made a physically ideal wolverine. To me at the time he looked the part and with a few tweaks, I think in the hair department I think he could’ve done it. Just something that’s always stuck with me since my days of being a huge fan of those comics.

Objectively speaking Lionheart is bad. Entertaining but not great. What sells this is the charisma and physicality of Jean-Claude Van Damme and excellent fight choreography in interesting places. It sells the underground aspect while probably being cost effective. It is cheaper to film in somebody’s yard in their empty pool or a nearby parking garage than on a set made to look like an arena.

This is not necessarily the best dialogue Jean-Claude Van Damme has ever had. What he works with borders on the Schwarzenegger treatment in Conan the Barbarian. He has a presence that keeps you watching. Even if he has nothing to say in the scene, he draws your attention. There is expression as necessary and the man can look tough just by standing there.

Is Lionheart a great movie? No, but it’s entertaining. The fight scenes are well staged and the story carries you through any other weaknesses. No Academy Awards were ever going to be won for this, but it does scratch that action itch.