Lionheart
Tags: comedy, neo noir, murder, violence, cult, humor, melodrama, tragedy, revenge

Plot synopsis:
A man is buying drugs from a dealer until his men burn the man alive. The man is rushed to the hospital where his wife and daughter are waiting. As he dying, he yells out Leon, his brother's name. Three weeks later Leon, Lion Heart (LH) is shown working in the desert for the French Foreign Legion, when he get's the letter about his brother. He gets in into an argument with his C.O. over being kept in the dark. When the hot headed C.O. decides to put LH in a "box", LH escapes in a jeep, headed to the ocean. He makes it to a ship and then to N.Y.C., after a short fist fight with a ship worker that got into his way. Since his brother's wife and daughter live in L.A. and he has no money, he enters a paid fight in a ghetto. After he wins easily, Joshua, who runs the fight ring, takes him to a higher class and higher stakes organizer (Cynthia). LH doesn't want to go along with it, but he eventually agrees to fight in L.A., near his family. When he goes to visit his niece and sister in law Helene, he is cast out. Helene is in serious financial disarray, and thinks that LH is also dealing drugs when he offers money. So, LH has Joshua and Cynthia set up a phantom life insurance policy so Helene can get the money without seeing where it came from. With this in place, LH starts to fight with everything he has. Cynthia, meanwhile tries to seduce him into being her boy toy. When he refuses, she starts to work with the 2 agents that are hot on his trail to bring him back and have him tried as a deserter. After beating those two up, he gets away and then a high stakes match is scheduled. This match is with the unbeaten and colossal Attila, and big investors get involved. Cynthia knows that LH is injured and keeps it a secret when she quietly bets it all on Attila. She double crosses everyone believing the LH has no chance. Finally, Joshua and LH break the truth to Helene and she accepts him into the family. He then gets ready for his final fight. The 2 agents are there to seize him at the end of the match. Attila enters the ring and after taking many blows from LH, delivers a few of his own. Soon, Attila finds out about his injured ribs and tries to exploit that. Shortly afterward LH is down and hurting. Joshua comes to him and tries to talk him out of going on. LH won't hear of it, and his fire burns hotter than ever as he charges the bigger Attila. LH swaps blows until he has the upperhand. Then LH lands kick after kick as the the crowd gets behind him and cheers him on. Soon Attila is finished and the badly injured LH is carried away by the 2 agents. Meanwhile, Cynthia has lost and finds herself in trouble. Then the agent take him back to Helene's to say goodbye. After the heartbreaking and emotional episode, LH gets in their car to go back and face his destiny. But the agents seem to have a change of heart and let him go a block later. He runs back to Helene and her daughter to start his new life with them and Joshua. Thank you for reading! blogmonstermike.word press.com

Review: This film has a heart, it is an underdog action drama about a men, who goes in to the gladiator fights and uses his martial arts to raise money, for his brother's family.
"When the streets are a jungle...there can only be one king." Jean-Claude Van Damme stars as a soldier drawn in the world of modern day of gladiators fighting for the amusement of the rich in this fast-moving action thriller.
Upon receiving news that his brother in Los Angeles is seriously injured Lyon Gaultier (Van Damme) deserts the French Foreign Legion from a remote outpost in North Africa.
This riveting action-adventure combines the raw power and charisma of Van Damme with the exciting world of no-holds-barred street fighting.That is the main basic plot about this film.
Lyon the character Van Damme played wasn't only a Lionheart, he was also a good hearted human been.
Van Damme is at his best here, it's a good film that moves at a steady pace and is almost like a  Rocky/Street Fighter type film.
Van Damme was good, classic 80s series Sledge Hammer star Harrison Page was very good.The Qissi brothers were very good and loved Abdel's character Attila!He is such a great one as I like many things about him!Brian Thompson was good as always Voyo Goric was here and look for Tony Halme AKA Ludvig Borga near the end in the big fight!The movie is never boring and boasts lots of action and great music by John Scott!If you like Van Damme and fighting films then check out Lionheart!.
"Lionheart" - Welcome to the Lion's Den. In the Jean-Claude Van Damme martial arts movie "Lionheart," audiences get to see a side of the Muscles from Brussels not seen in previous action films like "Bloodsport" (1988) and "Kickboxer" (1989): Van Damme acting and fighting like there's no tomorrow.
