Assassination Games (2011) User Reviews

Jean-Claude Van Damme's good vehicle as a hit man who finds redemption

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 22 June 2012]

This Van Damme action picture displays lots of violence, action filled, thrills and fierce combats . It is entertaining , well paced and including interesting characters . It's thrilling and tense , at time suspenseful movie and the firepower, explosion, struggles, shootouts are very well done . It deals with two assassins agree to work together as one named Roland Flint (Scott Adkins who replaced Vinnie Jones) attempts to revenge his wife (Bianca Bree , also producer) and the other named Vincent Brazil (Jean Claude Van Damme) collect a reward for a job to kill a mobster (Ivan Kaye) which is backed by dirty Interpol Agents . Meanwhile , Vincent helps a prostitute (Marija Karan) but the events go wrong .

¨Assassination games¨ is one of Van Damme's better films . It packs violent action, suspense, shoot-outs, and martial arts fighting and results to be quite amusing . Entertaining movie , thanks to tight pace, skillful edition and well mounted combats . It's tense and exciting , at time lackluster action movie , but the struggles and fighting are well done . During the scene where Flint visits Polo's 'hardware guy', he utilizes a laser-guided gun to target him , the effects used for the mechanical movement is taken from Robocop (1987) . Suffering Van Damme plays finely an affected killer , acting similarly to 'Hard cops' . Enjoyable relationship among two rival assassins , nicely played by Van Damme and Adkins ; both of them form an uneasy alliance to take down a deadly target . Van Damme is good as action hero in this middling budget filmed in Bucharest, Romania and New Orleans, Louisiana ; here Jean Claude plays a hit man , confronting nasties and using his martial-arts skills . Long time ago he played big budget movies (¨Time cop¨, ¨Universal soldier¨ ,¨Double team¨, ¨Hard target¨), nowadays he makes low-medium budget and directly to video (¨Derailed¨ , ¨Wake of death¨ , ¨In hell¨) like in his first films (¨Black eagle¨, ¨Cyborg¨, ¨Bloodsport¨). Remaining cast though unknown make nice acting as Kevin Chapman , Ivan Kaye and special mention to Marija Karan as a beautiful whore mistreated by her pimp . This movie film results to be a standard actioner , but packs interesting main roles , atmospheric action set pieces and is fast movement . It's produced with middling budget by Van Damme and Paul Leonard ; being professionally directed by Bernie Barbarash (¨Ticking clock¨ , ¨Hardwired¨ and ¨Six bullets¨ , again with Van Damme) , though Russell Mulcahy was originally set to shoot . The picture is extremely energetic and to be liked for real devotees of main actor . It's a must see for Van Damme fans.

Neither here nor there, stuck in the doldrums

[ginu_tg-1 · 7/10 · 15 August 2011]

Script and financial limitations can hinder the most precious of stories. For once, Scott Adkins played a character and not himself in his movies. I didn't like that to be honest but as an actor that is what Scott needs. I mean in this movie Scott gets taken down by so many guys who in reality he could kill with his bare hands. Van Damme is stuck with the monotonous monologue affected robotic hit-man which seemed tacky. But that is due to lack of histrionic skill. Kurt Russell did it slightly better in soldier. Arnie did it really good in Terminator. But that was aided by the requirements of the character. Adkins has improved as an actor since the awful Ninja. He has some variety now in his resume. In this movie, AG, Scott plays a really vulnerable man. Quite the opposite of the invulnerable Yuri Boyka, Scott's best role so far.

The movie synopsis given here is tardy, and seems to indicate the crazed stereotypical view of Americans that everything revolves around them. There is no DEA nonsense here. It is the Interpol whose dirty cops provide cannon fodder for the lead actors while the main villain is a despicable criminal leader (played well by the actor).

This movie had a lot of positives going for it in terms of potential. It was a lot better than the DTV releases the 2 lead actors have been used to recently. Van Damme's face looks drawn and destroyed beyond the skills of the most talented makeup artistes in the world. He could go the Charles Bronson reloaded route with that face.

The key here is that while both the lead actors combined could compile the most complex and comprehensive columns of a martial arts encyclopedia, this movie has stayed away from capitalising on the copious martial arts talents possessed by Adkins and Van Damme. It was fresh and new of course, but nevertheless it just added to a long list of things this movie lacked.

While this movie is worth watching once especially if you are a JCVD/martial arts fan, it is only an average action film that didn't maximize its potential. The remote controlled machine gun was a nice touch but it is just one of the momentary shades of quality in a film that can never be anything above underrated. The crew just tried too much in the name of freshness, and as a result the final product ended up in the doldrums, neither here nor there.

