Blackjack (1998 TV Movie) User Reviews

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[fmarkland32 · 5/10 · 3 September 2006]

Dolph Lundgren stars as Jack Devlin a bodyguard who is blinded by a flash grenade which gives him a color phobia (It gets even more ridiculous) seems Devlin is afraid of the color white and is trying to stay low while he conquers his fear. However when a supermodel is hassled by her psychotic ex-husband it is only Devlin that can protect her from certain death in this made for television movie which is slightly more watchable than Woo's other TV movie bomb but basically suffers from too much length and lack of grip on the subplots which overwhelm Blackjack's overall story. Blackjack is along the line of "Do you think we can fit one more subplot to the other 7000 ones, Let's see how it works!" There is of course the color phobia, Lundgren being a new parent, the homoeroticism between Lundgren and Rubinek, the supermodel and her psycho ex,The bad guy being a failed actor, the supermodel addicted to prescription drugs, his best friend's injury, the friend's company which is taken over, the parents of the little girl who die under mysterious circumstances, Lundgren's shrink and Lundgren's tragic past. That is like five more subplots than the movie needs and really Woo cannot make it work, especially when there is too much going on. Still Blackjack has it's moments. The action sequences while watered down for Television consumption has it's degree of punch and Lundgren gives a not too shabby performance. Certainly better than you would expect but really this is only for curious John Woo fans who want to see him make a Hong Kong styled TV movie. It is a combo that doesn't work but at least it isn't because of lack of trying.

* * out of 4-(Fair)

too clichéd

[kastagne · 4/10 · 19 July 2006]

Joh Woo has used over and over the slow motion scenes in his action sequences and he always finds a special trick to regenerate his style.But this time,it is a little too much clichéd.Your libido will be absorbed by the blond fluffy bunnies swirling around Dolph Lundgren's muscles and the action scenes are totally unrealistic but this is where all the fun comes from.John Woo always tended to stylize his movies and this one is no exception to the rule.His obsessions for choreography of bullets and killed bodies, as well as friendship and honor, are strongly embedded in all his movies. Unfortunately this movie was made for TV and it demoted the result.

Woo is folly. Here, at least.

[BroadswordCallinDannyBoy · 4/10 · 17 June 2006]

Jack Devlin is a bodyguard for high paying clients and his latest assignment has him protecting a supermodel from a killer. Deviln's weakness is fear of the color white (yes you read that correctly) and this killer he is after knows that proving his capture to be difficult.

This film is John Woo from beginning to end and any fan of the action director will instantly recognize that. Slow motion, dual handguns, fairly relentless action, and a strong focus on characterization. The problem is the film is boring. And I mean BORING. Main reason being that while it contains many traditional Woo elements, they are presented on such a small scale and so underdeveloped that it is almost sad to acknowledge that this is John Woo action picture when it actually feels like a third-rate wannabe copycat of a John Woo action picture.

With almost every scene you'll just be going "that's it?" Unforetunately yes, that is it. 4/10

Rated R despite limited violence

Things blow up – but that's it ..lacking style, substance, sense or excitement. This is more like a pair of snake-eyes!

[bob the moo · 20 April 2002]

Ex-FBI agent Jack is taken on to protect the daughter of his friends from mobsters. Years later his friends are killed in an accident and Jack is left to look after Casey himself. He is also brought into a protection case by his old friend Jim. Cinder James is a model who is being threatened by her ex-husband. However the killer discovers Jack's weakness and uses it against him. Jack has a phobia of the colour white.

Yes…you heard me. The hero is scared of the colour white! That fact alone is a good indication of the film as a whole – silly nonsense that is almost laughably poor at times. My favourite scene is the one where our `hero' is rendered almost totally helpless by the sight of spilt milk! The story makes about as much effort to make sense. The opening 15 minutes just seem to be an excuse for a gun fight – the friends are killed off quickly and Casey is relegated to background character.