After his drug-dealing brother is set on fire in Los Angeles, Lyon Gaultier (Van Damme) deserts his post in North Africa with the French Foreign Legion and high-tails it to the United States to reconnect with his brother's wife and five-year-old daughter, with two agents in hot pursuit with orders to bring him back at any cost.
At the center of it, of course, is determined Lyon, who puts aside his own reservations about fighting for the rich and focuses squarely on putting money in his family's pockets.For all its scenes of combat and many, many missteps, "Lionheart" is very easily the best of Van Damme's early martial arts movies simply because it'll give fans of the genre what they want: maximum Van Damage and, boy, does he damage some of his sparring partners and take some damage of his own.
What people want to see here is fighting, although there are some heartfelt scenes between family that could probably warm the hearts of those who care to see such drama.More gladiator combat spectacle than dramatic actioner, "Lionheart" takes us to the Lion's Den and never looks back.8/10.
Lionheart is yet another Van Damme-movie with a lame story and great fight-scenes.
When i saw this film i was just 15 and it touched me how Leon wanted to fight for his brothers wife and kid.The films fight scenes are well staged and when i watched the film again recently i was surprised by how much i enjoyed it.Thats the thing,its a really enjoyable film,you can harp on all day about how Van Damme isn't the worlds best actor,how the sound mix is wobbly and the film looks as though it has been churned out for TV but its a good story well executed and that is the long and short of it.Van Damme has gone on to make many a film in a similar vein but i felt it was on this production that he came off best.The trainer played by Harrison Page helps lift the film too.
This is actually a weakness in many martial arts movies, as I don't care if you're Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan or Steven Seagal...you won't win a battle against a gun!So, I liked the quality of the fights--excellent though I could done with less slo-mo and repetitive scenes (they often would show the SAME punch or kick 3-4 times in a row).
Van Damme is on physical top form with some impressive moves from the many fights featured, the story is good simple action movie stuff, and even though this is clearly a lowish budgeted film it's always watchable and entertaining.
Another childhood movie I grew up watching it as a kid.Lionheart stars: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Harrison Page, Deborah Rennard, Lisa Pelikan, Ashley Johnson, Brian Thompson, Voyo Goric, Michel Qissi and Abdel Qissi.
It was Written and directed by Sheldon Lettich and co written by Jean-Claude Van Damme.This is a solid decent movie about a real gladiator fights in which are no rules, no judges, no rewards, but real fights real actions only for the money.
Now in America New York and L.A. Lyon is forced to earn money by fighting in modern gladiator fights for money in order to support his family.Fun facts Jean-Claude Van Damme was always late on the setting for the filming the film.
Harrison Page as Joshua Eldrige as Van Damme's mana German did a good Job protect in Lyon like in Rocky Mickey was protect in Rocky from bad buisnes.
"AWOL" or "Lionheart," is slightly reminiscent of the Charles Bronson film "Hard Times." The similarity, is that Van Damme competes in these highly illegal but exceptionally dangerous (aren't they usually?) fights against all comers from all walks of life.
Movie Review: "Lionheart: Leon" (1990)Improving with every role given to him since his hit movie "Bloodsport" (1988), when near-future career-peaks are ahead with "Hard Target" (1993) directed by John Woo, martial-arts-actor Jean-Claude Van Damme, at age 29, arrives as character "Lyon" in the streets of New York, fighting his way to chances to change his unless forfeit life as Military traumatized veteran for the better, when director Shelton Lettich, known for being second unit director for Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather: Part 2" starring Al Pacino and Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner" (1982) starring Harrison Ford, directing to the best of his abilities an original-conceived story by actor Jean-Claude Van Damme, who then shares not only in up to three well-paced hand-to-hand combats his physical acting advantages, when nemesis blonde New York upper class woman Cynthia, performed by Los Angeles born-original Deborah Rennard, tightens the imaginary noose around Lyon's neck with suspense dwells throughout the picture of raising stakes with every fight given to Lyon, when this action-movie tends to satisfy with simple gestures of following a profession for living and holding tight to the value by supporting the people closest to one's heart.Copyright 2018 Cinemajesty Entertainments LLC.
Jean-Claude Van Damme plays a guy named Lyon who deserts from the French Foreign Legion to come to America and help his brother's widow and daughter.
The fights were i believe after bloodsport were the most best , van dammes kicks were really awesome ,on the other hand he also played another face of a family man.
