User reviews

Most people just don't understand movies.There are different movie genres,and none can really be compared to the other.Take this movie for instance - it's not " Hamlet " nor is it " Jason Goes To Manhattan ".Not to be crass,but Van Damme makes movies not for artistic value,he makes movies you can pop into your VCR or DVD Player when you feel like kicking someones ass.Think of his movies as " Primal Drama ". What's " Primal Drama ",you might ask ? It's movies that are made to appease your inner beast.Just as you might feel like screaming at someone, or breaking a chair over someone's head,you reach for a Van Damme or Stallone movie instead.Somehow,watching the hero in these simplistic displays of eccentric unbelievable melodrama makes life a little easier.Watch an emotional display of comic brutality, and somehow everything's alright again.Look at Van Damme's movies the same way you did Comic Books and you'll understand.Just like Comic Books,Van Damme movies will always have a place in the heart of the Alpha Male.Lowbrow for sure,fun nonetheless. ***** 7 out of 10 *****

This was an intense prison movie with Jean-Claude Van Damme as an undercover cop. "Louis Burke," trying to solve a crime inside a tough prison.

There is excellent suspense, some surprisingly-good photography with excellent closeups and slow-motion. Language-wise, I liked the fact there wasn't a lot of the usage of the Lord's name in vain. All of that help make this better than I anticipated.

The final fight scene is a little long and is Rocky-like ridiculous in that both combatants get viscously beaten to a pulp.....but keep coming back and not even having their hair messed up!! That notwithstanding, it was an entertaining movie and a cut above most martial arts fare.

Dare I say that when this movie was made JCVD was at the peak of his physical shape ? He really looks awesome in this movie. He's a pretty good actor as well, which is evident when you compare Chuck Norris' movies from the same era.

Although the movie is more than 20 years old, it doesn't look dated. The movie is also not a mindless martial arts movie either. It has some good story behind it. Even compared to "Lionheart" made the same year, this movie is way ahead in terms of quality.

Amanda Gibbs is gorgeous in this movie. Too bad that we didn't get to see her during the '90s asides from this movie.

Seriously, this is one of the best JCVD movie made and is recommended for viewing even if you're NOT a JCVD fan.

Jean-Claude Van Damme is definitely a guilty pleasure for me. I don't go looking for fine acting and a great script. I want action and lots of it! Van Damme is a Canadian cop who goes undercover in LA to find out what is going on in a prison. He is made for this type of role, as he will have plenty of opportunity to display his considerable martial arts skills.

He isn't in prison long before he ticks of the Hispanic gangs and has to continually fight to stay alive.

Cynthia Gibb provides the essential "babe" in these flicks, even if she wasn't completely satisfying. And, when does a prisoner in the hole get out for conjugal rights? I always enjoy Robert Guillaume, and he didn't disappoint. Patrick Kilpatrick made a formidable foe and the final bout was well worth the time spent getting there.

A guilty pleasure, but a pleasure nonetheless.

**SPOILERS** One of Jean-Claud Van Damme's better movies in which he plays a Royal Canadian Mountie who goes undercover in a California prison to find out why a number of prisoners have been murdered at the Harrison State Prison over the last year.

Being that officer Louis Burke, Jean-Claud Van Damme, is from out of the country and has worked with the LAPD before, he lost he partner while tracking down a serial-killer known as "The Sandman" (Patrick Klipatrick) it's felt by the prison authorities and the DA's office that no one will recognize him in the pen.

Working with DA attorney Amanda Beckett, Cynthia Gibbs, who's posing as his wife on the outside Burke keeps in touch with her on whatever information he can come up with on the dead prisoners. With the help of some local convicts that he befriended in the prison including Hawkins, Robert Guillaume,Burke begins to find out that whats happening is being conducted by the very people who placed him there, DA Tom Vogler and head of prisons Ben Keane, George Dickerson & Jack Bannon. Voler & Keane are working together with the head of the prison guards and the prison doctor Sgt. DeGraf & Dr. Gottesman, Art Laflevr & Arimin Shierman, in killing healthy and non-addicted, to either drugs or alcohol, prisoners. These murders are being done in order to take out their vital organs and then sell them on the open market to the highest bidder! In fact DA Voglar has gotten Dr. Gottesman to get him a healthy liver, from one of the murdered prisoners, for his sick wife Helen, Dorothy Dells, without even her knowing about it.

Burke had been set up by the corrupt state administrators to show the higher ups in the government that they were doing all that they could to find out about the murders there. When Burke started to find out the real reason for them, the dead prisoners, he was to be terminated before he could expose Volgar & Co. and their illegal human organ racket.