The main plot is silly and full of holes….if Cinder's husband is working alone (indeed he's the only one they're looking for) then who are all those guys on motorbikes who come racing out of nowhere every time there's an action scene? It's holes like this that tell you that the writers aren't even trying – all they want is a few action scenes and an excuse to make them happen! The action scenes are average at best – if I didn't know this was Woo I'd have assumed that it was someone ripping him off badly. Occasionally we have a bit of slow-mo diving around – but other than that it is pretty lacking of style.

Lungren isn't terrible, it's only in the `serious' scenes where he has problems. In the other scenes he looks like he's enjoying himself and not taking it too seriously – that helps us relax and enjoy! Heskin is an empty blonde as Cinder – didn't anyone want to give her a character?! Likewise MacKenzie doesn't have much to do as Rory – he seems lie the most interesting character in the film but he gives in to hamminess too often. Jim is a nice cameo from Fred Williamson but that's about it!

Overall this is daft, lazy and totally lacking in the style that Woo has build his reputation on. The TVM sets and actors just make it worse. To me the point where I knew for sure that this was a `bad movie' was when the doctor (played by the Z-grade Vernon) told Jack (with a look of total seriousness) that `your sunglasses are the only protection from all the white out there'. Rubbish – makes you realise how good things like `Die Xue Shuang Xiong' and `Lashou Shentan' are!

One of John Woo's worst movies

[Maziun · 1/10 · 28 December 2014]

This is definitely not one of John Woo's best movies. This made-for-TV American Canadian co-production was supposed to be a pilot for TV series under the same name with Dolph Lundgren as the star. Since the TV series were never made you can only guess how bad this movie is. It's hard to believe that Woo made this after the great "Face off". I guess Woo wanted to earn few dollars and had some spare time.

The script is unoriginal , predictable , full of cliché characters and based on a nonsense that Lundgren is afraid of colour white. It's hardly the most exciting plot device in the world, because it's so stupid. This allows the movie for some laughable moments like a fight in the pool of milk. Other than that the script takes itself very seriously and there's no humor. There is no interesting villain either.

The plot is silly and full of holes. The writers weren't even trying . The story is an excuse for action.

The acting is lame and there is no chemistry between the characters. Lundgren tries hard , but there are serious moments when he is truly bad.

The action feels uninspired. Woo is on autopilot here and If I didn't knew it was his movie , I could swear it was directed by some John Woo wannabe. The motorbike stunts are decent , but that's it. The movie was made by 10 mln of $. Where all this money go ? The whole movie feels made on very small scale.

Not one of Woo's or Lundgren's finest moments. I give it 1/10.

One of the worst films for both Lundgren and Woo

[Leofwine_draca · 2/10 · 21 November 2015]

My God! I was hoping that this would turn out to be Lundgren's best film - turns out instead that it's his worst I've seen. John Woo makes a television movie and does it very badly. The pacing is non-existent, the movie packed with extraneous characters (like the young girl) and the whole thing feels like it's been patched together from four television episodes. I've never known a Woo film to drag or be incredibly boring until now.

Things look promising at the beginning with a house massacre, with Lundgren taking on a whole gang of bad guys in Woo's inimitably violent style. Sadly things descend into silliness when a trampoline comes into play. Then the action is over and done with, until a predictable but fun motorbike fight in the woods halfway through. The baddie turns out to be a single sniper, and the sight of Lundgren chasing a single villain just isn't a lot of fun. Quite boring, in fact.

Lundgren is terribly wooden, the supporting cast no better (although that French guy was kind of amusing). Even good old Fred Williamson is wasted in a role where he does little or nothing. The nonsensical plot lurches from one instance to another, only occasionally making sense as it goes along. The villain isn't big or clever, just irritating and whiny. The females look pretty but are pretty vapid. And talk about that anti-climatic ending. Oh yeah, and at the beginning Lundgren gets blinded by a flash grenade and develops a phobia of the colour white. Later on he has to fight in a milk factory. Bet you couldn't see that one coming, could you? A new career low for both Lundgren and Woo, abysmal stuff.

