Legionnaire

Rating:
Summary: A "Beau Geste" for the Modern Era
Review: I grew up watching "Beau Geste" (which is a film which deserves to be on DVD)and all other films about the French Foreign Legion fall or rise to that film's greatness. That being so, "Legionnaire" stands as a solid drama of the men who join the legion to forget their past lives and to rebuild new ones--if they survive. The film is well-crafted and the wide-screen format is perfect in bringing the viewer the feel of the desert--its vastness, its heat, and its beauty. The film's action scenes are sensational and the final battles are both memorable and brutal. Jean-Claude Van Damme proves he is more than just a good body or fighting machine--he does some fine acting in this film. One wishes that it could be seen on the large screen--it deserves it.

Rating:
Summary: Jean-Claude goes epic/historical
Review: I heard the reason why this one didn't get a theater releases was because Van-Damme's previous ;"Knock-Off" was a dud. "Legionnaire" is definitely one of his best. The movie has a great story that is very beautifully shot, with action sequences that are reminiscent of "Glory" and "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" The supporting cast also lends great acting and overall this movie must not be overlooked. This aint your usual "kick-butt" Van-Damme film , but very much better. Give this film a chance and you'll see why it deserves a theatre first audience. Also the DVD is well done with animated menus and tons of historical footage and documentaties about the Foriegn Legion.

Rating:
Summary: Jean-Claude goes epic/historical
Review: I heard the reason why this one didn't get a theater releases was because Van-Damme's previous ;"Knock-Off" was a dud. "Legionnaire" is definitely one of his best. The movie has a great story that is very beautifully shot, with action sequences that are reminiscent of "Glory" and "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" The supporting cast also lends great acting and overall this movie must not be overlooked. This aint your usual "kick-butt" Van-Damme film , but very much better. Give this film a chance and you'll see why it deserves a theatre first audience. Also the DVD is well done with animated menus and tons of historical footage and documentaties about the Foriegn Legion.

Rating:
Summary: Actually, it's not that bad
Review: I think the television listing description I read on this movie was misleading - actually no, it was wrong. According to what my TiVo said the story followed a 1920s playboy who returns from a stint in the Foreign Legion to reclaim his former lover (a mobster's girl). Obviously the person who wrote this has never seen this movie. For starters he wasn't so much a playboy as he was a boxer and for second he never returns to France to reclaim his former lover. In fact we learn through the progress of the film that the woman in question has emigrated to the United States.
Okay, enough gripes about how inaccurate tv listings can be - what did I think about the movie in question. It's actually okay as far as Jean Claude VanDamme movies go, except he really doesn't do much in the way of martial arts as he has in previous films. Instead he relies more on a rifle to shoot charging North African tribesmen or fists to straighten out fellow Foreign Legionnaire's who get their kicks out of bullying their weaker colleagues.
Jean Claude plays a boxer who, after reneging on a promise to throw a fight, escapes into the French Foreign Legion to flee the clutches of a murderous mobster. There he is flung headfirst into the North Africa war between the local nomadic tribesmen and the occupying French forces.
What was really a treat was the presence of Steven Berkoff. It's been awhile since I have seen him in a movie. He was a very high profile in the early to mid 1980s in movies such as `Beverly Hills Cop,' `Octopussy' and `Rambo: First Blood Part II' but then seemed to disappear from view. Here he plays the Foreign Legion commander who must lick the raw recruits into shape - and he dominates every scene in which he appears.
The action scenes are also well staged and you feel the danger in which the troops are thrust into, the movie makers also do a good job of conveying the confusion and chaos that comes from close quarters fighting.
If you enjoyed other Jean Claude movies then chances are this one will also hit the spot. It's not quite as good as `Sudden Death' (my favorite Jean Claude picture) but it's an entertaining ride.

Rating:
Summary: Good,but its not like his other movies
Review: I went the store and i saw this movie on the counter and they had Van Damnes pic on it so i got it,i watched it,I wasnt pleased,i mean the movie was excellent,but where in the hell is Van Damnes high flying kicks,I am like a huge fan of Van Damne.This is like the only movie i didnt see him do his fancy kicks.This movie is worth watching,but if u wanna see his kicks dont get this one.

