not as funny as it could have been...

A lot of respect for JCVD after this one, a real personal movie. Could've been made better (music felt out of place), but overall pretty good.

Interesting mix of elements that mostly works well, with some outstanding moments. Although the narrative is slightly wobbly, it does manage to create genuine tension. The weakest aspect is the use of color: the appeal to filmmakers of this kind of grey-brown aesthetic escapes me, and the overwhelming effect of such a palette is simply to create an impression of suffocating artificiality.

JCVD is the only good movie jean-claude van damme has ever done, i hope he continues in this direction.

His monologue is great, and that's about it. Van Damme is still a douchebag.

THKU FOR OPENING UP YOUR HEART TO ME JEAN CLAUDE VAN DAMME. TOO BAD I COULDN'T CARE LESS.

I absolutely loved this film! It blew me away. Allow me to make a cheesy anecdote of Jean-Claude in Chuck Norris fashion. "Jean-Claude Van Damme does not believe in karma, he is karma." All these years of everyone (including me) ridiculing and putting down Jean-Claude for his terrible acting and terrible films really came and kicked us in the ass with JCVD didn't it?

Wow, Van-Damme can actually act. A wonderfully told story with real emotion and enjoyable action. The timeline is screwy (but for good reason) and the conclusion is fantastic. Awesome movie.

Easily JCVD's best role and performance but a life of crappy films and personal fuck up's gave him plenty of material to work with. Not that great but compared to the rest of his stuff its genius.

Definitely won't be a movie for everyone, but it really excels in a lot of ways. Van Damme really shows some great acting chops the likes of which we haven't seen from him. The opening major tracking shot and subsequent scene are great. The main problems came during the actual hostage parts where the relationships between the hostage-takers themselves seemed to try to take center stage when it didn't work all that well. On the bright side though it didn't have a sell-out ending.

Where was Jean-Claude's Oscar nomination? His performance blew me away. The plot could have been a little more inventive than the concept seems to promise, but it's a pretty fun time overall.

I wanted to believe that this was the real Van Damme. The 4th wall breaking monologue is the best thing he's ever done--he actually seemed human, and not so much like a total douchebag. And then I read some of his recent interviews, and realized that this was little more than pretentious self-indulgence. Worth a watch, but don't be fooled.

I imagine I have the same reaction as everyone: "surprisingly good."

Van Damme shows he can act, and the film has a great close, washed out style cutting away to flights of fantasy and confession. Some great action movie intertextuality as well.

Van Damme will surprise you, and so will this movie in general. Funny, sad and so well performed. Recommeded.

The introduction with the post office is confusing, the time jumps where completely unnecessary. After that it is quite good. Van Damme's 4th wall performance is excellent. Also, the shown (in)competence of the police force is only possible in Belgium. How that country still manages to exist in this millennium is baffling. Must see for anyone who grew up with Van Damme's movies.

I am not a fan of JCVD so I am surprised I like this movie. The story is interesting, it is not predictable like so many of his action films. Give this movie a try it might surprise you.

I actually found the antagonists to be some of the least interesting parts of the movie. Aside from that gripe, I liked the movie a lot. The opening scene is fun (and well shot), and the scenes with the agent are really awesome as well. Van Damme really is impressive here, and when he breaks down the 4th wall (as has been said before).......just wow. It's not even just that scene, because he makes you feel how sour everything has become for the character (himself?) throughout.

The only way you can enjoy this film is to have watched at least half of Van Damme's filmography. And I mean, who hasn't? So, yes, this is the pay off we have earned.

One of the weirdest films i've ever seen.