The action in the film was as good and as exciting as you could ever want in a movie like "Death Warrent" with Van Damme in top form taking out the bad guys with his fists and feet in a number of gut crunching fight sequences. Being a marked man with his identity, as an undercover policeman, exposed by the prison officials themselves it's a wonder why those in authority, not involved in this organ racket, didn't come to Bruke's rescue earlier then they did. Bruke's outside contact Amanda was doing everything to alert them but they seemed to be either out to lunch or on vacation.

Thrilling final with Burke having it out with the almost indestructible "Sandman" giving him a hot foot as well as a one way trip to Blazeville with the prisoners, forgetting about Burke's police identity, giving him a standing ovation at the end of the film.

P.S Despite two major inconsistence. #1.Why the non-corrupt government authorities were so late in sending state troopers and national guardsmen to Harrison State Prison in order to rescue fellow police officer Louis Burke from hundreds angry and homicidal convicts. #2. The fact that "The Sandman" seemed to have come back to life at the end movie after he was obviously killed by Burke, with a hail of bullets, when the movie started. The film hold together pretty well and gives you the kind of non-stop action that you would expect from it.

"What is a death warrant?" you may ask. I'm not too sure myself. I assume it must like an arrest warrant, but instead of arresting the target of the warrant, Van Damme gets to kill them. Pretty simple really. I mean, if Jean-Claude was only intending to ARREST the antagonists, it would be a pretty boring movie, right?

Van Damme plays Louis Burke, a Canadian Mountie who never wears the proper Mountie uniform, which is a damn shame because those Mountie hats are cool. Burke is on assignment in Los Angeles, tracking down a villain known as the Sandman, bullet-proof serial-killer extraordinaire. After taking down The Sandman in the first few minutes, Burke is given another assignment: The inmates of the local maximum-security prison have developed a nasty habit of being killed by ice-pick to the head. Burke's assignment is to go undercover (naturally) and find out where all these ice-picks are coming from and who is behind it. Is it a prison-gang war, or a massive conspiracy involving corrupt officials and mad scientists? Have a guess.

Naturally, one would assume that a Van Damme movie - set in a prison - called 'Death Warrant' would be action packed. Unfortunately, 'Death Warrant', much like 'Legionnaire', proves that not all Van Damme movies are excuses for a showcase of spin-kicks. It is a shame that 'Death Warrant' is not as action packed as I would like it to be. There are some cool fights, but it is a fairly slow movie, and the less said about the scenes involving a character called Priest (Abdul Salaam El Razzac), the better. Priest is a weird, weird fellow. I'm pretty sure he is really some sort of alien replicon from the beyond the moon...

Now, I'm trying to judge 'Death Warrant' harshly, I really am. There just isn't enough action, but I just can't speak ill of any movie that was made in the 80s, is about the 80s, or features music and fashion from the 80s. In this case, 'Death Warrant' has 80s music AND a mad scientist. Both big bonuses in any movie's favour. Granted, the mad scientist's screen time is almost negligible, but the presence of a mad scientist makes the coolness metre of any movie shoot straight up.

Sure, 'Death Warrant' may be slow, lack action, and feature a lot of Van Damme acting rather than fighting, but it is entertaining enough (what with the 80s music and all), but it is only for Van Damme fans - 6/10

A police officer goes undercover in a prison to discover why inmates are disappearing at a fast rate. The investigation is going all fine and dandy until the serial killer that this particular cop caught is transfered therefore putting him in jeopardy and blowing his cover. Good thing the cop knows kickboxing. This is one of Jean-Claude's lesser efforts, it lacks the overall excitement of Bloodsport and Kickboxer as well as the visceral enjoyment provided by his later movies like Universal Soldier and Hard Target. The story itself is too routine and although at times Death Warrant has a grisly twist that give it a jolt, Death Warrant is very forgettable stuff. I myself enjoy a good action flick but I like them more upbeat and it's only the action sequences which make this mildly diverting.

* * out of 4(Fair)

By 1990, Jean-Claude Van Damme had claimed success in his late 80s sports films like Kickboxer (1989) and Bloodsport (1988). Along with this film, was Lionheart (1990) released the same year, which also many fans enjoyed. The thing was for almost every film Van Damme had played in, his role was that of a character with a family member he had lost and was fighting for. It was new and touching for him as an actor in the beginning. But as time went on, the story lines began to feel awfully similar. Still, they entertained fans and viewers alike for the most part. Then came Death Warrant (1990), a movie with a whole different setting and situation which is great, yet failed to change the rest of the elements that Van Damme has already worked with in past stories.