John Woo 's worst movie

[yamaelle · 1/10 · 30 January 2000]

I'm sorry to write this, because I like pretty much John Woo 's work, but Blackjack really sucks. First, you get bored all the time, because the plot is inexistant, could be resumed as : How soon is DOLPH that great actor gonna get the woman ( and score).The scenes of Actions with the few badguys playing in it (maybe the others were watching for their reputations !) are ridiculous, especially for a movie directed by John Woo. It's so bad I had to fast-forward to the end, witch really make this film deserving the 1/10 I gave it, and for a bad movie it's not even funny. It's my duty to prevent you : avoid like plague that piece of crap made for TV. If you want some great John Woo work, try " a bullet in the head "or "hard boiled" or "Syndicats du crimes 1&2" or whatever but avoid that one. By the way, be preapared for the up-comming "Blackjack 2", it might be even worst !

I'm making that call

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 6/10 · 9 January 2010]

After an attack on her parents, a pre-teen girl has to be put under protective custody. The man put in charge of her safety is Jack Devlin, a U.S. Marshal who has no experience with kids. Sounds like a pretty standard, cliché setup for a made for TV flick, doesn't it? What do you mean, it could be a sit-com? Huh... I suppose it could. I digress. In the hands of John Woo it... well, it looks a whole heck of a lot better and more stylish than it would otherwise. He definitely brings his brand of over-the-top, visually amazing action to this. The shoot-outs certainly bring this up to being worth at least a single rental for any fan of his. Ultimately, however, the weak premise drags it down, and there aren't actually all that many original gags in the fun, exciting and at times awesome fights, gun-battles and chases. It doesn't exactly help that the child grows irritating within the first few moments of the audience meeting her, and she's a pretty poor actor, as well. The editing and cinematography are quite nice, although obviously inferior to anything the director has done that wasn't this limited. I can't entirely determine if you can really tell that it was meant to be a pilot or not(apart from the ending leaving room for continued adventures). This does build tension well most of the times it tries to, and Lundgren is seldom disappointing in the lead of something like this. There is eye-candy for young males in this. I recommend this to those who want a serving of the unique and instantly recognizable aesthetic, even if it's not of the same level of quality. 6/10

c'mon don't watch that!

[ndrew-1 · 2/10 · 12 March 2005]

What a piece of crap. I find films of John Woo highly entertaining, sometimes they convey various stuff being not only violence and kick'n'shoot'em scenes. But here what we have got is just a piece of unwatchable crap. Fights, chases and shootings are not very impresive. It is very unrealistic and depressing. The plot, and events are totally not possible, even for an action movie. Dolph Lundgren, as usual, acts like a log. But that's nothing new, even his character is repulsively boring. Don't waste your time watching it because you won't gain anything. You won't kill some time with pleasure, see any good action or have a chance to ponder on human existence.

Not bad ... for television

[Jeff G · 6/10 · 21 February 2000]

Let's face it. Television's motto should be: "Just as good as it takes to keep you watching our commercials ... and no more." Television is a medium of mediocrity. If they're going to make it big, if they're going to make it *good*, they're going to make it for the big screen, not the little one.

Which is why "Blackjack" was a pleasant surprise. Oh, it's not Woo's best works, not by far. But it is some of the best TELEVISION I've seen in a long time. The characters have at least 2 dimensions, which puts them heads and shoulders above the TV competition, and the action, while hokey in a few places, is actually quite thrilling to watch.

I wouldn't use this TV movie to introduce new people to the magic of John Woo's films (I'd use "Face/Off" or "The Killer" for that), but if you're a Woo fanatic (like I am), then you will almost certainly enjoy this movie. Even at his worst, and this is possibly his worst, he's still better the competition.

