Ultimate Dolph

What is everyones thoughts on the new Van Damme movie with Scott Adkins.

Pretty disappointing, so much potential, very bad results. Although I did think some parts were very kick ass, like Van Damme with the shotgun and the flipping of cars during the bus sequence.

I liked it. I'm surprised that it has received a lot of negative reaction, even from a lot of Van Damme's biggest fans. Worked for me. It has its flaws (Adkins should have been the lead villain) but it was certainly way better than SECOND IN COMMAND or THE HARD CORPS, though not as good as WAKE OF DEATH. Even though I've always been a bigger fan of Lundgren, I even dug THE SHEPHERD more than both DIAMOND DOGS and MISSIONARY MAN.

I know Adkins has said that the fight at the end was much shorter than had been originally planned, but what ended up on the screen was pretty damn sweet. Best fight scene Van Damme has done in a long time.

If "Until Death" was VD's masterpiece, TS is lurking the opposite side of the spectrum. There's something surreal about how it's just a nonsensical or inconsistent succession of scenes played by a phony cast...

From the 15 minutes you're wondering what you're watching and why you're watching it. It looks cheap, for a $12 million flick, and gloomy Bulgaria for New Mexico is a joke. The dialog is just filling up blanks. So it fails in both action (pace), and drama. Even the composer, who did such a great score for UD, sounds bored and uninspired. It's a real shame so many things and talents waisted... compared to DD I'm not sure which holds up better...

MM had its flaws but at least it was trying something...

I'm with Jox on this one, the whole thing kind of smacked of Van Damme being completely bored. It does look like it'll be his last spec DTV film. He said after how well JCVD turned out, he doesn't want to return to the sort of films he's been doing. All the Shepherd had going for it really was the fact VD had got back into shape and unleashed a few vintage kicks, but that doesn't make a good movie. MM was a lot better, as was Seagal's pistol Whipped. The biggest draw back for TS was also the fact that Adkins was so underused. A total waste having him in it.

It definitely wasn't as big a stretch for Van Damme as UNTIL DEATH but it delivered solid fight scenes and some enjoyable action sequences that have been lacking in his recent entries. It suffered from a lot of the liabilities you see in DTV action films but of this year's batch of Seagal/Van Damme/Lundgren films I'd take THE SHEPHERD over any of them.

That being said I'm looking forward to J.C.V.D. allowing him a better chance to evolve as a performer.

I liked it. It's almost like a throwback to his pre-Universal Soldier stuff like Double Impact and Death Warrant. It should never be compared to stuff like Maximum Risk or Wake Of Death, though.

Beeing a big Van Damme fan I was expecting a lot from this movie.I was very dissapointed.I don't know, I just didn't "feel" anything while watching it.I'm also SICK!!!!!!! of seeing Van Damme having the same sad and bored face in almost all his recent movies.
Plus TS looks so damn cheap.Missionary Man is much better and it was made with a very smalll budget in comparison with TS.

It was ok I suppose, though I preferred Second In Command, Unitl Death, and Derailed.

Jeez man ,SIC and Derailed are his worst movies.

I thought SIC was ok actually a slight change of pace and more acting (kinda) but derailed was just cr*p IMHO. I thought TS was a bit of a disapointment to be honest.

I don't think I've seen any of JC's films since he made Replicant...

And that was years ago!!

You should check some of them out...Wake of Death, Until Death, In Hell...those would be my recommendations!!

Wake of Death was such a good film!!!

Nathan wrote:You should check some of them out...Wake of Death, Until Death, In Hell...those would be my recommendations!!

Oops, forgot about In Hell! I actually have that!