Van Damme plays a cop named Burke who goes incognito at a penitentiary to solve a series of murders that have taken place there. This particular plot line is fine if it were handled without being treated so generically. Helping Burke from the outside is Amanda (Cynthia Gibb, best known for playing Sandy in Short Circuit 2 (1988)), posing as his wife. Starting off with how generic this story line is already headed, I'm sure viewers could pick out what happens between Amanda and Burke. It's quite blatant with how both characters are set up and developed. Are they memorable? Mehhh,...maybe to some. The only part of the plot that is different from Van Damme's past movies is that he's no longer fighting for a family member, he's fighting for himself. Kind of like First Blood (1982) but with a mediocre script.

Besides these actors, the rest of the main cast isn't terrible but are mostly under developed too. There's Abdul Salaam El Razzac as a man named Priest and Hawkins (Robert Guillaume - known for voicing Rafiki to The Lion King (1994)). Both of these actors give interesting character portrayals but somehow side with Burke for little to no reason. If they are criminals what exactly made them warm up so quickly to Burke? Then there's a cult favorite for some fans, Art LaFleur for playing in Stallone's Cobra (1986) & The Blob (1988) remake. He plays the head of the penitentiary and dislikes Burke a lot and for what reason? It's not given either. Lastly is a character known as the "Sandman" (Patrick Kilpatrick) who has the ability to withstand almost any type of lethal damage. And the reason behind this is? Again,...not given. Kilpatrick also isn't that memorable as a villain. He's more obnoxious than actually threatening.

Here's the biggest surprise, the screenplay was written by the now insanely sought out David S. Goyer. Yes, the man behind all the future comic book movies - this was his entry into film. Wow, Mr. Goyer you didn't start off that great. Russell Carpenter as head of cinematography was OK but nothing really stood out. The editing was strange at times though, especially during the fight scenes. There would be quick cuts to an action Burke would make and it would be repeated to make it look faster but instead it felt like filler. Even Gary Chang's score was in the middle. At times it work by using his signature marimba drums to emphasize the wild like instincts to survive such a hostile place, but it also didn't feel totally appropriate at times. He even has a main theme for Burke but it doesn't have a tune that is memorable. Sigh.

Its situation is written differently from that of Van Damme's earlier efforts but somehow all the same elements make it in as well. Plus, the screenplay suffers from several motivations and explanations that aren't explained. Thankfully it at least has a decent cast and music to back it up.

"Death Warrant" is another good film from the early nineties featuring Van Damage and all his greatness, this time Van Damme (a police officer) goes undercover to a prison that supposedly has been the hosts to some rather mysterious deaths. What transpires from there is your usual prison flick: fights, gangs, murders, plotting to get the bad guy, the eventual fight sequences, etc. Considering the time this film came out (1990), it isn't too bad at all, I have definitely seen much worse in the action film department than this. There are some flaws, continuity errors, goofs, and what have you, but Van Dammes films in my opinion should be devoid of any Roger Ebert-laden scrutiny. They are entirely designed for the action sequences that many fans (along with myself) find enjoyment in watching for the simplicity of entertainment value. I recommend 'Death Warrant' to anyone who appreciates your good old rock 'em sock 'em Van Damage (Bloodsport, Kickboxer and Lionheart for example). Good stuff.

Death Warrant (1990) is no-holds-barred-action classic another prison style Van Damme movie. It is my fourth favorite best underrated Van Damme movie. This movie is really underrated, but it is one of my best favorite prison style movies. Also my favorite childhood movie that I still watch today, like other Van Damme action movies I do.

The action fighting sequences are awesome. Sylvester Stallone made an action Drama movie Lock Up in 1989 and Jean-Claude Van Damme made Death Warrant a year later in 1990. Directed by Deran Sarafian and written by a David S. Goyer who at the time was a college student and it was his first script. Cynthia Gibb is awesome as co star alongside Van Damme. The movie is awesome another adrenaline action packed movie I also love the music score: Bring Me a Dream by Craig Thomas, which I am still listening today.

"Bring me a dream Burke".

This movie to me is a kicks-ass, Patrick Kilpatrick as The Sandman was a bad ass villain on screen, I have ever seen. This movie is also a horror film and get's scary, when you see the prison place and the murders of the doctor and the prison inmates inside those cells. When prisoners brake loose was really scary. I love loved the prison movies, about prison inmates, it was, one the reason why I love Prison Break (2005) and why it become my favorite TV Show! This movie is a kick ass and it will always be forever my favorite Van Damme movie that I love it to death!

