“I am the Fred Astaire of karate.” —Van Damme

Notorious kickboxing champion in his native Belgium, Jean-Claude Van Damme made his film debut in the French “Rue barbare” in 1984. After several small roles, his first Hollywood lead was in “Bloodsport” (1988). His competition background and the obvious language barrier during the early years of his film career have led to many of his films focusing on the familiar subject of fighting tournaments (e.g., “Kickboxer,” 1989; “Lionheart,” 1990; “The Quest,” 1996). There, he was able to showcase his craft without having to speak too much — a predicament similar to Arnold Schwarzenegger, a.k.a. “Conan the Barbarian” (1982).

Van Damme's fighting style is viewed as less sophisticated than that of Norris or Seagal, and his movies are also less stylized. Capturing him on-screen is fairly simple: have two cameras running around the mat, one more for close-ups, and another for low-angle shots to exaggerate his already very high jumps. Van Demme is certainly best in this tournament routine, as his real-life experience helps create both believable characters and excellent fight scenes that don't require too many props, effects, or contrived editing as is Seagal's case.

The actor's incredible physique has always been the key to his success, and he hasn't lost it still, despite quite a few flops in which he attempted to do less fighting and more acting (e.g., “Time Cop,” 1994). His tendency towards dual characters is all the more perplexing in this context (“Double Impact,” 1991, and “Maximum Risk,” 1996). Yet films like “Double Team” (1997), with its lengthy portrayal of Van Damme's training routine that showcases his languid, contortionist-like body and action scenes packed with speed and plenty of punch, remind us why he made it big within the action flick genre.