Search - Jean-Claude Van Damme Double Feature (Time Cop/Hard Target) on DVD

The listing is incorrect . . .

Daniel Evans Jr. | Nashville, TN United States | 10/19/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"These are listed as being Widescreen! Although Hard Target is Widescreen, TimeCop is NOT. I purchased this set thinking that I had finally gotten my hands on a WS version, but no. I've tried to watch the FS version but I feel like I'm missing something. I AM missing something. A lot of the movie!

Other than that, the movies are good. Arguably, Van Damme's 2 best, which is why I got them. If you don't care about the formatting, then get these. For the price, you really can't beat the deal."

Van Damme actually delivers the goods

Jeffrey Leach | Omaha, NE USA | 02/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There is a name that strikes terror into the hearts of the decent the world over, a name only whispered in sepulchral voices in the darkest hours of the night. It is a name that conjures up evil spirits speaking in tongues unknown to humankind, whose mere mention aloud brings plagues and droughts, famines and every sort of natural calamity to the world of man. What is this name that reeks of absolute horror, that causes such devastation to every living creature within earshot of its speaking? From what dank pits of malefic darkness does such a moniker arise to spread doom and gloom amongst the creatures of the light? Alas, its origins are shrouded in black eons of mystery, but there are many who know the name of which I speak. They have suffered hours of torment upon hearing it, and they cower in the deepest caves of the earth in a futile effort to escape hearing or seeing it again. Escape, of course, is futile. For the name I write of--to warn those who have yet to witness its awesome capacity for destruction--is the name of a being that wears a disguise so as to appear human. The name is Jean-Claude Van Damme.

Maybe I'm exaggerating the horror that is Jean-Claude, but I needed to write something interesting in order to break a brief bout of writer's block. Actually, Van Damme made a couple of gems in his lengthy career as an international action star. Albert Pyun's "Cyborg" is one of them; the other is Peter Hyam's "Time Cop." In this film, one of the few he made that I can watch without retching, Van Damme actually shows some range. The movie posits a familiar scenario: what would happen if time travel actually existed? Countless books and movies deal with this theme, but "Time Cop" carries it a bit further by showing the viewer the problems inherent in such a situation. It's great to go back and witness the Revolutionary War or see Julius Caesar fall under the assassins' daggers, but what happens when people attempt to change the past in an effort to change the future? What about the dishonest types going back to the Civil War to steal Confederate gold, or the guy buying up stocks dirt cheap during the Depression in order to make a killing 100 years later? Enter Walker (Van Damme), his boss Matuzak (Bruce McGill), and the rest of the officers charged with the awesome responsibility of policing time. These guys detect rips in the time fabric and track down those groups and individuals making unauthorized trips.

Walker is a great cop but he carries a heavy burden. His wife Melissa (Mia Sara) died years before when a couple of goons blew up their house. In a series of amazing coincidences only possible in the world of cinema, Walker gradually discovers that a powerful politician, Senator McComb (Ron Silver), is responsible for sponsoring several recent illegal trips back in time. The politician orchestrates these excursions because he wants to run for president and needs to raise millions of dollars to fund his campaign. How much would you like to bet that McComb also bears some responsibility for Walker's personal tragedies? Predictably, the movie turns into a series of scenes showing Walker confronting McComb and his minions in various dangerous situations in both the past and present. There are a couple of twists, though. Anyone traveling back in time must be very careful about running into a younger version of themselves. If the past and future versions happen to touch each other, nasty things happen. Too, since Mia Sara's character disappears early in the film, the script throws in Officer Fielding (Gloria Reuben) as Walker's new partner in order to provide some male/female banter. Expect a high body count as Van Damme kicks, punches, and shoots dozens of bad guys.

"Time Cop" works well for a variety of reasons. The central plot idea is a good one, and director Hyams throws in plenty of intriguing little details that makes the experience more believable without going overboard. Most surprising is Hyams's ability to coax a good performance out of Van Damme. The actor's chemistry with all of the other performers is easily apparent, especially in the friendly banter with Bruce McGill's character. We even see Jean-Claude express sorrow over the demise of his wife in a credible way! Amazing, isn't it? Even better is Ron Silver's turn as the oily Senator McComb. Silver simply oozes evil, and does it in an offhand, ironic way that's great fun to watch. I suspect "Time Cop" wouldn't be half as good as it is if someone else played the villain. He steals every single scene he appears in. The movie's main problem is one that plagues all pictures and books about time travel: once you start thinking about what you're seeing onscreen, you begin to notice incongruities and plot holes that aren't easy to answer without a background in advanced science. Nevertheless, "Time Cop" is a movie I watch whenever I get the chance; it's that entertaining.

Extras on the disc are sparse, consisting only of a trailer, production notes, cast and crew biographies, and filmographies. Sadly, the transfer is fullscreen, but at least the picture quality is quite good. I should confess that I haven't watched the other movie in this set, Van Damme's "Hard Target," so I can't comment on the quality of that picture. I recommend waiting until someone releases a special edition of "Time Cop" before acquiring a copy. A widescreen presentation, commentary tracks, and better extras would surely add much to the viewing experience.



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It ain't all bad.....

fetthead | Vancouver, BC | 10/29/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"No doubt that these two are Jean Claudde Van-Damme's best films. Bloodsport got the ball rolling, and I actually enjoyed watching Double Team (with Dennis Rodman but don't tell anyone!), but I enjoy watching HARD TARGET and TIMECOP more than the others. Maybe because they've both got two seasoned and professional directors behind the camera (John Woo and Peter Hyams). Your guaranteed an enjoyable double feature with Hard Target, where rich men go on a 'hunt', the prey consisting of mainly homeless people and TimeCop, a Sci-Fi adventure through time where Van Damme is policeing 'time-travel' as people start to bend history to their own greedy needs. It's got some great effects and production design, not to mention the slick photography by DOP and director Peter Hyams (of 2010:The Year We Make Contact and the other fun Van Damme flick, Sudden Death).As I mentioned above, Sudden Death should have also been included into this package and you could have spent an entire day of explosive action. But since we've got these two, watch out for Lance Henrikson's awesome 'bad guy' performance, John Woo's slick direction (which at some parts, puts M:I-2 to shame because it was R rated and not pg-13), in HARD TARGET and watch for Ron Silver's slimy politician role and the slick effects used in TIME COP (filmed in my hometown of Vancouver)."