Lionheart: Van Damme does family drama (kinda)

Okay, so I just finished watching Lionheart with the kids—yes, Jean-Claude Van Damme. I know, not exactly our usual family movie night fare, but hear me out! I remembered seeing it way back when and thought, you know, maybe it could work. Plus, the cover had a cool picture of JCVD. The plot is actually surprisingly heartfelt, underneath all the kicking. He plays Lyon, a Foreign Legionnaire who basically goes AWOL when he finds out his brother's been seriously hurt. He heads to the US to help his sister-in-law and niece, but is dirt poor. So, naturally, he starts fighting in these underground boxing matches to make money. Honestly, my youngest was a little scared during some of the fights (I fast-forwarded through the really brutal bits!), but they really connected with the storyline about Lyon wanting to help his family. There's a really sweet scene where he buys his niece a doll, and you can see how much he cares, even though he's trying to be all tough and stoic. The whole fighting-for-family trope is definitely there, but it's presented in a way that felt relatable. There's also some interesting commentary about societal inequalities, specifically the wealth gap, that could be discussed with older kids, too. The direction feels a bit dated, and the acting isn't exactly Oscar-worthy (sorry, JCVD!), but there's a certain charm to it. I wouldn't necessarily call it amazing, but it's a surprisingly watchable action movie with an unexpected emotional core. Plus, seeing Van Damme do the splits is always entertaining, right? I'd say it's worth a watch if you're looking for something a little different and don't mind a bit of 90s cheese, or just a Van Damme fan. Just, maybe preview the fight scenes beforehand if you have really sensitive little ones. Oh, and a side note: the outfits are seriously something else. The 90s were a time. Seriously, go check it out just for the fashion moments -haha! Rating is a solid 6/10. It's no cinematic wonder or anything, but a fun watch.