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Hard Target

Hard Target (1993)

August. 20,1993
|
6.2
|
R
| Adventure Action Thriller Crime

When a woman's father goes missing, she enlists a local to aid in her search. The pair soon discover that her father has died at the hands of a wealthy sportsman who hunts homeless men as a form of recreation.

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Reviews

Linbeymusol
1993/08/20

Wonderful character development!

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UnowPriceless
1993/08/21

hyped garbage

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TrueHello
1993/08/22

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

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Zandra
1993/08/23

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

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jamariana
1993/08/24

(1) How much do I like it? 2/5. (2) Direction: 2/5. (3) Is the personal style of the director noticeable? No, 0/1. (4) Editing: 2/3. (5) Plot/Story: 3/5. (6) Quality of dialogue: 1/3. (7) Originality: 1/3. (8) Level of sophistication: 0/2. (9) Is it good writing? No, 0/1. (10) Cleverness: 1/3. (11) Memorability/Uniqueness: 1/3. (12) Quality of the ending: 1/2. (13) Quality of characters: 1/2. (14) Is there character development? Not really, 0/1. (15) Do you root for the lead character? Yes, 1/2. (16) Do you care for the lead character? Yes 1/2. (17) Act structure, conflict/denouement/etc.: 2/4. (18) Acting: 2/5. (19) Chemistry of the leads: 1/1. (20) Cinematography: 2/4. (21) Style/Art Direction/Wardrobe/Make-up & Hair, etc.: 1/3. (22) Emotion/Experience of watching it/Catharsis: 2/5. (23) Atmosphere, i.e. were you sucked into the film? Not really, 0/1. (24) How well made is it?, i.e. effort clause: 2/4. (25) Entertainment value: 3/4. (26) Coolness: 2/2. (27) Would I be OK with dying while watching this? Nah, 0/1. (28) Would I be ashamed to admit I like this? 0/1. (29) Would I rewatch this? No, 0/1. (30) Soundtrack: 1/2. (31) Sound: 1/1. (32) Do I like it of my own free will? I don't like it, 0/1. (33) Is it one of my favourites? No, 0/1. (34) Did something I like happen? 1/3. (35) Would I recommend this to someone? No, 0/1. (36) Truth to the genre, or first of its kind (trailblazer): 1/2. (37) Is it believable? Or Reasonable? 0/1. (38) Overall quality 3/5.Overall score: 41/85, which is 48% and so a 5/10.

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sylvrtortus
1993/08/25

Fantastic movie. I drifted off a bit towards the end, but the whole thing was just superb. If you looked at that script on paper you would just go "yeah, and...?" but John Woo completely takes it and turns it into something made of fire and music. OK, a lot of it is cheesy, but in an enjoyable 90s way, with probably the most amount of slow-motion I've ever seen in a film, more camera movement than if you attached a GoPro to a excitable puppy for two hours, an incredible number of explosions and some great dialogue (in particular I liked "Wakey, Wakey... you fat f***!" and "You are a f****** buffalo!") Van Damm is excellent. He is really able to handle the emotional side of the story well. Sure, he's not Marlon Brando, but he is WAY better than what passes for an action star these days. I mean he is pretty good at times to be honest, despite having little to work with. Anyway, the main thing is that he kicks a few people really hard and ends up in a vest doing back-flips through fire. I mean that's all that really matters in life, isn't it? Notable castings include Lance Henriksen (an absolute pro), Arnold Vosloo (menacing and really creates a wonderful secondary bad guy), Yancy Butler (gorgeous and exciting) and character actor Wilford Brimley who is doing a French accent so terrible that you would think his prep for the role involved watching the German dubs of the Peter Sellers Pink Panther movies.

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geminiredblue
1993/08/26

In the early 90s, John Woo films were all the rage following the success of HARD-BOILED. At the time, Jean Claude Van Damme was making a name for himself as well. When the two of them came together, this masterpiece was made! Set in the lovely city of New Orleans, it follows a group of rich hunters as they track down and kill homeless war vets. But the killers meet their match when they fix their sights on Chance Boudreaux (Van Damme) and his girlfriend Nat (Yancy Butler). The Big Easy has never looked so gorgeous! Many famous locations (like Bourbon Street and St. Louis Cemetery) get featured in the movie, making the city a character in its own right. Add on to that the icy performances of Lance Henriksen and Arnold Vosloo, as well as Wilford Brimley as Chance's colorful Cajun Uncle Douvee. And you're guaranteed to have a thrill ride filled with epic gun battles, memorable one-liners, and a rip-roaring good time!