Scott would do good to get some serious acting lessons as would JCVD. A lot of people, including me, cannot keep watching Kickboxer/Bloodsport/Universal Soldier/Hard Target/Undisputed 2,3 again and again.

Interestingly, JCVD's kids play roles in the film. His daughter Bianca(a super stunner) plays Adkins' wife. His son, Kristopher plays one of the villains I believe.

Of Turtles and Vengeance

[refinedsugar · 6/10 · 10 August 2014]

Corrupt Interpol agents spring a powerful drug dealer from prison and put a hefty price on his head in hopes of luring out their former #1 contract hitman that they want dead. He also has a dark history with said drug dealer and with another elite assassin is in the mix, you know things are about to get ... complicated.

Jean Claude Van Damme, Scott Adkins in a film called Assassination Games and here's the rub. Its not the type of flick you're picturing in your head. Okay maybe that's a half truth. The prerequisite elements are within. Guns, death, fisticuffs and it gets off to a brief but predictable action start, but then slow city. Between Van Damme's detached, solitary arch of a (hit)man and Adkins broken past, there's a lot of drama and the pacing is monumentally slow. No wham, bam thank you ma'am. Its nearly two hours long.

Shot down and out in Romania, much of the film's backdrop isn't visually intensive / interesting. That doesn't mean it isn't well shot however. Watched in SD, felt like HD. Acting wise, the two leads acquit themselves fine and some of the supporting cast actually stood out. The story could be more exciting and/or shorter, but as it is, Assassination Games finds itself not at the bottom of either stars resumes, but hardly at the top neither.

Proof that one can be redeemed

[Heislegend · 18 August 2011]

I full admit I watched this movie for two reasons. First of all, the last thing I saw Van Damme in was JCVD, and I have to say that I was more than a bit surprised by the weight and depth of his performance. Second, I'm a fan of Scott Adkins ever since the last two Undisputed and Ninja films where he showed that westerners could screen fight just as well as anyone in martial arts flicks. How does all of that translate to this movie? Read on.

Assassination Games probably isn't what you expect. It's not a knock down, drag out action movie. In fact the action sequences, while well done, aren't very plentiful. I actually think this may be a good thing. I'm starting to think that if Van Damme would take himself more seriously and stop doing all of the hacky crap he did in the 80s and 90s that he could very well be a well respected actor who just happens to know action movies. While I grew up with movies like Bloodsport and Kickboxer, watching someone mature and actually convey an actual sense of a character is quite rewarding. Here's to hoping that the man can stick with movies that have substance rather than just being some guy who can kick stuff and do the splits.

Decent little action flick.

[mikesblast · 7/10 · 30 July 2011]

Caught this at a theater near by and I have to say that I did enjoy this. It wasn't great or even "really good" but it was better than most of JCVD's other dtv movies(excluding US3 and Replicant)...and better than some of his later theatrical movies(Street Fighter,Double Team,Knock Off, Unisol:The Return). I think putting it on the same level as Wake of Death is pretty fair. I actually may have liked this a little more since it didn't feature the dopey MTV edits that WOD had. The acting was pretty solid all around for the most part. JC's son, Kris' character(Schell) was extremely pointless in my opinion...not to mention he sucked in it. Felt like he was reading his lines the entire movie. I really liked JC and Adkin's chemistry together. They played off each other really well but I was left wanting to see more of them sharing the screen. There were a few aspects I didn't care for but I don't want to spoil anything. Production wise, the movie looks pretty good considering the budget. It's well directed and shot. Good music score too. However, I actually feel like it would have made for a better at home experience than a theatrical one. The sepia tone actually looked a little blurred on the big screen during some of the wide shots...and I did find myself craving a little color. Close ups looked good though. All in all, it was a pretty good movie. This gives me hope for The Butcher. If Ernie Barbarash had a little more money to work with, he'd do a hell of a job. 3/5

Surprisingly good - one of Van Damme's best

[BeneCumb · 7/10 · 9 January 2013]

The plot is solid and with multiple levels and backgrounds, the clichés present are not annoying, and includes several exciting and distinct scenes like the one in front of a courthouse. The cast is also even and thrilling to follow: Jean-Claude Van Damme as Vince Brazil and Scott Adkins as Roland Flint are versatile and credible, and bad guys are not obtuse bullies who get constantly killed. The ending consists of multiple and different scenes. In other words, a good and entertaining action, showing that "old" actors can easily outperform the ones below 30 starring in Hollywood blockbusters.

