Nowhere To Run (1993)

 

It is often forgotten, but there was a time when they tried to make our own Jean-Claude Van Damme more than an action star. The vehicle for this was 'Nowhere To Run', a surprisingly emotional affair with very little in the way of martial arts. Heck, Van Damme doesn't even speak all that much here. Sure, the story isn't anything special, but the attempt was very noble. Unfortunately audiences didn't quite know what to make of it and Van Damme-fans were disappointed at the lack of acrobatics, so this one pretty much flopped. 

It isn't half bad, though. Just a bit too generic and cookie cutter to truly shine.

Van Damme plays Sam, a convict who is broken out of a transport by his partner who is then promptly shot dead. So now he's on the run and camps on the property of Clydie (Arquette), a feisty widow with two kids who is refusing to sell her land to some corporation that wants to develop everything into golf courses and resorts.

Yes, you know the corporation is evil as they bribe the local sheriff and they have Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine) as their heavy.

Why call him that? Because it's probably thé role Levine will always be remembered for and if you haven't seen 'Silence of the Lambs': why?

From then on, it's pretty predictable: Van Damme and Arquette fall for one another, he fights off some goons and becomes sort of a saviour but is found out, has to run away, yet returns for the big finale where the evil corporation really strongarms Arquette into selling before attempting to kill her and her kids... You know the drill.

Most of the acting is actually pretty good. Rosanna Arquette knows how to work and she is probably the most believable of the bunch. Joss Ackland often played bad guys (check 'Lethal Weapon 2' for perhaps his best known example) and excels at the slimy corporate leader-thing and Ted Levine loves to go for broke with this type of role. The kids aren't annoying for once and the story is clean, yet generic. But in the mix this film doesn't really convince, as it is all just a bit too bland, a bit too nice, a bit too 'made for tv during the weekend' sort of vibe. But it is here that Van Damme did show he could actually act better than most people assumed. The strong-but-silent type suits him, and he manages to emote quite a bit just by his facial expressions. 

Well done, sir. 

In the end though, 'Nowhere To Run' is nothing special. It is enjoyable, but as far as Van Damme vehicles go, it is nowhere near the most memorable. That will always be reserved for the more outlandish ones. But if you have some time to spare or have never been a big fan of the man's work, then this might be something to try, as it does serve up a different flavour.