Matthew D
One of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s greatest dramatic performances including killer martial arts!
Hong Kong director Ringo Lam’s American neo-noir action thriller Maximum Risk (1996) is awesome. Lam delivers ferocious action, striking style, fascinating mystery, tender romance, and heartfelt character drama. Ringo Lam’s high octane Hong Kong style action is exhilarating like his shadowy film noir sensibilities for this dark crime mystery. Maximum Risk is a fantastic film that’s quite underrated among Van Damme’s filmography. It’s very cool to see Van Damme command a neo-noir style crime mystery. Interestingly, Maximum Risk was released the same year Jean-Claude Van Damme directed and starred in his own action adventure The Quest. I maintain that every movie Jean-Claude Van Damme acted in from 1988 through 1998 are all worth seeing.
Writer Larry Ferguson’s shadowy film noir style crime narrative is enthralling. I loved his emotional stings and plot twists. These characters feel earnest and developed. His sly jokes, smoky romance, and shocking events are all engaging. We go from the south of France to New York in this Russian mob in Little Odessa story, who have to take on Van Damme’s persistent French Detective, seeking to avenge his dead brother. A man falling in love with his murdered brother’s girlfriend is neat. The CIA crossed with the Russian mob is an intriguing story element. Casting director Deborah Brown cast a ton of skilled Canadian, French, and Belgian talent.
Belgian actor and martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme is excellent as French Detective Alain Moreau, humorously named after Alain Delon and Jeanne Moreau, as well as his Russian-American gangster twin brother Mikhail Suverov. I love when Van Damme gets to act in two parts like in Double Impact, Timecop, and Maximum Risk. His sheer charisma brings a lot of depth to his dramatic part. Van Damme is adept as ever as with his swift kicks and ferocious punches.
Canadian actress Natasha Henstridge is captivating as the sultry femme fatale Alex Bartlett. She lets every line linger with a sexiness to her aura. She’s really spellbinding in Maximum Risk. She provides ample erotic tension and a chance at humanity for Van Damme’s quiet cynical detective.
French actor Jean-Hugues Anglade is wonderful as the amiable French Detective Sebastien. He’s always so friendly and likable in films with a natural gravitas. Van Damme must have liked getting to act opposite an actor who speaks French, who is also incredibly talented.
Zach Grenier’s Ivan Dzasokhov, David Hemblen’s Dmitri Kirov, and Dan Moran’s Yuri are entertaining as the fearsome Russian mobsters. Stefanos Miltsakakis is scary as Red Face. I enjoyed Paul Ben-Victor’s shady Agent Pellman and Frank Senger’s sinister Agent Loomis here.
French actress Stéphane Audran is touching as Van Damme’s forlorn mother Chantal Moreau, also her name is an homage to Chantal Akerman and Jeanne Moreau. Herb Lovelle has a nice supporting role as Martin.
Editor Bill Pankow’s smooth transitions and fast cuts make the mystery enigmatic and the action thrilling. Cinematographer Alexander Gruszynski’s heavy shadows, stylish neon lights, careful framing, and smooth panning shots are amazing. Visually, I thought of anything from Mean Streets to Blade Runner. Production designer Steve Spence makes Toronto look like sleazy and gritty New York. Art director Peter Grundy leans into dark alleyways, sleazy nightclubs, and deadly bars. Set decorators Jaro Dick and Tom Doherty’s sets are stuffed with realistic props. Stunt performers Rémy Julienne, Shelley Cook, John Cenatiempo, and Charlie Picerni do fire stunts, car chases, shootouts, and fist fights.
Composer Robert Folk’s moody film score gives Maximum Risk a sinister and somber atmosphere. It’s a neat jazzy score. Sound designers Paula Fairfield and Paul Germann provide bursts of noises and clear voice recordings. Costume designer Joseph A. Porro’s dark and sleek outfits look cool. Natasha Henstridge gets slinky dresses that are stunning on her.
In the end, Maximum Risk is a gripping 100 minutes with a fabulous lead acting performance from the mighty “Muscles from Brussels” Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
11/17/24
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Carlos T
Filme: Risco Máximo Assistido: 20-7-24
Elenco: @jcvd @natashahenstridge Zach Grenier @stefanos_miltsakakis Jean-Hugues Anglade @paulbenvictor #JCVD
Modelo: #ação #mafia
Duração: 1h 41m Ano: 1996
Minha opinião: JCVD sempre gostou de filmes onde faz o papel de gêmeos. Duplo Impacto, Legionário e aqui Risco Máximo. E temos também TimeCop onde ele vê sua versão no passado. Aqui temos Alain (JCVD) e Mikhail (JCVD). Quando sua mãe teve os 2, não tinha condições de criar os gêmeos, então 1 é levado para EUA e criado no meio dos mafiosos russos. E Alain cresce na França e é um policial. Um belo dia seu parceiro Sebastien pensa que Alain morreu, mas descobre que não é ele. Então Alain descobre que tinha um irmão gêmeo, e finge ser ele e vai para o EUA descobrir a verdade. Cheando lá encotra a namorada dele que pensa que é ele. Alex (Natasha) passa a ser parceira, pois ela também quer descobrir a verdade. Mas com o andar da carrogem acabam se envolvendo. Havia a máfia russa que pagava proprina para os agentes deo FBI. Então Alain era perseguido pela máfia russa e pelos agentes FBI. Um filme de ação, lutas e tiros. Aqui é um filme que ele não luta tanto, mas é um filme de bastante ação. Até chegar ao final onde as provas estavam escondidas em um banco em Paris. E lá seu parceiro é pego como refém, mas estamos falando de JCVD, que vai colocar tudo para quebrar e salvar a todos. Uma boa atuação JCVD da Natasha.
Roteiro e enredo legal e bem realizado.
Vale apena assistir? Sim.
Nota: 7,5
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
07/25/24
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Audience Member
For JCVD fans, this one comes late in his near decade-long box office run and it’s a solid entry in the Van Damme canon! His hero is likable and the action hits the spot!
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
08/07/24
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Transformer , Anime F
JCVD playing a cop fin find out that he had a twin brother who was killed then turns out he's on a cat and mouse game finding out that there trying to kill him but won't allow it.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
12/14/22
Full Review
Audience Member
Jean Claude Van Damme novinho e em dose dupla, mas por pouco tempo, boa trama, aqueles velhinhos que ainda dão caldo... Porém tomei para o final perde fôlego, e torna-se mais do mesmo porradaria e bomba regular, bem regular....
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/12/23
Full Review
jelisije j
A decent action film, but not overall the greatest story.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
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