How's THAT for praise? :-)

The worst movie I have ever seen!

[Mic-41 · 1/10 · 4 January 2002]

An absolute disaster of a movie without any form of plot, but packed with bad stunts, even worse acting and finally an extremely stupid dialog. Dolph Lundgren is way over the hill and so is John Woo it seems. My advise: Dont waste your time or money on this poor, poor movie!

The Cinema of John Woo.

[Captain_Couth · 8/10 · 21 February 2005]

Blackjack (1998) was a made for t.v. movie that was directed by JOhn Woo and stars Dolph Lundgren. The budget purse strings were tight on this project and the filming schedule was short. But guess what? The settings were perfect for John Woo and he takes an ordinary run-of-the-mill action film and makes it work! The action scenes were shot quite well (Woo brings in his old cinematographer Wong Wing Hang) and pulls out every trick from his bag of goodies. The action is quite frequent and kinetic (for a t.v. movie). This is the type of films John Woo should be making. Cheap, on the fly projects instead of big bloated film projects that take forever to make a with no pay-off.

Dolph Lundgren plays a former federal agent who know works as a personnel bodyguard. One day his buddy and his wife are killed and he takes custodian of the couple's precocious daughter. While on assignment (protecting a supermodel) a gang of ill mannered hit men chase him all over town. Who are they? Are they connected to the girl's parents or the supermodel he now protects? Who knows? To find out the answers to these pertinent questions you'll have to watch Blackjack!

If you watch this movie make sure you see it on video. This version has all of the cool action that is missing from the one shown on the U.S.A. network. Despite the lack of a big budget and named actors, this movie actually works. I would rather see ten movies like this instead of one Mission Impossible 2 or Windtalkers.

Recommended for fans of John Woo's earlier work.

not his best but still good

[ghostman16 · 7/10 · 1 April 2007]

Blackjack may not be Dolph's or John woo's best films but it is still A decent film. The only problem is it sometimes drags on a bit and the action scenes are few and far away but when the action scenes finally come they are well directed by action guru John Woo. the plot is simple Dolph plays jack Devlin who is a bodyguard trying to protect a beautiful super model who is being targeted by her homicidal ex with the help from his loyal friend's jack tries to stop the maniac and also get over a phobia of the colour white. the plot is more a more action oriented version of the bodyguard (albeit some differences) the acting is good Dolph is good as always and the main villain is very convincing. not the best actioner out there but worth to get if you are a Dolph Lundgren or John Woo fan 7 out of 10 see ya

Blackjunk

[Menelkir · 3/10 · 10 February 2003]

Didn't make it to the end - stopped watching about halfway through. Had that itching notion how the things will work out, and I can't remember another flick where I sympathized with the bad guys so much. Sadly, my hope for the model to get a bullet through the head had faded too quick to sustain my interest, and Dolph Lundgren's chances to get his butt kicked were few to begin with. The storyline is pathetic, the performances wooden, and the opulent motorbike explosions are worth no more than 3/10.

Stinks like a dead dog, but hey! It made me laugh.

[Leigh L. · 11 August 1999]

I can only assume that this is the work of a completely different John Woo, i.e. some vodka-sodden squinting tramp by the same name who managed to get caught up in some kind of top-quality mistaken identity farce. If not, then Dolph Lundgren may as well throw himself out of a top floor window right now, because if not even John Woo can make you look cool, you don't stand a chance.

In fact, what's the exact opposite of 'cool'? That's the only way to describe this film. I saw it on TV, and I'd still have felt cheated if I hadn't been laughing so much. How my sides ached at the sight of Dolph Lundgren sitting in a big lake of milk, trying to look all serious and pained as another meaningless flashback kicked in to further the cause of the most hilariously stupid cinematic premise in the history of everything in the world ever. "Oh yes, I've got this phobia of white things, but only sometimes when the bullets stop flying and we need to stop the audience from changing channels." And even that doesn't work.