It tells the story of Lyon Gaultier, a paratrooper in the French Foreign Legion stationed in Djibouti, East Africa, who after learning that his brother has been hospitalized and is in a serious condition and fighting for his life, escapes from his army outpost in Djibouti and makes his way through the harsh desert.He finds works on a tramp steamer, hauling coal into the ships furnace in an effort to flee to the U.S. He arrives in New York and but needs to travel to California to be with his brother's family.
Figuring that this would be the best way to earn the money he needs to travel, he fights and wins much to the pleasure of Cynthia who immediately tells Joshua to take care of her special man.Leon goes to the hospital where his brother was admitted only to be told that he had died from his injuries.
Jean Claude Van Damme stars in this action tale of a Legionere gone AWOL to sort out his families financial problems (by way of bare knuckle fighting of course).
This is probably J C Van Damme's best film in terms of overall pace and plot although the dialogue and acting are still fairly clunky at times.The action is good although I found the final fight rather disappointing, as the end opponent wasn't really that good and had some ludicrous side burns that just made me laugh (this movie is worth seeing to laugh at this guy alone).
Deborah Rennard is OK as the hard nosed promoter super b**ch who just happens to look fantastic in the tiny skirts she is given to wear (does every fight promoter turn up to meetings in a bikini!?).Overall there's not a lot to say about this movie if you like action films you'll like this, it's not ground breaking but it does what it needs to good action, reasonable plot and Van Damme's best acting performance to date.
The plot is simple, but at least veers more towards the importance of Lyon (Van Damme) raising money to help his sister-in-law and niece, which gives the film a more family feel, rather than the story typically being about him tracking down his brother's killer(s).
Wrong Bet. In australia the movie is called "Wrong Bet" and it is about how Lyon (Van Damme) escapes from the Foreign Legion to come to America to visit his injured brother, who later dies.
when Lyon's brother is killed leaving his wife and young daughter with a string of debts to pay, Lyon (van damme) goes awol from the french forieghn legion and takes part in bare knuckle boxing matches to help his sister inlaw with her money troubles.this is my favorite van damme flick,and it is definateley one of his best.it hasn't got a great story but the excelent fight scenes help to lift the film.van damme's acting isn't bad and at times is excelent.the final fight scene is really uplifting and is a brilliant ending to a great film..
In this case Van Damme plays "leo" a man who goes A.W.O.L from the foreign legion after his brother is killed, so "leo" tries to do right by his brother's widow and niece by getting into street-fighting as a mean to fast cash.
A good performance by Jean-claude Van Damme as a man who is on the run and a lot good fight scenes..
By this time he had a loyal following for what were low budget martial arts films that got a loyal following on VHS and did well in the fledgling satellite movie channels market.Lyon Gaultier (Van Damme) escapes his post in Djibouti with the French Foreign Legion when his brother is set on fire by drug dealers in LA.
His brother's wife rebuffs him and and two agents are pursuing him to drag him back to the Foreign Legion.Once in the USA he stumbles into the underground fight scene which he quickly becomes successful at and soon enlists a street hustler as a manager, Joshua (Harrison Page) who gives him the nickname Lionheart.His success attracts the attention of a fight promoter Cynthia (Deborah Rennard) who gets Lyon for several no holds barred street fights.
However it seems the real action is on the side bets and although he is her champion she is not averse to betting against him.Lyon in the meantime is trying to get money together for his sister in law and his niece for which Joshua is used to inform them that its proceeds from an insurance policy.The film has several good action sequences allowing Van Damme to display some of his signature moves.
Nobody watches Jean-Claude Van Damme movies for their deep characters and inventive plots, but "Lionheart" is literally just "Bloodsport" with a less cool title.
The first ever Ashley, her playing Nicole, aged around 5.Her earliest scene with Lyon, the Belgian Van Damme, who also wrote the story, spoke loudly of her going on to the role of the Annie of 1995.This being for over 18's who like stories with a chunk of hard violence attached, not an obvious carrier for what I read as a girl pic, but it works okay for me.I get the feeling that a lot of the story should have a personal relevance to me, but that is a very individual thing.
I can honestly say that I have only ever watched him on TV and so it was tonight, where "A.W.O.L: Absent Without Leave" was added to the list of poor films from the start of the Nineties.Van Damme plays Leon (or Lyon, depends who's saying it) who is a French soldier in the famous Foreign Legion in northern Africa.