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jcbutthead86
1993/08/27

Hard Target is an excellent,explosive and underrated Action-Thriller that combines terrific direction,a great cast,fantastic Action and a fine score. All of those elements make Hard Target one of the better Action Films of the 1990s that is John Woo and Jean-Claude Van Damme at their best.Set in New Orleans,Louisana,Hard Target tells the story of Chance Doudreaux(Jean Claude Van Damme),who is asked by Natalie Binder(Yancy Butler)to track down her War Veteran Father who is homeless. While looking Chance and Natalie clash with wealthy man Emil Fouchon(Lance Henriksen)who hunts homeless people for sport. Now,it's up to Chance to take down Emil once and for all.Released in 1993,Hard Target is a terrific slam bang Action-Thriller that was a Box Office success for Jean Claude Van Damme and was John Woo's first Action film in America after making brilliant and unforgettable Action classics such as The Killer(1989),Hard Boiled(1992),A Better Tomorrow(1986)and A Better Tomorrow II(1987)in Hong Kong,China with actor Chow Yun Fat. And while Hard Target isn't as good as those films it's an outstanding and memorable movie and is one of the better Action films of the 1990s. For 97 wild and fast paced minutes Hard Target is pure,nonstop entertainment from start to finish and is a film I have always enjoyed and liked ever since I saw it on home video back in the mid-1990s and was the film that introduced me to Action master John Woo and is an Action movie that was made strictly for Action fans and John Woo fans because this movie has all of the trademarks you would see in Woo's Hong Kong films and his later movies such as Broken Arrow(1995)and Face/Off(1997):gun and hand to hand fights,explosions,use of slow motion and an over the top style that just works. Hard Target is the kind of Action movie that never stops to accomplish it's goal and that is to put viewers on the edge of your seat with excitement and thrills and Hard Target does it with a vengeance. It's a shame that John Woo and Jean Claude Van Damme never worked together again because together they seemed like a great fit for each others styles. The main character and hero Chance Boudreaux is a memorable character and an Action hero in the truest sense of the term and is the kind of character where his Actions speak louder than words while having a good mullet. Also,Chance uses his fighting skills and his wits to out do the bad guys who do the bad thing by underestimating and getting in trouble because of it. When Chance beats the bad guys and outsmarts them It's the kind of movie where the storyline isn't always strong and there isn't a lot of depth with the characters there is enough dialog and scenes with the main characters to keep the viewers interested. One of the main reasons to watch Hard Target is the Action scenes. The Action scenes in Hard Target is exciting,intense and is done in the classic John Woo style with attention to detail and where pretty much everything is big whether it's the gunfights(with one and at times two guns)or the explosions(with cars,buildings and at other times with motorcycles)everything in Hard Target is pushed to the limit and beyond like in Woo's Hong Kong films and while the scenery is changed from Hong Kong to New Orleans Woo's Action is still the same. What I also liked about Hard Target is the New Orleans locations which still looked beautiful despite the violence all around. The ending of Hard Target is amazing and filled with tons of Action and excitement that never stops and will have you cheering. A sensational ending.The cast is wonderful. Jean-Claude Van Damme is terrific as Chance,with Van Damme being charismatic and kicking butt at the same time. Lance Henriksen is wonderful and memorable as Emil Fouchon,with Henriksen stealing every scene he's in. Arnold Volsoo is fantastic as Pik,Emil's right hand man. Yancy Butler does a great job as Natasha,a woman who needs Chance's help. Wilford Brimley is outstanding as Uncle Dovee,Chance's Uncle. Kasi Lemmons is fine as May Mitchell,a cop. Willie C. Carpenter is sensational as Elijah,Chance's homeless friend. Chuck Pfarrer(who also wrote the screenplay)is good as Douglas Binder,Natasha's homeless Father.The direction by John Woo is outstanding and stylish,with Woo constantly moving the camera and showing close-ups,zooms and freeze frames while doing a great job with the Action scenes. Amazing direction,Woo.The score by Graeme Revell is fantastic,thrilling and matches the film's tone. Great score,Revell.In final word,if you love Jean Claude Van Damme,John Woo or Action Films,I highly suggest you see Hard Target,an excellent,underrated Action-Thriller that you can watch again and again. Highly Recommended. 10/10.

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