He looks old, as well. If they're going to do (snigger) Masters of the Universe II, they'd better (snort) hurry up and get on with it...

Ah, me. The only advice I can give you is this: if you don't start laughing within the first ten minutes of Blackjack, give it up.

That's a "Boo" from me

[kosmasp · 3/10 · 1 April 2007]

I really like John Woo movies. I don't like this one. Even if you consider the fact, that it was shot for TV, it doesn't make this better. And I can't/won't give him extra points, just for the fact that it is a John Woo flick. Lundgren has made some fun movies (and a great one as a boxer, you know which one I mean if you have seen it).

But that is not one of them. I could start with the clichés (be it action clichés in general or some Woo clichés in the mix). I could talk about the ham-acting (not that you would expect otherwise) ... or about the low profile story (if you dig deep enough you might find something of a story here ... somewhere).

Or I could just say, that the production values on this movie are really low! Again I know it's for TV, so how could someone expect more ... But why do it in the first place, if there is no way you can satisfy yourself or the audience with this film?! Simple: He needed the money and maybe had a deal, to make a TV movie before he could make another motion picture ... who knows? Last part is just me speculating without any facts to prove that.

Go watch the other John Woo movies instead!

Pathetic !

[Miss K · 1/10 · 18 May 1999]

This is easily one of the WORST movies i have ever seen : shame on you M. Woo, after giving us some of the greatest action flicks ever !!

And to think i bought this as a DVD import @ 50$ !!! Makes me sick !!

I think i managed 25mins before fast forwarding to the end. I have never seen it since, nor do i intend to.

Avoid at ALL cost.

White on White

[bkoganbing · 4/10 · 14 November 2014]

Blackjack casts Dolph Lundgren the best developed Swedish body since Ingemar Johanssen as a US Marshal doing a good turn protecting the family of a friend who owns a casino from some nasty Russian guys trying to muscle in. Quite a few bad guys go down Rambo style with Lundgren protecting Padraigin Murphy, but in the process during an explosion Lundgren develops a whiteout disorder.

He's finished as a marshal but bodyguard agency head Fred Williamson hires him to protect supermodel Kam Heskin who has a nasty drug habit to boot from a really vicious stalker who has lots of friends with guns to help him stalk. He learns about Lundgren's phobia and the dirty rat now dresses in formal white dress with a white cutaway. You'd think he was Fred Astaire.

A television pilot that didn't sell I guess the network folks thought that the phobia wouldn't generate that many interesting episodes. They were probably right. The always beautiful and attractive Kate Vernon is Lundgren's psychiatrist. She's always worth watching.

Lots of Rambo style action and why not as Lundgren got his first notice in a Rocky film.

This is alright for what it is

[dworldeater · 6/10 · 10 November 2023]

Considering this is John Woo collaborating with Dolf Lundgren I was expecting more from this. To be fair, Blackjack is a made for television pilot for a would be series with Dolf Lundgren. The storyline was a little too ambitious for what should be a straight up action film. Had this been a theatrical release it would have not been made for as cheap. This is fairly wholesome television action that is somewhat comparable to Walker, Texas Ranger. Well, maybe not THAT wholesome but you get the idea. Dolf is cool as Jack, who has obtained a phobia of the color white while protecting his friend's daughter Casey (of which he becomes legal guardian of when her parents die in a accident). His friend (Fred Williamson) gets injured on the job protecting a super model and enlists his friend Jack as replacement bodyguard. She is getting stalked by a crazed killer(who is her failed actor/loser ex husband). The plot just throws stuff to the wall and hopes something sticks. There is plenty of John Woo's signature action with lots of double fisted, gun blasting action with motorcycles and seemingly not ever running out of ammunition. However, this is extremely restrained for John Woo and is best at his balls out blood splattered glory. Even though this is a bloodless affair and pretty much PG rated action, I still thought this was alright for a cheapo television movie.

The funny thing is...

