A.W.O.L. aka 'Lionheart' (1990) - Sheldon Lettich.

 While, Jean-Claude would never again have quite the same world-wide impact as his dizzying double head-knocker 'Bloodsport' and the genre-spawning action classic 'Kickboxer', his first collaboration with frequent partner, Sheldon Lettich proved spectacularly successful! Adding great lustre to the buff Belgian's luminous ascent, the able action director created one of the more memorably knockabout actioners of this conspicuously Kickboxer crazy decade!

When Legionnaire, Lyon Gaultier (JCVD) learns of his brother's sudden hospitalization he promptly goes A. W. O. L to visit him. Arriving in the wholly unfamiliar environment of L. A. sans sous, Lyon reluctantly earns himself some much-needed scratch, making a firm friend/sidekick in ex-pugilist, current skid row denizen, Joshua (Harrison Page). As the crowd-pleasing Lyon becomes an increasingly popular fighter, he fatefully makes a dastardly foe in the shapely figure of glacially evil blond fight promoter, Cynthia (Deborah Rennard).

Dramatically robust with a boisterously blood-rousing score by, John 'Doomwatch' Scott, 'A.W.O.L's continued popularity resides almost exclusively upon the adamantine shoulders of its charismatic, matinee idol handsome star, Jean-Claude Van Damme. The uncommon bellicosity of Van Damme's no rules, bone-breakingly brutal, blood-spattered, knuckle-sandwich eating, brain jarring bouts retain all their impact! The lionhearted Gaultier remains a sympathetically hard luck hero, his stalwart quest to aid his family being an entirely noble one. The skeevey villains are enthusiastically villainous and the final, savagely skull-slamming climatic battle between the wounded, Lyon and delightfully sadistic, pony-tailed bruiser, Moustafa (Michel Qissi) is now the heady stuff of DTV legend!

'Don't be a sofa surfing sluggard, watch 'Lionheart' and your B-Movie boredom will go fucking A.W.O.L!' - Tor Bronson.