It is pleasant to ascertain that Van Damme is not timeworn, but nonperishable so far - like Dolph Lundgren - and unlike Steven Seagal. Way to go, he is currently 52 years old only! :)

Two Rival Assassins After the Same Target

[Uriah43 · 6/10 · 13 October 2018]

After his wife is raped and beaten into a coma by a drug lord named "Polo Yakur" (Ivan Kaye) an extremely skillful assassin named "Roland Flint" (Scott Adkins) retires in order to take care of her. Things change, however, when he hears that a contract has been put out on Polo and, although reluctant at first, accepts the assignment even though another assassin named "Vincent Brazil" (Jean-Claude Van Damme) has already committed to filling the contract. Needless to say, this places both assassins at odds with one another. Not only that, but both discover that they have been betrayed in the process as well. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that, despite the weak ending, this turned out to be an entertaining film for the most part with both Jean-Claude Van Damme and Scott Adkins performing quite well together and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

People choose their deaths when they choose how they live.

[lastliberal-853-253708 · 6/10 · 31 March 2012]

Jean Claude Van Damme is a guilty pleasure. I really don't expect stellar acting, just continuous action.

I am really not interested in anyone else in the film either. They are just support for Van Damme. It was filmed in Romania, so I wouldn't know anyone anyway. I do have to say that Yugoslavian Marija Karan did provide an interesting diversion from the fighting. She was an abused prostitute that Van Damme took in. Of course, emotion is not something that fits in an assassin's tool bag.

Sadly, there is no honor among thieves. They will sell each other out for the right price. It makes for an interesting movie with two assassins looking for the bad guy, and the bad guy on their trail.

It's no JCVD

[movieman_kev · 4/10 · 5 August 2012]

A small handful of better than average action sequences highlight an otherwise generic and trite tale of two assassins with different tactics and end goals searching for whomever set them up. Van Damme fans would be much better off watching JCVD for a good latter- day Damme flick. As he performance in here is good, but the movie is mundanely average at best. There's also a prostitute sub-plot that's admittedly pretty awful. As the movie wore on I found myself less and less interested in a film hat I couldn't help but believe I saw before in minor variations in the past. And better, in all honesty.

My Grade: C-

Good one

[dasa108 · 6/10 · 2 March 2021]

This film is a demonstration that Adkins' electoral flow is much lower than Van Damme's. Unfortunately, the lucky character is as poor as a citizen of the worst place in the third world; his motivation is ridiculous, his love story is unsustainable, and his professional conduct as a murderer is pitiful. If I'd done the right thing, we wouldn't have a movie, because this film is basically the story of Adkins' disasters. Van Damme, in a movie where he has a pet (in this is a turtle, in another he is a rabbit), shows us that he is a tough guy: he adopts a prostitute to show us that he has no attachment to her: not even a tear she sheds when she is massacred (in the best Bronson style). It's a decent movie with well-worked characters except Adkins'. There are winks John Wick makes, and that's obvious to anyone with two fingers up front. It's better than a class b movie, which isn't so bad.

Van Damme returns to the big screen.....

[canike07 · 5/10 · 29 July 2011]

And a disappointment it is. The movie was slow and had a very dull plot.

The action was brutal but there wasn't enough of it. There were hardly any fights maybe two with van damme and three with adkins. All in all I am a huge Van damme fan and have been since I was a kid, the movie was a let down. I was definitely expecting more from his return to theatres. I don't understand why van damme continues to give us (fans) these movies that have little to no fighting? I mean thats his trademark, he needs to go back to his roots and make a kick ass action movie thats heavy on the fight scenes!!

Maybe next time........

a solid action thriller, van damme's best movie since wake of death

[daworldismine · 8/10 · 14 May 2012]

this slick action pic stars van damme and scott adkins as assassins, one killing for money, the other revenge, when they are both after the same target, they have to work together. although on paper the story don't sound too original, but believe me this is a smart script with a few good surprises you don't see coming. and the action, well the movie is voilent and the action is fast, hard and brutal, if you ever wanted to see van damme chop of a guys head with a sword this movie is for you. in the early 90's it was seagal who was on top, but ever sice 2003, van damme has been the king, his movies a lot better, and van damme has actually turned in to something of a good actor. scott adkins, is also great here, although not as good an actor, he is brilliant at fighting, and handles his action stuff with ease, maybe even a bit better than van damme himself. all in all, i liked this film very much, and is further proof that van damme is still on top, i recommend

Action Success

[deepfrieddodo · 7/10 · 20 January 2021]

As far as action films go, Assassination Games is really quite decent. The first twenty minutes suggest that it's going to be another sub-par B-film, but beyond this the tempo builds, the story develops and the characters flourish. So, the setup is a bit monotonous, but it pays out.