" Don 'The Dragon' Wilson (Bloodfist) and David Bradley (American Ninja 3) the action stars from the 80's and 90's both ripped off Van Damme movies! Like Bloodfist 1 ripped off the story from Bloodsport, Bloodfist 2 ripped off the story from Kickboxer and Bloodfist 3 ripped off the story from Death Warrant! And Don Wilson was praising him self that, he could beat Van Damme to a pulp?! I don't think so! David Bradley's Hard Justice (1995) ripped off the story from John Woo's Hard Boiled (even the title they stole), Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight and Death Warrant! That movie copied and stole everything from those three movies. That is the thing I had a problems in the 90's, they could have been all creative and not copy someone else's movies work! Even Jerry Trimble - Live by the Fist (1993) ripped off Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight. I know they were all different movies, but they copied and ripped off the story from Death Warrant geesh! I want to point this out! That's fine by me, if you read my review and you don't agree, but that is me.

Attila from Lionheart and Sandman in here Death Warrant fights comes very close. The movie is filled with action and the inside of the prisons is great. The cells are also great. This is the first time Jean-Claude Van Damme played a Canadian, the second time he played a Canadian was in Sudden Death (1995). I always enjoyed Death warrant and like I mentioned before it is my fourth favorite best Van Damme Movie. The other three are Hard Target, Bloodsport and Universal Soldier than is Death Warrant.

It's part of that first generation of JCVD films (Bloodsport, Cyborg, Kickboxer, Death Warrant, and Double Impact) before the biggest budget film he was part of (Universal Soldier). I love Jean-Claude Van Damme and I am a big fan of him. I grew up watching, his old movies and other kids including me grew up too watching his movies. Bolo Yeung, Michel Qissi, Abdel Qissi and Patrick Kilpatrick where great villains in Van Damme movies. Cynthia Gibb was also awesome she played in Youngblood (1986) in the 80's another my favorite all time sports film.

The cunning detective named Louis Burke(Jean Claude Van Damme), a Royal Canadian police, fights in an abandoned location with a villain called Sandman. Later Burke is sent prison of Harrison to investigate assassination nine inmates mysteriously murdered. He poses as a prisoner and advocate Amanda(Cynthia Gibb) acts like his spouse. Burke befriends an one-eyed inmate(Robert Guillaume) and the Priest. The Harrison Penitentiary is ruled by a tough sergeant named De Graff (Art Le Flour) and attended by a doctor(Armin Shimerman). Burke must to confront brutal inmates(Al Leong) and his cruel enemy Sandman(Patrick Kilpatrick). Burke and Amanda are only helped by a teen hacker(Joshua Miller) until the stirring and strong final showdown.

This violent film contains suspense, action, tension and spectacular fights. Entertaining movie, thanks to tight pace, skillful edition and well mounted combats. It's tense and exciting , at time lackluster action movie , but the struggles and fighting are well done . Jean Claude is nice as two-fisted hero in this middling budget picture. Interesting screenplay by David S Goyer, today famous as producer and screenwriter of superheroes(Batman, Blade,Ghost Rider). Appropriate musical score fitting to action movie by Gary Chang. Colorful cinematography by Russell Carpenter, a future cameraman of blockbusters (Titanic, Charlie's Angels I and II, Monster in law). The motion picture is professionally directed by Deran Sarafian who achieved success with ¨Terminal velocity¨, though today exclusively directing for television (CSI: Miami, NY, Without trace, Lost). Pointlessly energetic and excessively violent, the film will like the true devotee of main actor. It's a must see for Van Damme fans.

Not a very good Van Damme flick, but he still manages to keep me interested - My hat's off for that.

I wouldn't put this one on the same level as Blood Sport and Lionheart, but it's not bad. I think if they had tried to keep it more realistic or more like Shawshank Redemption, but with fight scenes, it would have been a little better. The cheesiness is both good and bad in this one. Good because it adds to the classic feel of Van Dammes earlier movies, but bad because it kind of takes away some of the realism. For a movie about prison, it's not bad, but there are better prison movies out there. But if you're a Van Damme fan, watch it. It's decent.

Like I keep tellin' youse guys....ya watch a Van Damme flick, ya can't expect any MORE than a Van Damme flick. Why watch the thing then complain "another Van Damme stinker"...that's a no-brainer! To quote Rocky "It ain't so bad!" Van Dumb plays a Canadian undercover cop sent in to root out a whole heapa jail corruption - see? there's a realtime story line - don't knock it!

