Like a good few of the films that Van Damme's been making of late, UNTIL DEATH is an attempt to do something different. It isn't even an action film really, although there are two or three decent action scenes thrown in to please the fans. No, UNTIL DEATH is a human drama, an exploration of the human psyche and Van Damme is the character at the centre of it all. For the first time in his career, he plays a really murky character, neither out-and-out good (as in 90% of his roles) or out-and-out bad (like the killer he played in REPLICANT). No, his character is a narcotics cop who just happens to be hooked on heroin himself, and he's just as unpleasant as you'd imagine.
Then, around halfway through, his life catches up with him and he's put in a coma. When he comes out of it six months later, he's a changed man and we start seeing the real, genuine side of his character without all the rubbish. What makes all this more than watchable is the actor himself. I keep saying this, but Van Damme has really grown over the years and he puts his heart into his performance here. I can't fault his acting, and indeed he's the best actor in the production. He certainly puts the likes of a slumming Stephen Rea and the awful Selina Giles to shame.
In any case, the story is engaging, moves in quite a lot of different directions, and Simon Fellows does an okay job behind the camera. This one was shot in Bulgaria, but you wouldn't know it, as it has a slick, glossy Hollywood look. Once again, there are a couple of guys out of the UK TV series EASTENDERS hanging around, Gary Beadle and Stephen Lord, and they're both pretty good in their parts. This can be quite a depressing film in parts and if you're looking for excitement you'll find none, because it isn't about that. Instead it's an intense, dark human drama and Van Damme alone holds it all together.
Then, around halfway through, his life catches up with him and he's put in a coma. When he comes out of it six months later, he's a changed man and we start seeing the real, genuine side of his character without all the rubbish. What makes all this more than watchable is the actor himself. I keep saying this, but Van Damme has really grown over the years and he puts his heart into his performance here. I can't fault his acting, and indeed he's the best actor in the production. He certainly puts the likes of a slumming Stephen Rea and the awful Selina Giles to shame.
In any case, the story is engaging, moves in quite a lot of different directions, and Simon Fellows does an okay job behind the camera. This one was shot in Bulgaria, but you wouldn't know it, as it has a slick, glossy Hollywood look. Once again, there are a couple of guys out of the UK TV series EASTENDERS hanging around, Gary Beadle and Stephen Lord, and they're both pretty good in their parts. This can be quite a depressing film in parts and if you're looking for excitement you'll find none, because it isn't about that. Instead it's an intense, dark human drama and Van Damme alone holds it all together.