All the characters are fairly stereotypical, and the contract/revenge storyline isn't the most original, but it's executed well. JCVD is great, the choreography of the fights are performed very well, and the supporting cast all play their roles to a high enough standard.

It does seem that with these types of films, if based in Eastern Europe then a beige filter is put over everything. Is it to make it look dirtier? More edgey? It's unnecessary, blue skies do exist there too. But you get over this, and can appreciate everything that is on screen.

Not worth the watch

[aria1901 · 2/10 · 18 August 2011]

I came into this movie with little expectations, but was still disappointed. I love action movies, but this was a complete let down, this was no action packed movie. It lacked good dialogue and well choreographed fights. You feel no connection with the characters. The story was lacking and what story there is was completely pointless and disappointing.

There was pointless gore, excessive language and offensive nudity. The entire film lacked cohesiveness and the ending was incredibly anticlimactic.

With the disappointing fight scene's, scanty screen writing and lacking any real substance, overall not worth the hour an a half to watch.

Its Middle age Van Damme if i can say so...

[destroyerwod · 14 September 2011]

Well if you have been a fan of Van Damme since the start, like me, your favourite movie are probably gonna be Bloodsport, Lionheart and Kickboxer, the movies he got a big role from. A lot of other Van Damme production caught my eyes, Double Impact, Replicant, and Time Cop where some good strong movies in the actor gender combining action and plots. If you are a fan of John Woo and gun fights, Hard target was maybe more your think.

Then after that Van Damme did a lot of direct to DVD movies with minimal martial arts and more action parts with guns and all, some where pretty good, some where not, depending. But The Sheppard, one of his last movies was actually very strong having him with the very well balanced Scott Adkins that can fit any roles. And i loved it. So i was looking for this one a lot since it was the first true van damme movie in a LOOOONG TIME. Lets say i was please and yet disappointed a bit. For example i loved the story, all characters played well, it was a very cool movie, but at the same time i was expecting a bit more with a movie staring BOTH Van Damme and Adkins(Boyka from Undisputed) I dunno... maybe i was expecting the big martial arts blockbuster when this movie actually not even aim for that... But well... Lets just say this movie works well for what it tried to be.... an action movie with a strong plot and a dark feeling, with SOME martial Arts. Now i can wait to see The Eagle Path since i have been waiting for it for a long time.

Decent Thriller With Some Action!!

[Movie-Misfit · 6/10 · 26 April 2020]

Director Ernie Barbarash delivers a decent action thriller, that is heavily marred by a ghastly (and off-putting) sepia-toned filter, and a bit too much drama that doesn't really pick up until about 30 minutes in, slowly getting better!

With rumours of Steven Seagal and Vinnie Jones in-line to play Adkins role, I can only guess how terrible this film would have ended up if Scott hadn't been involved. He is the highlight of the show! Scott's agility and moves shadowing anything his peer has to offer (or ever offered), and holds his own in the acting department against an action-film-giant such as JCVD. They do get to trade moves briefly, and while its nothing special, still makes for a fun scene. Of course Van Damme has his moments, delivering a solid performance without him having to lash out, proving that (much like Jackie Chan) he isn't just capable of punching and kicking, and can act when called for.

Of course, a year later both star would go on to work with each other in The Expendables 2, and the violent Universal Soldier: Day Of Reckoning, which are probably better offerings to be honest. Assassination Games is not dreadful, but often slow and cliched with a bland setting in Bucharest, Romania...

As executive producer, Van Damme could pull some strings bringing his son and daughter in for small roles (here credited as Van Varenberg). While Bianca plays Scott's dying wife, his son Kris plays a corrupt cop. Having seen them both in a number of his movies now, I find that the handsome Kris reminds me a bit of a young Michael Wong (First Option, Royal Warriors), in both voice and acting abilities. Thankfully, aside from the two main stars, Assassination Games benefits with having popular Thespian Ivan Kaye in the main bad-guy role. The star of Vikings, The King, and a host of classic British TV shows, Kaye is pretty menacing as our heroes main problem and keeps things from getting cheesy or poor in the acting department.

