Yes, I watch dumb movies, sometimes finding intelligent ones. This happens even in porn, though the slog through is rough going.Violent movies are porn, pure and simple. Segal, Van Damme, Conner, are simply action toys for three and four year old boys and viewers who wish they were. But this is a bit different. No, it blazes no new ground; in fact the notion of a late in life "coming of age" film with little violence has been well plowed. But its something rather important to see someone who we know is actually dumb and violent singularly shift his career path and do one.The story is simple: broken man, broken heart. Very, very bad guys out there that he is singlehandedly battling, over the obstructive but typical black chief. (Is there a more prevalent film type than the honest, caring but tough black police boss?) He nearly dies, then revives, and settles the score. But instead of the simple "good guy is stronger so beats the bad guy's butt," we have a similar dynamic but with presumed growth. That seldom happens. The folding of battling with marriage and battling (the bad parts of) society is clear.Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

I really was pleasantly surprised by this little movie. I guess most of you know the plot already. Van Damme is a pretty good, but sadly heroin addicted cop. His wife is gonna leave him. Everything is turning south. Then he get's shot and falls in a coma for 6 month. Then he awakens and rebuilds his life. Sadly his old nemesis hasn't let go. So it all comes to the inevitable showdown. What sounds like the plot to a nice little action movie is actually more a drama/thriller than just a simple action movie. To be exact, there isn't really that much action in the movie. Is it still worth watching? Definitely. Especially because Van Damme really delivered in this movie. Some of the other cast sadly seem a bit lost during the whole thing. Aside from that the movie is really compelling and you can really get into it. It's a real departure from the regular JCVD movies. The movie has a few negative aspects too, sadly. First and foremost the production value seems really low. The movie cost about 15 Million but actually looks even cheaper. It really shows that most if it was filmed in Bulgaria. Many people have complained about the end of the movie. I saw the European version which had the dramatic ending, not the mega happy ending. So I was pleasantly surprised that the ending even made me feel something. Final words: If you are looking for a cheap action movie, you better go with a recent Steven Seagal Film. This one is actually a compelling Drama with action Elements. Definitely worth watching.

I hesitate to criticize Van Damme's performances, because I have been a huge fan of his since I was a kid and used to stay home on weekends and watch Kickboxer and Bloodsport over and over again. But in Until Death, it seems that he has gone from making his unique style of action and martial arts b-movies to making your standard, everyday action b-movie. It's like his personality has been consumed by the cheesy film surrounding him.For his part, there is definitely a lot more acting in his role than what I generally associate with him. His is a complex character, a detective of questionable integrity suffering from a drug addiction, struggling through major family problems, and unable to catch the bad guy at the top of his most wanted list. To say his character is heavily flawed would be a massive understatement, but for the most part he pulls it off well.Where the movie goes wrong is in the story and the choreography of the action, such as the climactic gun battle, which is either overdone or underdone, I can't decide which. Van Damme plays Anthony Stowe, a New Orleans Detective with a heroin addition that shows all over his body, yet no one ever seems to notice, despite the fact that he is not only shooting up on duty, but shooting up in his office at the police station. Clever! He has a beautiful wife and various other women chasing after him, which is ironic, since he generally displays all the charm and romance of a steel-toed work boot. Soon we learn of his one major flaw – he has a habit of reporting the misdeeds of other police officers, coming off as the upstanding, by-the-book officer of the law, while at the same time breaking the law much more himself. It's not very far into the movie that we realize that something bad has to come of all this. (spoilers) Then, about halfway through the movie, all realism is thrown out the window and we get this bizarre revenge story. Stowe is captured by the bad guy and shot in the head, under the chin and (despite the doctor explaining later that the bullet lodged against the inside of the top of his skull) clearly exiting out the top of his head. I'll accept that as just a standard goof (maybe the fx guy was a little too overzealous), but later, as the doctor is explaining the miraculous survival, he mentions that the nasal cavity has been completely destroyed.I'm no doctor, but I have a feeling that if the nasal cavity was destroyed, Stowe would never speak the same again. Not in this movie. Evidently a gunshot to the head is an injury that can only be cured by pure rage, and Stowe had a healthy dose of that rattling around in that indestructible head of his. But the screenwriters seem to think that a gunshot to the head and something like, say, a stroke, will have the same affect on speech patterns. I doubt that. Then again, these are the same writers who have a doctor explaining that, after being shot in the head, Stowe is "very lucky to still be alive." That's a pearl of medical wisdom if I've ever heard one!The climactic scene of the film is preempted by a ridiculous monologue by the bad guy, which eventually evolves into the age-old stand-off between the good guys and the bad guys, who enter the scene one by one at just the right moment, until everyone is pointing a gun at someone else and doing some tough talking. This is followed by an age-old gunfight, which looks like every other gunfight that ever took place in an old warehouse in a sub par action drama, and a nice little piece of video evidence at the end to tie up any loose ends. I've seen lots of movies that are much worse than Until Death, but I have to say that I liked the old Van Damme better, where he wasn't just another brooding guy with a gun and a burning motive for revenge.

I am not afraid to admit I am a fan of Jean-Claude Van Damme movies. As corny as most of them are, they are usually a pretty good example of the more showy aspects of martial arts. Most of them are simple revenge stories, with Jean losing a loved one (or several) and then relentlessly killing everybody until he gets to the big bad guy.This movie is a different kind of Van Damme vehicle. At the risk of sounding ridiculous, he gives a subtle performance here, even if it is yet another revenge movie. As a broken down cop, addicted to booze, heroin and sex, he's just not the hero. In real life Van Damme has had problems with drugs, and his face is now aged and somewhat tired-looking.There isn't as much physical action (martial arts) as you would expect, but there is significant gun play.While Until Death is a little too long (very common these days), it's a revelation to watch Van Damme actually act. At a few points you still get that feeling that he's overreaching his abilities as an actor, but for the most part his work in this movie is actually pretty impressive. I for one would love to see someone put him in a real A list movie, playing a character role, I really think he could pull it off after watching this one.New Orleans is practically a character itself in this one, with practically every cop corrupted in one way or another. On a side note, they should have gotten another actress to play his estranged wife, as the actress here has marginal talent at best. Recommended for Van Damme fans who want to see him grow up a little.