Hard Target (1993), directed by John Woo and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a stylish action-thriller that blends martial arts with explosive gunplay, marking Woo’s Hollywood debut. The film is notable for its intense action sequences, Woo’s signature directorial style, and Van Damme’s physical performance.

Hard Target follows Chance Boudreaux (Jean-Claude Van Damme), a down-and-out former Marine living in New Orleans. When a woman named Natasha Binder (Yancy Butler) hires Chance to help find her missing father, they uncover a deadly game being played by a group of wealthy men led by Emil Fouchon (Lance Henriksen) and his right-hand man Pik van Cleef (Arnold Vosloo).

These men hunt homeless veterans for sport, offering them money to be prey in a deadly chase. As Chance digs deeper, he becomes the next target, turning the tables on the hunters and using his combat skills to survive and bring them down.

Hard Target explores themes of survival, exploitation, and the human condition’s darker side. The film presents a grim view of society, where the rich and powerful prey on the vulnerable for their amusement. Despite its bleak subject matter, the film maintains a pulpy, over-the-top tone typical of early ’90s action cinema.