“Enemies Closer” ought to step back

Reviewed by Nancy Snipper

Ok, Jean-Claude Van Damme is always cool to watch with his campy gestures and expressions; even his lines are funny in this suspense film. But this movie ought to have stayed in the woods where the story takes root and grows rather unattractively. As the plot goes, Henry, a forest ranger ends up having to retrieve a load of cocaine under water for a really bad guy named Zander (Van Damme) in order to save a girl he had just met on the island where he works, but it turns out the girl is as bad as Zander for whom she actually works for.

To make it all complex, Clay, a former Navy Seal has appeared earlier at Henry’s log cabin. Clay is violent and aims to kill Henry. Clay is seeking retribution for his dead brother whom he believes was abandoned in an Afghan skirmish that Henry led years back. He blames Henry for his death. His arrival happens before Zander enters the picture. He continues to leave  a trail of rangers’ bodies in his wake. Zander needs Henry to dive for him; his other diver got shot and Zander regrettably had to finish his pal off with a neck-killing manoeuvre.

As survival mode progresses on the island, both Henry and Clay join forces in order to save themselves and beat the bad guys. They both end up helping one another and all is forgiven.

Obviously, a low- budget film, director Peter Hyams maybe made the film because he loves fight scenes, log cabins and nature. Otherwise, I see neither rhyme nor reason for making the film.

This film was viewed, compliments of Le SuperClub Vidéotron, 5000, rue Wellington Verdun, QC.

 Ce film a été visionné, avec les compliments de Le SuperClub Vidéotron, 5000, rue Wellington Verdun, QC.