![]() Detail is considerable - especially in close-ups -which exhibit strong realism to textures and fleshtones. Colors are well-saturated but not overdone, giving the film a nice eye-popping look with very little noise or bleeding. There is some grain, but the lack of dirt and blemishes is a nice surprise for a now 13 year-old flick. Presented in 1080p/VC-1 video, the source material has been nicely preserved. 'Timecop' is still a marginal title and not a true demo disc, but this is a more than respectable remaster from a studio whose strong suit has never been consistency. Given Universal's sometimes spotty record with its catalog HD DVD releases, I wasn't expecting much from this one, but it really looks quite good. 'Timecop' on HD DVD gave me a bit of a jolt. As we know now, he never quite got there, but if only one film could be etched on his cinematic tombstone it would be 'Timecop.' ![]() But at least on that level, it's a fun, nostalgic slice of '90s inanity, and is certainly the best case for why Van Damme deserved a legitimate shot at Hollywood superstardom. Silly and totally predictable, the film never generates enough empathy for the romantic predicament of its hero, leaving the audience with little to do but watch the action. Of course, none of this makes 'Timecop' a particularly good movie. It also doesn’t hurt that Van Damme was slighter of build than his other action-movie contemporaries, so when he's in the thick of danger, it’s slightly more believable. Unlike the more egotistical Schwarzeneggers and Sylvester Stallones of the world, Van Damme doesn't grate on the nerves with smug condescension, and seems to at least try to take the romance stuff seriously. In addition to his usual fight routines, he easily handles the film’s gunplay, and appears to be energized by the belief that 'Timecop' might finally be his ticket into the big leagues. The lighting is fairly stylish, the editing quite tight, and all of the performances (if largely unmemorable) are at least appropriate to the material.Īnd to his credit, despite all of the punchlines he’s generated over the years, Van Damme is a likable-enough action star. ![]() Although 'Timecop' doesn't have a blockbuster budget, Universal did pump enough money into its wobbly premise that Hyams is able to give it a slick sheen and some decent setpieces. The film was directed by Peter Hyams, who has created quite a career for himself taking films that should have gone straight to video, and somehow convincing the studios to lavish tens of millions of dollars on them ('The Relic,' ' End of Days'). Having said all that, as an action B-flick, 'Timecop' isn't bad. Van Damme admirably attempts to stretch his acting (ahem) muscles, and Sara is pretty to look at, but they don't generate anywhere near the chemistry or passion of the Linda Hamilton-Michael Biehn pairing in 'Terminator.' Add to that a totally boring villain (Ron Silver) who looks more like a banker than a madman, and on paper, there is little to distinguish 'Timecop' above most other of Van Damme's direct-to-video disasters. ![]() The difference, of course, is that we cared about the characters and the relationships in 'The Terminator,' while in ‘Timecop’ the melodrama has about as much gravity as a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie-of-the-week. Like James Cameron’s far-superior ' The Terminator,' 'Timecop' uses a gooey romance to give resonance to what is otherwise a standard-issue action thriller. ![]() After his wife Melissa (Mia Sara) is murdered, Walker will go back in time to unravel the mystery of his wife's death, while evading the covert factions who want him dead before he exposes the truth. Van Damme stars as Max Walker, a "timecop" from the future who is part of a special government force implemented to capture criminals through the use of time travel. But of all of the cheesy and derivative action flicks that the "muscles from Brussels" starred in during his brief '90s reign as the poor man's Arnold Schwarzenegger, 'Timecop' is the least cheesy and least derivative.Įven those less familiar with the sci-fi genre will recognize the story of 'Timecop' as a mishmash (read: rip-off) of ' Blade Runner,' 'Minority Report' and every other story Philip K. Of course, considering that his cinematic canon is littered with such C-grade stinkers as 'Bloodsport,' 'Cyborg,' 'Kickboxer' and 'Death Warrant,' that’s not exactly high praise. 'Timecop' is the best film Jean-Claude Van Damme ever made. ![]()
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