Hard Target (1993)

 "How does it feel to be hunted?"

Before I go anything further, something has to be said.

That mullet is not acceptable.

There.

Aside from that lamentable lapse, however, John Woo gives us a well shot and solidly scripted action film with excellent set pieces aplenty, the highlight probably being our protagonist literally standing on the saddle of a moving motorcycle as he sprays his limitless supply of bullets at various expendable baddies.

The concept is interesting- shadowy, cynical baddies recruit homeless military veterans for rich paying clients to hunt and kill, with Jean-Claude Van Damme's Chance getting mixed up in it all. The setting- New Orleans and the surrounding bayou- also adds a lot of flavour. And, while this is hardly a film oozing with subtext, there's a nice bit of commentary on how we ignore and dehumanise homeless people.

Van Damme, shall we say, is probably never going to win an Oscar, decent though he is, although he can certainly kick. But the film lives and breathes by its hugely charismatic baddie, with the superb Lance Henriksen chewing the scenery in the best possible way. His performance is a real highlight.

But, well, the whole thing is just so fun and entertaining, especially the last third of the film,in the bayou, as the final hunt plays out. Yes, Chance and his friends have absurd quantities of plot armour. Yes, Chance shoots a truly absurd quantity of anonymous henchmen with a single shot. But...isn't that part of the fun?

Go on. Switch your brain off and give it a go. You know you want to.

Grimm: Marechaussee

"Back to reality!"

Even by the standards of this arc-heavy season, this episode feels big and pivotal. It's the Wesen Council! They've sent someone to kill Nick! They've threatened Monroe and Rosalie with dire consequences if they don't stop helping Nick immediately! All this will have consequences. And it's all wrapped up in a story of the week that also serves to further integrate Wu into the world of the Wesen. It's a bloody good episode, with a bloody good ending: in a hostage situation, Juliette saves herself from the baddie by, er, killing him with Hexenbeistliness. And then not telling Nick.

Speaking of Juliette, she, and we, learn more of Henrietta, herself a Hexenbeist, but apparently not so big and bad a one as Juliette. And apparently Juluette is like this for good. Oh dear. 

Sean, meanwhile, warns Nick and Hank of visitors from Vienna, but is himself paying a private dick to chase after Kelly Burkhart. Nick, meanwhile, let's his mother know,and gets in return a photo of the baby, and she's being all telekinetic and that.

What an episode! Must be a mid-season break coming up then...