Barbarash isn't the greatest director, but he also isn't the worst. I find his movies are often just middle-of-the-road, with a hint of excitement sprinkled among too much drama - as if he wants to be taken seriously as a 'real' film-maker. Of course, Ernie would go on to work with Van Damme in the fun 6 Bullets and Pound Of Flesh , before joining forces with Scott later on in Abduction, all of which are worth a watch!

Overall: More of a dramatic thriller, Assassination Games isn't awful but due to its lack of action, may let down fans of Adkins and Van Damme...

DARK,BROODING,GRITTY & BRUTAL!!! VAN DAMME & ADKINS MAKE A DANGEROUS TEAM.

[lukem-52760 · 7/10 · 10 October 2019]

The Awesome rising Action star "Scott Adkins" gets to team up with his all time fave idol "Van Damme" & they make an Awesome & deadly team!!!

I grew up watching & loving "van damme" films so ive always been a fan of his & my all time favourite of his is "Cyborg" his 1989 gritty,dark as hell & brutal apocalyptic action film, & I've gotten into the equally Awesome "Scott Adkins" lately as he is definitely made in that old school action hero mould. Adkins is just like a new "Van damme" but a British version & actually seems more deadly on screen than van damme lol, HE'S a good actor as well as a savage fighter, he's been quietly pumping out bone-crunching old school action flicks for years now & is finally getting noticed but not as well known as say "Jason Statham" but probably better!!! Adkins is a great Action star & it's so cool seeing him team-up with his idol Van damme & he has in a few films now like "The Expendables 2" & "Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning" which is my favourite film of Adkins & the movie that really made me want to check out more of his films!!! Van damme in a solid dramatic role here & is very good at this brooding serious looking tough guy stuff, there's a revenge theme to this film & it's done well. Anyway this gritty little low-budget Thriller is actually good, it's about two deadly Assassins who cross paths & end up working together to take down a crime syndicate, it's a simple basic action story set-up & that's fine. I got vibes of old 70's Violent Revenge Thriller's like Charles Bronson's Assassin Thriller THE MECHANIC & Bronson's Vigilante Revenge Thriller DEATH WISH. I felt Adkins was just like Bronson in Death Wish with his wife Assaulted & put in a coma & seeks revenge & Van Damme was just like Bronson in The Mechanic as a deadly quiet Assassin with a love for old music & a perfectly clean & tidy posh apartment who does hits for cash & is super deadly, i felt both Bronson Classic's are joined together in the production of this film. The cinematography is crisp & a muted colour scheme help it's moody & dark look. I also see how Scott Adkins would make the perfect PUNISHER ever!!! In here he's basically the Punisher & just needs a Skull on his top. Adkins is the most underrated & unsung Hero of the Action Genre.

This is an easy watching Action Thriller, there's some cool fights & some cool shootouts but it's the thrill of seeing the "old" & the "new" of the action genre teamed-up that makes this worth seeing.

I enjoyed this pretty basic action film but it still has a hard & gritty look & a very dark atmosphere to go with the brutal violence!!!

Double Impact

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 10 July 2013]

Pairing Scott Adkins and van Damme seems to bring the best out of those two actors (other examples being Expandables 2 and of course the most recent Universal Soldier). Of course in those movies and in this the pairing has a different agenda and a different relationship to each other, so I won't go into what makes them tick in this movie, so it won't be spoiled.

What I can say, is that the action in this movie is more than decent, which can also be said about the acting. It's not your run of the mil action movie with just some random action scenes in it. There has been put a lot of thought behind this and if you're not to concerned about the next big action scene coming up, you will be able to quite enjoy it

With Jean Claude and Scott Adkins is fun action experience

[jordondave-28085 · 6/10 · 22 May 2023]

(2011) Assassination Games ACTION

Decent straight to rental flick starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as hired assassin, Vincent Brazil hired to take out a particular person only for it to be botched, because of coincidentally colliding with another hired assassin, Roland Flint (Scott Adkins) instructing to do the same thing. Of course, they eventually work out their differences and work together. It's obviously a low budget different version of the Jason Bourne movies, but is fun enough and has enough action sequences to satisfy action enthusiasts. Jean- Claude Van Damme is also credited as executive producer.

Don't go here

[mortensommer78 · 1/10 · 10 August 2011]

Well after recently watching the JCVD movie I was looking forward to seeing some old fashioned violence mixed up with... Acting?! I got disappointed, don't know if the director was on holidays during the entire production and shooting of this movie, it sure seems so. The acting makes the Bold and the Beautiful look like Academy Award material.