Patrick Kilpatrick as "the Sandman"....is the star of the flick anyway, even if he HAS nothing whatsoever to do with the story at hand! A mega-tough inmate if ever there was one..."Sandman" looks for all intents and purposes like a close relative of Michael Myers and his climactic set-to with Van Damme is worth the price of at least a small carton of popcorn. "You can't kill me Burke, I'm the Sandman" he utters, shortly after stepping nonchalantly out of a raging furnace no less, totally aflame but otherwise quite unbothered. Naturally Van Dumb proves him wrong on that point! Comical but entertaining stuff.

Certainly not one of JCVD's worst!

Canadian cop Louis Burke is assigned to go undercover in a notorious prison where prisoners are mysteriously being killed off. Being one tough cookie he is able to earn respect and trust from the hardened criminals, but just as he thinks he's getting to the bottom of the case, and old adversary shows up.

I agree with the other reviewers who boldly state that you know what you are getting when you load a JCVD film into your player. It's safe to say that by and large, you are a fan of sorts of nonsense high velocity bottom kicking!. I consider myself one of that number, however this doesn't mean that every film should be talked up as worthy entertainment, Van Damme has done some pretty naff films, Death Warrant as it happens, falls somewhere in between decent and poor. Just two minutes into the piece and Jean is whooping some punks who clearly can't see he's built like a brick toilet!, and that of course is merely a taster of things to come. Death Warrant actually doesn't score too high for the amount of fight sequences, it finds Van Damme and the makers veering towards putting flesh on the bones of their story, it's formulaic for sure, but it's interesting enough and the support cast is worthy of interest.

Robert Guillaume is a face most will know from popular TV work {go on, look him up}, Patrick Kilpatrick was in Minority Report and Eraser, and the astute fans of action films will spot the awesome Al Leong, who's credits include Big Trouble in Little China, Lethal Weapon, Action Jackson, They Live and Die Hard. Sadly the female lead {Cynthia Gibb} is hopelessly hopeless, tho to be fair to her she really is only Van Damme fodder, if you get my meaning!, and of course the inevitable twist is just that, inevitable. But it has its moments, it's just not a film anyone should put forward as a first film for someone interested in a bit of Van Damage, steer them towards Bloodsport, Sudden Death or Timecop instead. 5/10

Canadian cop Louis Burke (Jean-Claude Van Damme) goes undercover in California (?) prison to solve series of murders. Then a serial killer called the Sandman (Patrick Kilpatrick) shows up there. Burke put the Sandman away so they have things to discuss. It's a JCVD movie, so you pretty much know what to expect: kicking, kicking, and, not surprisingly, more kicking.

By-the-numbers Van Damme actioner. Every prison movie cliché is on display. It's watchable enough. You get what you pay for. Robert Guillaume is good as the older inmate who helps Van Damme out. Cynthia Gibb is the requisite love interest who gets her pipes cleaned by the "muscles from Brussels." Cartoon-faced Art LaFleur is hard to take seriously as the sadistic prison guard. First movie from screenwriter David Goyer.

RCMP Louis Burke (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is in L.A. and brings down madman Christian 'The Sandman' Naylor. Sixteen months later, he returns to investigate Harrison penitentiary where the assistant warden as well as some prisoners have been killed. He goes undercover as a convict with lawyer Amanda Beckett (Cynthia Gibb) posing as his wife. Sergeant DeGraf (Art LaFleur) runs the prison with an iron fist. Hawkins (Robert Guillaume) is the one-eyed elder statesman prisoner. Louis runs into gang trouble but the prison holds darker secrets.

There are a lot of cheesy B-movie aspect to the prison. Most notable is the basement brothel. The production is second rate. The good part is that Van Damme gets to do some butt kicking. There's nothing wrong with that. If anything, it needs more Van Damme butt kicking. The investigation is lackluster. There isn't much tension. Van Damme fans may like this but nobody else will.

Probably qualifies as JCVD's first actual "movie", or at least the first one with a budget above six figures or where he's not playing the karate tournament guy ('No Retreat, No Surrender', 'Bloodsport', 'Kickboxer'). Written by David S. Goyer (Yes, that David S. Goyer, his first sold screenplay), it's got clichés and contrivances galore, but it's also got flashes of wit rare for the genre and moves along at a brisk, fat free clip. Speaking of fat free, this is JCVD at the height of his JCVDness, and though his normal screen charm (and I mean that) is buttoned down here thanks to the prison setting, he brings the physical goods. Co-star Robert Guillaume helps class things up a bit and it's stylishly directed by the otherwise unremarkable Daren Sarafian ('Terminal Velocity'). Not a great film by even the loosest standards, but much better than you'd expect.