Versus Cinema - Black Eagle (1988)

Director: Eric Karson

Cast: Sho Kosugi, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Doran Clark, Bruce French, Kane Kosugi

Country: United States

Rating: R

Run Time: 90 min

Versus Cinema is a series dedicated to analyzing films that pit separate actors, icons, and/or franchise properties against one another. Whether they directly sell themselves as versus films within their titles, prominently feature two opposing actors in a versus plot, or are somehow secretively a versus feature, this series will cover them all.

I absolutely love "versus" films. I'm not talking about franchise versus films like Alien vs. Predator or Freddy vs. Jason, although those can be fun every now and than. No, I'm talking about versus films that pit two separate action stars against one another. Examples of this sub-genre include 1992's Universal Soldier, which pit Jean-Claude Van Damme against Dolph Lundgren, 1995's Assassins, which pit Sylvester Stallone against Antonio Banderas, and 2007's War, which pit Jason Statham against Jet Li. These films are typically made in order to capitalize on the success or marquee name of the dual stars within the film. Producers were smart to realize that audiences would shell out more dough if they were guaranteed not only one, but two action stars for the price of one. Stallone eventually took this ideal to the extreme with his Expendables series when he realized that he could capitalize on the names of ten or more action stars, but that's getting off topic.

Anyways, I wanted to highlight a very unique versus film, one that is most likely forgotten amongst the halls of action cinema. Black Eagle, released in 1988, is quite possibly the only accidental versus film in cinematic history, a fascinating anomaly if there ever was one. Produced by Rotecon B.V. and Magnus Productions, the film starred Japanese martial artist Sho Kosugi (Pray for Death, Rage of Honor) and Belgian actor Jean-Claude Van Damme (Hard Target, The Expendables 2). At the time of the film's release, Kosugi had experienced mild success with Cannon's Ninja Trilogy while Van Damme had yet to taste success with the release of Cannon's Bloodsport around the corner. When Black Eagle was produced, there was no way that the producers could have predicted that Van Damme was going to blow up within the next couple of years. By pitting Kosugi, a fairly well established action star at the time, against Van Damme, a no-name actor at the time who eventually went on to A-list success, the film's producers created the world's first accidental versus movie. 

The "Muscles From Brussels" shines in one of his earliest roles.

After a United States (U.S.) airplane is shot down over the Mediterranean Sea by the island of Malta, the CIA and the KGB send their best operatives to the island in order to retrieve the valued cargo upon the plane, a laser guidance system. The CIA calls in Ken Tani (Sho Kosugi), also known as the titular Black Eagle, their greatest operative who had originally planned to go on a two week vacation with his kids. Therefore, the CIA goads him into going on the mission by sending his kids to Malta as well. As Tani makes his best effort to retrieve the downed laser guidance system for the U.S. government, he repeatedly clashes with the CIA's greatest agent, Andrei (Jean-Claude Van Damme), an equally skilled martial artist who makes things personal when he kidnaps Tani's kids. It's the "Muscles from Brussels" against the "Black Eagle" in an all out brawl for dominance in one of the best low budget action films not produced by Roger Corman.

Black Eagle is ostensibly a spy thriller, as well as a wannabe James Bond film, as are many of Kosugi's other films. If the film's plot sounds somewhat familiar, that is because it is a blatant rip-off of the plot for the 1965 Bond film, Thunderball. The film even operates like a Bond picture in that the characters on both sides of the film play mind games with one another even though each knows what the other wants. Take the scene at a poker table for instance. The scene, which looks directly lifted from a Bond picture, features Kosugi and the CIA on one side of the table and Van Damme and the KGB on the other, both playing poker against one another, thereby symbolizing their political indifference and struggle with each other. Also, both Kosugi and Van Damme wear tuxedos in this scene. Bond much? There's no denying that Black Eagle is a Bond rip-off, but at least the film features enough distinct elements to make it more than simply a Bond rip-off.

While viewers expecting an action fest will find Black Eagle dull and slow, those with mild expectations may find it to be surprisingly engaging and fun to watch, especially for action fans with an appreciation for Kosugi and Van Damme. Even though the film lifts its plot from a superior spy thriller, Black Eagle shakes the formula up with its unique family dynamic and martial arts centric action. Although Tani must go on a dangerous mission, he is forced to bring his children along as well, thereby placing them into harm's way. The addition of Kosugi's family, who are played by his real life children Shane and Kane, is a distinct theme of Kosugi's filmography. Tani, as well as Kosugi himself, is a proud family man who will do anything for his children, as seen through his actions in the film and Kosugi's repeated usage of his sons in his films. The film's stakes are especially raised when Tani's children are taken from him, thereby shaking up the predictable spy plot a tad bit. Throw in the fact that the entire picture is also designed around pitting two separate martial arts stars against one another, and you have a film that is more than just a shameless Bond rip-off.

The name's, Kosugi, Sho Kosugi.

Produced on a mere $3 million, Black Eagle is far from lavish or action packed. One could easily compare the film to the types of low budget productions that famed producer Roger Corman is so well known for, as it features many of the staples of Corman's cinema: low budget, lots of dialog, minimal action, and heavy usage of the same locations. Shot on the island of Malta, Black Eagle is at least bright and aquatic, although visually dull at the same time. As with most low budget productions, several scenes or instances within the film are either heard or not seen.

