It's written by Joe Eszterhas(Basic Instinct)... yet it's virtually entirely uneventful. It's directed by Robert Harmon(The Hitcher, which I haven't seen but is said to be at least mildly interesting), yet barely holds your interest at all. It features Jean-Claude Van Damme(a man known and loved for Karate) yet has little to no fighting at all. The story isn't particularly involving. The plot is dull. The acting ranges, but most of it is Damme's standard. Oh yes, it *is* that bad. I enjoyed Ted Levine's character, but really, when you get to see that guy do his thing, how can you not? The action is as non-existent as it is uninspired. The writing, dialog and humor is pretty dim. The characters are clichés, one-note and poorly developed. The whole romance subplot just barely works. The leads are unappealing and lack charisma. The kids are more annoying than anything else. The film is ridden with action-flick clichés... that and Van Damme's rather poor excuse for acting kept me laughing rather than watching in excitement... I was on the edge of my seat for a fair bit of the time spent watching it, but that was because I almost fell of my chair from aforementioned laughing. I had seen this film once before, a few years back... and I remembered it as forgettable, not really worth my time and thoroughly unimpressive. As it turns out, my memory is not all that bad. Luckily, I didn't waste too much time paying attention this time around; I recognized most from the last time I watched. I guess it had etched itself on my mind, in order to keep me from forgetting how drab the film is. All in all, I suppose it's OK for big fans of Van Damme, just remember that this is not one of those of his films(meaning, the vast majority of them) where he kicks his way through all obstacles. Look elsewhere for that. I recommend this only to fans of Van Damme, as everyone else just won't see the point to it(as I did on this second viewing, after not being a fan of Damme's anymore). 5/10
Review of Nowhere to Run
