Timecop

This was actually a decent film. If you can get past the gratuitous violence (a virtual requirement for Van Damme films), you might like this movie. Van Damme plays the title character who needs to stop a crooked politician from changing history while trying to decide whether to save his murdered wife. I liked this. Silver is good as the bad guy, and Van Damme is watchable. See it if you get the chance! *** out of ****

Timecop is a pretty hilarious movie, and it has all the trademarks of a

Tapert/Raimi film (i.e., the guys who brought you Evil Dead, Hercules,

Xena, Jack of All Trades...). It's definitely a big-screen movie, but they have some fun, even including dialogue that pokes fun at Jean-Claude's at times unintelligible accent. There are some decent martial arts set pieces, they don't spend too long on the time travel aspects (which is about par for the course for the guys who did time travel in Evil Dead, Hercules, and Xena...). Ron Silver makes a suitably sinister villain, but Bruce McGill steals the show as the protagonist's somewhat befuddled but loyal boss. There are the usual holes that accompany any time travel story, and a weird ending. With the feel-good ending, no one seems to realize that Max won't recall the last 10 years of his married life and time raising his kid! Still, it's a pretty good, not too deep, enjoyable movie.

This is pretty run-of-the-mill as far as sci-fi goes, and Van-Damme's acting wasn't any better than it was in his other films - contrary to popular opinion - but Peter Hyams' competent direction keeps the thing moving forward at a brisk pace, and Ron Silver makes for a wicked baddie that rivals his work in Blue Steel. If only the action were more exciting. Most of it consists of Walker staying in one position shooting at another guy, and vice-versa until somebody goes down for good. The shootouts lack energy and a sense of life for the most part. The fight scenes are......okay, but nothing that can compete with what I've seen in other actioners from that era. Oh yeah, and what was up with the villain's death scene? That was some frighteningly terrible CGI. I guess they were trying to rival the liquid metal effects in T2 and failed miserably. In fact, the entire finale was way too dark, like pitch black. I remember catching the finale on TV back in the day and noticed it was excessively dark then, too, but Blu-ray doesn't seem to have corrected the problem. Well, flaws aside, this is still one of Van Damme's better films, with some amusing moments here and there.

Overall, this is a decent enough 90s action flick with ropey acting, terrible vision of the future, but excellent fight scenes and some superb signs of physical excellence (those gymnast moves are amazing). Its also funny (not always intentionally so; those cars are hilarious) and the pacing is decent. The sci-fi angle is not the strongest, but overall this is a cent 90s action flick.

Timecop is probably remembered as his last good movie before he got into a rut of mediocre(though successful) action flicks.Its also the most mainstream picture he was ever in for my money.

In 1994 Time-travel has become a possible reality.Washington decides that it needs to be "policed" from criminal activity and the paradox's of undoing life as we know it.Cut to 2004:Enter Van Damme as Walker the on-the-rocks time-cop who uncovers a plot to swindle the presidency by a corrupt Senator McComb played by Ron Silver,who actually engineered the murder of Walkers-wife(Mia Sara).Can Max stop McComb?Can he go back and save his wife?After some decent gunfights and roundhouses you'll have to find out.

Timecop benefits from having a talented director Like Peter Hyams behind the wheel for this one.He stages everything well,Keeps the action and plot flowing,Special FX are engaging,and gets a very good performance by Van Damme.Who comes off vulnerable and like a real person.The production values are very good here too.It is also pretty decent political backdrop/Sci-fi combo.

Ron Silver is a great Bad Guy here as McComb.He gets to shoot, beat people up,Snarls And looks frankly maniacal at times.Mia Sara is engaging and looks beautiful as ever.Bruce McGill has some funny bits as Van Dammes Boss.The very sexy Gloria Ruben also shows up as Walkers new partner.

Timecop is not the greatest when it comes to plot-holes.But unlike the recent version of HG Wells Time machine, it is a very fun movie.And one of Van Dammes best.