For example, the inciting incident of a downed U.S. plane is heard over a radio. If Black Eagle were a big budget production, especially one made today, the entire incident would probably be depicted with computer generated graphics and kick off the film. Another example of the low budget can be seen within the film's action, especially during scenes of violence. Although some characters are shot or stabbed, there is nary a squib or blood pack in sight. All things bloody occur slightly off screen, or at least tamed down to a manageable point for a $3 million budget. There is also barely any gunfire in the entire film, despite the heavy presence of guns and rifles. Therefore, set your action sights low before going into Black Eagle. 

However, I would argue that Black Eagle uses its low budget to its advantage, or at least the proper way that a low budget action film should. The film takes its time to establish both of its lead characters on both sides. Tani is shown to be a family man while Van Damme is even given a love interest, which thereby humanizes both of them. After all, that is more than you can say about some characters in low budget action cinema, so give Black Eagle credit where credit is due. The film also shows a surprising level of maturity concerning Cold War ethics, especially in a scene where Tani's son asks him, "Are they bad guys?" to which Tani replies, "They probably think that we are bad guys too." This dialog exchange implies the honest truth about war and that neither side is villainous, and only acting in the best interests of their own country. Maybe I'm giving Black Eagle more credit than it deserves, as it more or less craps on this statement by ultimately demonizing the Russians at the end in a finale where, you guessed it, the U.S. wins. Either way, Black Eagle shows a notable attention to character and the plight at hand for a low budget action film that easily could have been all plot from beginning to end with no character to boot (i.e. Steven Seagal's entire DTV library).

The fight of the century! Kosugi vs Van Damme!

The true meat and potatoes of Black Eagle is its accidental versus pairing of Kosugi and Van Damme. Although most DVD's (such as the one I have) for the film advertise Van Damme as the lead, Kosugi is the true protagonist, with Van Damme playing the supporting villain of the picture. Let's be honest, Kosugi is not particularly charismatic or an ideal lead for a spy film of any kind. He's never been a great actor, and you can definitely tell this whenever he attempts to be witty a-la James Bond's witticisms. Still, Kosugi's cheese factor and occasional intensity is what makes him so entertaining and watchable, sort of like similar C-grade martial arts performers Gary Daniels (Riot) and Michael Dudikoff (American Ninja). 

Van Damme on the other hand is extremely charismatic, bad ass, and handsome. He completely steals the show here, and rightfully so. Although it is a shame that he disappears for long stretches of the film, and has minimal dialog, he still poses a formidable threat to Kosugi's protagonist. It's worth mentioning that my DVD of the film from EVE Digital Entertainment not only advertises Van Damme as the lead, but uses a picture of him from Lionheart for the cover and photoshops a literal black eagle tattoo onto his chest! Kosugi is the titular Black Eagle, not Van Damme! 

As I stated before, the aspect of the film that takes the biggest hit due to the low budget is unfortunately the action. Thankfully, you don't need a sizable budget to perform martial arts, just great martial arts performers, and Black Eagle has two of the best. For an accidental versus film, Black Eagle features not one, not two, but three fights between its action stars! Talk about accidental bang for your buck. Any of Black Eagle's flaws are more than made up for by the fact that it features a whopping three fights between Kosugi and Van Damme. 

Their first fight is fairly underwhelming, as it comes out nowhere in the middle of a chase scene. Their second fight on the other hand is fantastic and well built up too. The two's day time struggle atop a fort on the island of Malta is the stuff of accidental legend. Both Van Damme and Kosugi show incredible skill here and equally match one another in a very well choreographed and photographed fight. Their third fight, while decent, is ruined by a lousy ending in which the loser, who shall remain nameless, is killed off in an unfair manner unrelated to the fight itself. Regardless, Black Eagle delivers the versus goods, and in the perfect kind of plot designed around pitting two separate characters against one another for said reasons.

Round Three: Van Damme's jazz hands against Kosugi's black tarred body.

While a majority of action fans will probably decry Black Eagle as a dull spy thriller, I personally believe that it is an undiscovered and underrated gem in which two action stars were paired up against one another. The plot is fairly slow, and the locations redundant, but the accidental versus casting more than makes up for any of the film's low budget flaws. In all honesty, I prefer Black Eagle to a few of Kosugi's films, and, get ready for this, almost every single one of Van Damme's mainstream blockbusters, including Nowhere to Run, Timecop, and Sudden Death. I'm most likely an audience of one on this picture, but I enjoy it greatly and recommend the film to all action fans with an appreciation for its stars and a patience for low budget action cinema. If you have worked your way through most of Van Damme's films and Kosugi's very few ninja features, give it a watch. You may find yourself surprised at how well it holds up, at least in retrospect and when stacked up against other purposeful versus features.

Rating: 6.5/10 - Black Eagle may be a cheap Bond rip-off, but it is also a fascinating accidental versus movie with some solid fights, a fairly engaging plot, and a show stealing performance by a young Jean-Claude Van Damme.