This article originally appeared onDen of Geek UK.
This might all seem a bit familiar, for a couple of reasons.
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Secondarily, though,John-Claude Van Johnsonis also familiar in its representation of action stars.
Yet, Seagals relationship with reality has always raised questions.
More fantastically, Seagalhas claimedto have done work with the CIA.
Stallone was famously hospitalised by Dolph Lundgren during the making of the terrifcRocky IV.
Chuck Norris is a renowned Karate champion and his off-screen toughness is unquestionable.
Heres a quote from Norris autobiography:
Weve had an emergency telephone call Mr. Norris.
Your wife is in the hospital; shes going into preterm labor.
Gina is only twenty-three weeks along; she is nowhere near the thirty-eight weeks of a full term pregnancy!
How can this be?
This is common even outside of the thick-with-Lynx locker room of the chiselled action stars.
On screen authenticity seems to be important to everyone, whether its authentic or not.
Its not dissimilar to a story Sylvester Stallone tells about Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Seagal made some excuse and left.
His destination was some Ocean Drive nightclub in Miami.
I have to say I believe Van Damme was just too strong and Seagal wanted no part of it.
But it might be and its funny.
When I met you I was nothing.
Just a movie star making millions of dollars.
First and foremost,Jean-Claude Van Johnsonis a comedy.
Its a damned funny one.
Once theyre all established, though, it works.
And in being all of those things, it probably wont land with some viewers.
Van Damme has been in some really weird films.
And have you seenCyborg?
I had to reconnect every rig in my flat.
TimeCopis a key component ofJean-Claude Van Johnson.
All of this before the electric-kitchen underpants splits sequence.TimeCopis great.
Sure, the action sequences arent able to match the fights fromKickboxerorBloodsport.
The details are right.
The sort of thing youll love if you loveRocky IV, the king of training montages.
And imagine not lovingRocky IV.
Van Damme turns out to be an astute comedy performer.
He can play straight or silly and is well up to physical comedy.
Series director Peter Atencio is due credit, too, for delivering a show thats so incredibly well balanced.
Its pretty, thoughtful, funny and absurd.
It works at everything it tries.
Its a good satire, its a funny comedy and its an enjoyable action thriller.
And you know what?
Im tough enough offline that Id be willing to say that to Jean-Claude Van Dammes face.
Jean-Claude Van Johnson series one arrives on Amazon Prime Video on Friday the 15th of December.