So at least the action parts kicked ass? Not really, no new ideas, no exceptional moves, camera and editing reminiscent of a laggy pc running heavy 1st person shooter.

The plot makes early Charles Bronson flicks and Bob the Builder seem deep and complicated and the references are both in your face and without actual connection to neither story nor action.'

I wish I could come to a more positive conclusion sadly I can't, unless your alternative is two hours of random genital acupuncture with a dirty rusty needle I wouldn't go for this piece.

Garbage

[rorrr · 1/10 · 6 September 2011]

Don't let other reviews fool you, this movie is complete and utter garbage. The revenge story that you've seen a thousand times, there's zero imagination. Production is just hideous. Visually, most of the scenes are yellow, the shadow detail is gone - their post production team must be fired. The lighting is very bad too, I doubt they had a single lighting professional. Audio is extremely uneven, music is usually way too loud compared to the voices. The dialogue is simplistic and boring.

Acting is mostly bad. Van Damme's emotionless character is so dull, it's ridiculous, he's not even trying.

Do not waste your time on it.

Enjoyable Movie!

[cB391 · 8/10 · 8 August 2011]

The two major roles, played by Scott Adkins, and Jean-Claude Van Damme are something that you can relate too. One is fighting to assassinate his target because of love, fighting to try and bring justice for his wife. The second is the opposite. Everything thing is about work, and he is just doing a job. Vincent becomes more open to love throughout the film, as you see the change from the start to the end, and that was a good believable story.

The writing for this movie was great, good action sequences, though at times there was a little too much dialogue, they did make the movie worth watching, but also something that you won't regret having watched later.

disappointed

[dangermous · 4/10 · 28 August 2011]

This film was slow, the fight scenes were boring and unimaginative. The character and plot development was non existent - I found myself not caring about any of the main actors.

The scenes were edited by a 5 year old just loosely strung together with nervous immature cinema photography. Van damme was like a walking meat popsickle - with no character or passion at all. he should retire.

My biggest disappointment was scott adkins. I had such high hopes for him going on previous performances and couldn't believe he was number 2 to van damme but unfortunately he was useless as well. Having unreal skills and personal character doesn't count for much when you choose a lemon of a film like this to be in! where did it all go wrong scott!

I wish i could get the 101 minutes back, not worth the rental or download bandwidth!

A Triumphant Van Damme in a Riveting Thriller!

[wgg-1 · 18 September 2011]

"This is what he does best, and he is the best." A corrupt Interpol officer makes that observation about Roland Flint, the character played by Scott Adkins in the riveting "Assassination Games." It's an accolade that truly applies to the film's star, Jean-Claude Van Damme, who has translated his experience as a global superstar into becoming one of the globe's best actors. JCVD is Vincent Brazil, a professional assassin and loner whose profession has intensified his self-isolation. Flint and Brazil become reluctant partners in a cat-and-mouse game against both Interpol and the European mob. Along the way, an unlikely girl next door named October invades Brazil's carefully protected personal space and forces him to provide her refuge from a vengeful pimp (depicted with effective menace by actor Attila Arpa). When October thanks Vincent with a kiss to the cheek, Van Damme displays the hit-man's resistance to affection with an emotion that is both telling and heartbreaking. It is a rare moment for an action film and a testament to the brilliance of Van Damme the actor. The relationship of October and Vincent becomes an effective dramatic anchor for the movie's unrelenting mix of tragedy and revenge. Increasingly, as his films showcase his dramatic talents, Van Damme creates movies that are both character driven and visually stylish without resorting to CGI tricks or action clichés. Experience and talent have enabled the original "Muscles from Brussels" to evolve into one of the most creative and uniquely effective forces in film making today. "Assassination Games" is another great chapter in the career of a triumphant and supremely talented Jean-Claude Van Damme.

Jean Claude is back

[bandito1973 · 5/10 · 29 August 2011]

I enjoyed the movie for what it was which was just another action movie, i have been a fan of JCVD since day one and always look forward to his work, the movie had plenty of fights some were great and others were pancake flat, the acting mostly was decent for the budget and i have seen a lot worse believe me, the story was easily followed but didn't have anything different from another dozen or so killer for hire movies as well as that i felt the big downer was Jean Claude's son Kris whom i felt was a complete cardboard actor with the complexities of a stunned goat. However Kris is still young and the movie still had one of actions greats so roll on.