The Shepherd: Border Patrol

Jean-Claude Van Damme stars in this hard-hitting action thriller about a border patrol agent who attempts to take down a rogue American Special Forces unit that's smuggling Afghan heroin into the United States.System Requirements:Running Time: 95 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE/CRIME Rating: R UPC: 043396227859 Manufacturer No: 22785 Product Description

You are getting there, JCVD, keep at it!!

Van Damme is a martial artist...I needed to see him again at it, kicking, fighting, and at last; after the AWFUL Hard Corps, and the good movie- no fighting- Until Death; he's back!!! And against Adkins, no less!!

The story is not that bad, the acting is not that bad...some things are not exactly great,but, Van Damme is back! June 10, 2008

Van Damme versus Scott Adkins!

This is an amazing movie! The final fight scene between Van Damme and a younger Scott Adkins alone makes this a true classic! Van Damme has really improved as an actor. He changes his appearance and attitude in each of his latest movies. This is a five star movie!
Van Damme at his best! June 9, 2008

Dirty cops, dirty border and dirty drugs

I like bunny rabbits too. It doesn't seem like a tough guy's pet?
Sort of a twist on a boy named Sue.
The idea of an armored car full of drugs with nuns as a cover
is pretty much that kind of thing you expect.
Here in San Diego we have off road / dune buggies and the drugs
came across with mules and even tunnels.
The cops in Mexico are almost as poor as the people
and there is a tradition of selling out, it seems.
But having trouble seems to be what a border is about?
It actually seems like both sides are on the take?
We don't seem to have heroes, just more people
than are legal... May 15, 2008

Best Scene with a Bunny

Jean-Claude VanDamme plays Jack Robideaux. His Belgian accent might make one pause to think how many Belgians are named Jack. But if you're thinking, you should be watching some other film. VanDamme does a good job, although he frequently looks like he's in pain. That is the emotional trigger for him. However, he clearly should receive special recognition for best scene with a bunny. While Timecop is still my favorite of his films, this one gets passing marks.

Stephen Lord plays the major bad guy Benjamin Myers who transforms from a Special Forces soldier in Afghanistan to a drug lackey selling out to the highest dollar. Scott Adkins shines in this film as the #2 bad guy Karp. Adkins has previously been in The Bourne Ultimatum (Widescreen Edition) as Agent Kiley and The Pink Panther (Special Edition). His fight sequence with Robideaux shines. Billy Pawnell is played by Gary McDonald who was also in VanDamme's "Until Death." As his traitorous partner who betrays him for cash, it is an unconvincing change because McDonald seems too nice. The police detective Ramona Garcia is played by Natalie J. Robb, who combines brass, booze and beauty. She has a hard-edged voice that worked well in this part. Isaac Florentine who directed several "Power Ranger" films was at the helm and does a nice job of keeping the pacing flowing. The topless ladies who cavort in the pool made me wonder how many girls wouldn't get out of the pool when they start exploding things in the water. -- Whoops, I was thinking again. Enjoy! April 25, 2008

A step up

There are several reasons to enjoy Van Damme's recent film "The Shepherd", and I'll list them here.

1) A lot more emphasis is put into the story, with emphasis on an interesting plot and serious script. This is a good thing, considering that depending on who is at the reigns of a film starring Van Damme, a viewer is sometimes subject to more slow motion kick scenes than overall substance.

2) Don't run away...it still has plenty of action, but it is layered sparingly throughout the film, allowing a viewer to actually get to understand the characters and the positions they hold within the story, therefore making the outcome something to actually look forward to. Even the villains in the film are interesting, making them less cardboard and cliché' and instead, more sinister, with their overall purpose fitting well into the realm of danger that a border patrol agent might face.

3) Production for this film is very well done, so many times in a lower budget type of action film, you get a dull, almost soap opera stare from a bunch of sub-par actors, as well as "would be" emotional moments that never come across as believable. With this film, the main character played by Van Damme even has an interesting back story that is not fully revealed early on, adding a little bit of mystery to his character's personality and overall purpose.

Okay, a few things that I thought were not so likeable, but easy enough to accept because overall they still added more to the story than taking away from it...

In this film, Van Damme is a United States Border Patrol Agent that is up against an above average gang of drug smugglers. Why above average? Because these guys are members of a Special Forces Unit that uses their training to help them have a big edge on competition as well as the Border Patrol agents who try to stop them. Early on it was a little tough to swallow...but the fact it is just a Van Damme action film makes that okay. Sometimes it does take a military background, like in this case, to up the anty against the forces that are trying to stop them, making it a much more heated battle and adding a large problem for the good guys to try and overcome.

Of course, last but not least, there is the bar scene. You know, you just can't have a film like this without a little brawl. Van Damme is the new guy in town and he just wants to mind his own business and not bother anyone, and of course an "average Joe" decides to start hassling him and provoke him into a fight. Seriously, if you really saw a guy of Van Damme's stature just sitting there by himself, do you really think average Joe and all his pals could even put a mark on him? Well, you can't have an action film like this one without it I guess.

The Shepherd is a very well rounded film, taking time to set up the story and introduce all the characters and their role in things with great patience. The action is excellent, and as I stated before, is intricately weaved throughout the film so that you actually feel like it is a scene that addes to the value of the story instead of a documentary on how it looks to leap, twist, and kick someone in the head with slow motion filming. Directory Isaac Florentine should be commended, and as far as Van Damme films go, it would be great to see more of them with him at the helm.
April 11, 2008

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