Former citizens of Yugoslavia had to wait for two years before Hollywood bothered to address the chaotic and bloody dissolution of that country. When it happened, it was, at start, only a passing remark spoken by a villain in Hard Target, 1993 action film, nowadays best known as American debut of legendary Hong Kong director John Woo.
The plot of the film is set in New Orleans where the ruthless businessman Emil Fouchon (played by Lance Henriksen) has started the service that caters to the more perverted members of the world’s rich elite – those willing to hunt human beings for sport. To make experience more interesting, quarry is carefully selected among combat veterans who also happen to be homeless and whose disappearance wouldn’t cause much attention by authorities or anyone else. In the case of the latest hunt a mistake was made because Douglas Binder (played by Chuck Pfarrer, author of the script) happened to have family. When his estranged daughter Natasha “Nat” Binder (played by Yancey Butler) comes to New Orleans to investigate, she immediately gets into trouble. She is rescued by Chance Boudreaux (played by Jean-Claude Van Damme), sailor who used to be US Marine veteran and had his own experience with homelessness. Partly because he feels pity, and partly because he needs money, he accepts Nat’s request to help her with her quest. This, of course, brings him in conflict with Fouchon and his sadistic henchman Pik Van Cleef (played by Arnold Vosloo) who wants to eliminate anyone who could expose their lucrative operation. Boudreaux and Nat are forced to flee from Fouchon’s assassins and seek shelter in nearby Louisiana bayous where they could expect assistance from Boudreaux eccentric moonshine-producing uncle Clarence Douvee (played by Wilford Brimley).
Pfarrer found inspiration for his script in The Most Dangerous Game, 1924 short story by Richard Connell, itself adapted into 1932 Hollywood black-and-white film starring Joel McCrea and Fay Wray. Pfarrer, who is also an Navy SEALS veteran, added a little bit of personal touch to film, aware that many US military servicemen had issues of adapting to civilian life and ending on streets wasn’t that uncommon. Hard Target, especially in the beginning, contains glimpses of social commentary, confronting reality of ordinary citizens who, like the protagonist, have to struggle to make ends meet, with those of ultra-rich elite which can afford even the most depraved delights. But the script is rather simple and some would say very weak, with one-dimensional and undeveloped characters. Jean-Claude Van Damme, who wears mullet which went out of fashion years before production, shows very limited acting skills and even has very few opportunities to show them. Yancey Butler, although pleasing to the eye, is very weak in her role and almost forgettable. Lance Henriksen and Arnold Vosloo, who play villains, have a lot of plan playing their characters over-the-top and, especially in case of Vosloo who is presented as more thoughtful but menacing part of the duo, making them quite effective. On the other hand, Graeme Revell’s music, somewhat inspired by Cajun themes, is rather unremarkable and doesn’t add much to the film.
Many of such flaws were, however, compensated by John Woo, obviously quite enthusiastic to prove Hollywood (which was rather sceptical at the times) that can deliver memorable and effective action films in America as easily as he had done in his native Hong Kong. He embraces very stylish form of action, with plenty of slow motion and with a lot of homage to classics genre directors like Sam Peckinpah and Walter Hill, and at the same time conforms to MTV ethos. Hard Target features plenty of car chases, gunfire, explosions and hand-to-hand combat, allowing Van Damme to show his main asset – martial arts skills – even in scenes when his character relies on guns. This is especially evident in the second part and in the final showdown that takes place in abandoned factory, where Woo allows his imagination to run amok, resulting in plenty of unrealistic, but nevertheless very entertaining scenes in which the protagonists eliminates villains with combination of rapid pistol fire and roundhouse kicks. Woo’s great work is enhanced by very good cinematography by Russell Carpenter and superb stuntwork, including Lance Henriksen performing one of the most impressive and dangerous stunts himself for the scene near the end. Hard Target, made under supervision of Sam Raimi (sent by studio as possible replacement for Hong Kong director, and whose brother Ted Raimi appears in small cameo role), had mixed reviews but it, predictably, won the audience, making good results at box office and even more impressive on video. It allowed both Van Damme and Woo to continue with their careers, although in case of Woo never on the high levels reached during his Hong Kong days. In 2016 a sequel under title Hard Target 2 with very little to do with original film was released direct-to-video. For today’s audience, the original film can work as one of the best examples of “guilty pleasures” delivered by Hollywood action cinema in early 1990s.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
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