10 Famous People You Forgot Were In Jean-Claude Van Damme Movies
2. Mickey Rourke - Double Team (1997)
It's Double Team again, but this time it’s Mickey Rourke. Rourke plays the villainous Stavros mentioned in the previous entry. He stands out here as the film’s biggest quality. By all accounts Rourke took this role seriously and underwent martial arts training in preparation for the fight scene with Van Damme.
When Jack (JCVD), finds out that his old enemy Stavros is up to no good again and has stolen plutonium from the US military he comes out of retirement (reluctantly) to thwart the terrorists’ evil plans. During a shootout with Jack, Stavros’ young son is killed so it becomes a much more personal vendetta. Jack’s pregnant wife is kidnapped by his nemesis setting the stage for action.
Mickey Rourke has had an up and down career. Ups, such as classics Angel Heart (1987) with Robert De Niro, and The Wrestler (2008) - for which he won a BAFTA and was nominated for an Oscar. Then there's downs like Get Carter’(2000) and Out in Fifty (1999).
Unfortunately, Double Team falls into the latter category. Although his performance is great, it was never going to be enough to carry ‘Double Team’ from just about every other element bringing it down.