In this one the Muscles from Brussels stars as Leon, a foreign legion deserter who gets mixed up with no holds barred underground fighting at first to make a phone call then to give his sister-in-law some much needed money after her husband, his brother is murdered.If one thinks too hard about the pol of the film, it seems utterly ridiculous.
Jean-Claude Van Damme's most enjoyable movies were Bloodsport and Kickboxer), so in 1991 the two plots were merged and Lionheart was born.(This also owes a lot to Charles Bronson's Hard Times) While Lionheart certainly has some good action sequences, there are just too many family scenes which crowd the air with needless sentiment.
Van Damme wants to find out what happened before the film's credits, help his brother's family and avoid the bad guys from Los Angeles and the Foreign Legion...Van Damme partners up with foul-mouthed Harrison Page (as Joshua Eldridge) and sexy Deborah Rennard (as Cynthia).
When he learns of his brother near death(I won't give away the means - let's just say, this grabs you right from the start), Lyon(Van Damme, playing to his strengths as a silent, imposing physical presence, reserved and driven; he also wrote the story, and it's clearly a personal project) deserts from the French Foreign Legion to make it to LA to help out his family, including his sister-in-law, Helene(Pelikan, determined and dignified).
This is easily Van Damme's best Movie.So much better then the double pump triple twirl kick Movie's like Kickboxer and Bloodsport,though this Movie does contain some of those moves as well.It's a wonder why Van Damme didn't do more of these types of Movies.From start to finish this Movie had the family feel,and I thought Van Damme acted very well,and in my opinion had an excellent supporting cast,mainly Harrison Page,it could be argued that he was the real star of the film and again I must wonder why his career didn't take of after this.A very underrated actor who has somehow flown under the radar of Hollywood.Even if your not a Van Damme fan rent this movie,you will be pleasantly surprised..
His brother was killed, and his wife and Lyons Niece have little money so Lyon has to fight on the street in order to get money to them.Harrison Page is amazing in this movie he and Van Damme have awesome chemistry together.
Van Damme is good in it and one can wonder why Harrison Page isn't a bigger star then he is after his powerful performance !Watch this if you like Drama/action movies..
I Quaid82 think that Lionheart proves to be Van Damme's first real acting job.Van Damme always had a way of mixing his emotion with his action scenes.Most of his most memorable movies are the ones where he not only kicked ass but did a decent acting job.I like this one because of the obvious but also looking back,it had a heart.Sheldon lettich is great for JC, he also directed Van Damme's other hit Double impact and The Order which is, so far his best direct to video release.Sheldon loves to use slow motion and back then it was accepted more in these kind of fight sequences.I Think that the supporting cast was great,Brian Thompson is good and the scene where the bad guy gets of the plane with his cat is too funny.The fight scenes are classic JC and the fact that it took place in the U.S only continued to solidify him as an action ICON..
LIONHEART stars Jean-Claude Van Damme at the top of his game early in his career when he was heating up the box office with his action films.
I found this film to be one of van Dame's best,along with double impact and death warrant,bloodsport,hard target.I actually felt kind of sorry for his character "Lyon".But i found this to contain a lot of action and a decent story.I felt that the end fight with "Atilla" was brilliantly put together.I also found all the actors to be believable.I also felt that van Dame put some acting effort and emotions in to this film.If you are looking for a decent story and plenty of action then check this movie out.I have seen this movie more than 200 times since i was only 10 years old and i was hooked.I first saw kick boxer and never stopped watching JCVD ever since..
This one really works on story a lot of the time, however if you want fantastic fight scenes like you usually do in a Van Damme film, you will get that as well, plus it's very well made and written as well!.The fight choreography is just excellent, and I loved the where all the fights were set!
This is Van Damme's 2nd best, right behind Bloodsport, it's a brilliant martial arts film, with surprisingly excellent performances, and one hell of a final fight, and I say Go see it now!
This is Van Damme's 2nd best, right behind Bloodsport, it's a brilliant martial arts film, with surprisingly excellent performances, and one hell of a final fight, and I say Go see it now!
This is Van Damme's 2nd best, right behind Bloodsport, it's a brilliant martial arts film, with surprisingly excellent performances, and one hell of a final fight, and I say Go see it now!