[tuhomursu · 1/10 · 25 September 2006]

... that even if I gave this movie a score of 1, I could as easily give it a 10. It's perfect entertainment with good friends and booze. It's so unbelievably bad in every way imagineable that it becomes almost too good to be true; you know those movies, right? They're so bad that they're actually good. This is one of those, crossing the line but staying perhaps a bit too close to it to really stick out.

Why? Because as a fan of HK action flicks, this carries all the telltale signs (not a big surprise considering the director and the low budget. In fact, if all the actors were Asian, this would be a perfect example of the typical HK gunsmoked action flick.

Unwatchable!

[subliminalwhisper · 1/10 · 25 May 2020]

I have never seen a movie more obnoxious than this, from all points of view. It is practically impossible to do worse!

Blackjack is cult !

[john-4109 · 9/10 · 8 October 2006]

Listen This movie is a cult, Its all about the slow motion scenes, all the unrealistic is the cream of the movie, after all its trash, but its fun. (its not like "The Killer", but still its one of the best) as other commented here, it is not the opposite of fun, this is true fun, as long as it sticks a group of friends together, everybody knows the words ' lyrics' timing and so on. in our club there are guys that imitates Dolph Lundgren eye movements and when Devlin shows up all girl shout and scream. at www.blackjack4winners.com We will have a special projection (live in one of our houses and live on the web !) every Friday evening. Ure welcome to join. John Woo rules.

John.

A critical look at a cheesy film.

[Serge-17 · 1/10 · 5 December 1998]

What can u say about this film? Cheesy than a wotsit, a bit mild perhaps. From the start where Dolph is unable to keep a straight face, obviously he had seen the whole plot prior to filming, to the unrealistic scenes. Such unbelievable scenes as being blinded by a grenade, which lasted a longest time for a flash grenade that I've ever seen, to the hand grenade which blew up half the house but not the two guys who threw it - first time I've seen a claymore hand grenade. As for shooting from a trampoline, words fail me for how poor this was. All in all this film was excruciating to watch and should be consigned to the pages of history under the section of REALLY bad films.

If u see this film in the video shop avoid at all costs, even for free it's a rip off.

A black mark on John Woo's career

[Wizard-8 · 18 January 2004]

There's something about Dolph Lundgren that makes him a likable actor. It may be because of his (seemingly) clean personal life, or that he has never tried to portray himself greater than he is (unlike actors like Steven Seagal.) Here, Lundgren gives one of his better performances. He seems very comfortable and assured here, giving off more emotion than he has in other movies. And it's always fun to see Saul Rubinek and Fred Williamson in a movie, and their presence boosts things.

Other than the actors, all I can say in favor of this movie are that the production values aren't bad for a made-for-TV movie. This movie is a mess! Starting with the action scenes. Now, I know Woo was confined by TV censorship rules, but he clearly could still do a lot. Yet every action scene is horribly done - badly edited, improper use of slow-motion, and with the camera often in the wrong place and/or angle. You see the great potential in these scenes, yet Woo botches it each time. Seeing them, it's hard to believe this is the same guy who did the action scenes in HARD BOILED or THE KILLER.

There are plenty of plot holes as well. For example, how does Lundgren get in the fashion show near the end when it's supposedly been tightened up with security? Where is the villain getting all these people to help him? Why does the villain retreat back to his hideout after the secrecy of it was blown? And on and on. But the worst thing about the movie is that it's simply boring. It's slow-moving, and filled with a lot of unnecessary things that easily could have been edited out. Don't "bet" on this one should you see it in the video store - it's a "bust"!

Worst John Woo movie ever

[Kilkenny · 2/10 · 16 July 1999]

This is truly the worst John Woo movie I ever saw. You see the first 10 minutes and you now how it's gonna work out. The only sign of John Woo in this movie are the "man-with-two-guns-shooting-and-flying-thru-the-air-in-slomo"-scenes :)