The Bouncer

Julien Leclercq had proven himself twice before with high-quality French genre films. So, when I saw his new project starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, I had to watch it immediately. If you're expecting an action-packed film from France, you'll be disappointed. Yes, there is a chase and a shootout, but primarily, it’s a serious drama centered around a concerned father, played by Van Damme (though the budget is also modest). In this more understated role, Van Damme truly shines, showing that beyond his still impressive physical abilities, he can also act brilliantly—a point that many fans criticize him for, but this film should put those doubts to rest. The story unfolds at a slow pace, with interesting narrative deviations from the main plot, and the entire setting is a grim urban underworld, so there aren’t many positives to be found. The ending is truly unexpected; I didn’t foresee it at all. A superb genre film that I can recommend with a clear conscience. I’m giving it 80%. (2019-08-07)

Finally, Jean-Claude got it. The Bouncer is actually a pretty solid French drama, which has a great screenplay and stars the excellent Van Damme. Sometimes there’s no need to kick the hell out of everybody and try to turn every scene into an action ride. All you need is a good script, a few action moments, and a twist... and the quality is taken care of. I haven’t enjoyed Van Damme as much as I did in this flick for a long time. I wish it would last. I’d rather watch an authentic European drama than another B rated action movie. (2019-06-09)

Jean Claude Van Damme has again bounced back and again shows that, in the hands of a capable director, he can hand in an unexpected performance. The French genre maestro Julien Leclercq serves up a bleak, gloomy existential action flick with an aging hero. The Bouncer is actually the sombre counterpart to JCVD, in which Van Damme leaves behind the radiance of a star and passes himself off as being at the mercy of frailty, as well as another captivating action sequence filmed in one shot. Leclercq's characteristic long Steadicam shots tracking characters in motion from a third-person perspective, using video games as a model, greatly enhance the gritty realism of this genre revelation. (2020-08-22)

Quite nicely made and quite possibly the last good film with Van Damme. Story-wise it's kind of standard and unfortunately there's not much action, but the film flows well and the atmosphere is quite bleak. 6/10. (2021-03-14)