Glen here...
THE BIFFINATOR just wrote in with a review of Jean Claude Van Damme's new straight-to-video extravaganza called Legionnaire.Legionnaire is directed by Peter MacDonald. MacDonald is probably best known for Rambo 3, which...despite it's crappy politics...offered some very interesting cinematic elements (the look of the film was pretty impressive, and some of the editing was quite intense). MacDonald has also been involved in a variety of other projects, in capacities ranging from second unit director, to camera operator, etc.. Said projects include Superman, The Empire Strikes Back, Dragonslayer, The Company of Wolves, Excalibur, Tango and Cash (which...if I remember correctly...he ghost directed), and the first Batman film.
THAT'S a pretty impressive resume. Imagine the stories this guy could tell.
In fact, despite the relative obscurity of his name, MacDonald would be way up on my short-list of "industry people I'd most like to talk to". At one point, if memory serves, MacDonald was attached to a genre project called Monument. Monument even got covered in Starlog way, way, way back there - it's an SF project that's been around forever, but has never really found a home. I think it's got something to do with some kind of funky encounter between humanity and aliens in a distant world. My memory may be jumbled on this, though.
ANYWAY, here's is THE BIFFINATOR'S review of Jean Claude's new video opus - Legionnaire!
You can call ma "The Biffinator", to start with my credentials. I've worked at multiple video store in the last three years and have watched, documented and rated over 1600 films. I eat, sleep, breath and write movies. And now onto the review.
Well we got the screener for "Legionnaire" in today at the store and I drew the short straw. First of all this is not a Van Damme film, their is no kung-fu, I don't even think anyone kicked anyone else even once. Directed by Peter MacDonald (Rambo 3, Mo'Money) "Legionnaire" is one of the better looking direct to video films I've ever seen made.
The script has a long way to go to become screen-worthy. Okay so my dog could have written a better script. Their were some very good dramatic moment and decent action scenes but it was offset by the bland dialogue and stereotypical characters. Here you have Van Damme, an Italian guy named Guido, a gratuitous angry black man played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje wjo was actually very good for the crap he was given too read. The only other actor with any sort of professional career in the film was Steven Berkoff (Fair Game, Intruder).
All in all if you bored at the video store one night and want to see a decent war, action/drama you could do a lot worse then "Legionnaire". Also, if your thinking of renting "Knock Off", I would definitely suggest "Legionnaire" over that.
Now I have too go cleanse my pallet by watching "Cube" for the third time this weekend and maybe watch "Rush Hour" again.
-The Biffinator
Glen sniffles...
I wanna see Legionnaire, Van Dammit!