Rating:
Summary: this movie is far UNDERrated
Review: I'd never even heard of "Legionaire" until a skit on "Saturday Night Live" (where Kris Kattan portrayed VanDamme) made fun of the fact that nobody saw this movie. I of course thought that this movie must be godawful, so I rented it just to be entertained by its horribleness. But I was amazed at what a great movie this was! It was kind of cheesy in places (like those stupid flashbacks that are supposed to be heartwarming and touching but are really just annoying) but the action sequences are really good. I'm surprised that a decent movie like this goes straight to video while other movies which are far more lame and stupid make it to the big screen. If you rent it you won't be disappointed, especially if you have low expectations to begin with

Rating:
Summary: The Best 'Acting' Action film of recent memory
Review: In truth, I thought the end was here for Van Damme--his last few films were uninspired, humourless, shameless retreads of better films by worse actors. But Legionnaire redeems his oeuvre by ignoring him throughout much of the film, giving the best lines and most of the drama to a group of relatively unknown but excellent character actors. The editing is flawless, and let's face it; no director ever went broke by ripping off Lawrence of Arabia. I love Van Damme films, and I'm telling everybody to rent it because it's not a true Van Damme picture.

Rating:
Summary: One of the worst movies in the history of filmmaking
Review: It is hard to describe why legionaire is as horrible as it is. A frightfully awesome mix of unrealistic fight scenes, tragically overdramatic acting, and a plot that is just undescribebly pointless.

Van Damme's acting is way overdramatic to the point of being laughable. His crying fit after some guy he barely knew died were punctuated by "HE WAS A LEGIONAIRE" in his cheesy french accent.

One of the villians in the pointless plot is apparently a cruel officer in this legion. Apparently, this guy likes to torture his men and leave them to die. He also likes to punish them for making the RIGHT decesions, while he makes horrible blunders left and right. What I don't understand is why this person dissapears into thin air soon after we learn about his character. I mean, this plot is just horrible. Lets go on to a better example.

Another of Van Dammes buddies is sent out for some ungodly stupid mission, that we all know will fail no matter what. Van Damme and this character open up a stupid, overdramatic scene about how they love eachother or something, and this guy goes off on his way. Well not really, since he is shown being tortured by the rifs the next day, and for some reason Van Damme shoots him. Of course the movie wanted it to be clear that Van Damme puts him out of his misery, but it was just such a idiotic situation where Van Damme could have attempted to save him based on his superhuman marsmanship and physical strength as portrayed in this movie.

One final thing, Can someone explain to me how a human being can shoot a gatling gun with great accuracy while standing up and holding it, not to mention this person has apparently just suffered a long march through the desert.

I really can't continue, as I will have flashbacks of this movie and will be disgusted to the point of nausea.

One look at the damn DVD cover and you can see what a cheesy, overdramatic, "epic" with a pointless plot this movie is.

Van Damme should stick to what he does best, fake being a martial artist..

Rating:
Summary: Boring Van Damme Movie
Review: Jean-Claude Van Damme needs to stay direct-to-tape after this slow, drawn out movie. He joins the French legion after he doesn't take a fall for a couple of gangsters. Ludicrous piece of film-making which never surfaces and grabs the audience's attention. Van Damme has never really made a good action movie and he needs to go down in history as one of the worst action stars to ever hit Hollywood.

Rating:
Summary: Different from Van Damme's other action movies
Review: Legionnaire is a flashback to the old Foreign Legion films starring Gary Cooper like Beau Geste or Gunga Din. The movie tells the story of a boxer who betrays a French mob boss when he goes back on a deal. He is then forced to join the Foreign Legion when he has nowhere else to turn too. The film follows the training of the new company and then there battles against the Rif tribesmen. This film is very different from most of Jean-Claude Van Damme movies, but it is very good. He doesn't fight throughout the movie instead actually talking although there are plenty of action scenes.

Surprisingly, Van Damme is very good as Alain DuChamps, the boxer forced into the Legion. He is very believable in the role. The supporting cast for this movie stands out as above average compared to other Van Damme action movies. Nicholas Farrell is excellent as Macentosh, the ex-soldier with a weakness for gambling. I can't remember the name of Alain's friend, Luther, but he plays the role pretty well. Also starring are Steven Berkoff and Jim Carter. This is an excellent movie with grand landscapes in the African landscape, well put together action scenes, and believable characters. This movie deserved better than its straight to video release. The DVD offers widescreen presentation, a theatrical trailer and teaser, rare photographs of the Foreign Legion in action, and several behind the scenes documentaries and interviews with the cast and crew. There is plenty here for Van Damme fans and also action fans. Check this movie out!