Belgian martial artist-turned-actor Jean-Claude Van Damme has many incredible characters under his black belt, but one of my favorites comes from a silly source: The Expendables 2. At 10 years old, Van Damme enrolled in karate school, though I highly doubt he knew the level of success the decision would garner. After earning the Mr. Belgium bodybuilding title in 1978, he moved to Hollywood to become an actor. Ultimately, Van Damme landed his big break as ninjutsu practitioner Frank Dux in the 1988 martial arts flick Bloodsport — one of my favorite Van Damme cult classics.

Van Damme’s career-launching role in Bloodsport made him a hugely popular action star during the late ’80s and well into the ’90s. In my opinion, some of his biggest and best career highlights include Kickboxer (1989), Lionheart (1990), Double Impact (1991), and Universal Soldier (1992), though flicks like Hard Target (1993), Timecop (1994), and Street Fighter (1994) also come to mind. Eventually, Van Damme’s star began to lose its luster. After years of direct-to-video movies, Van Damme joined the cast of characters in The Expendable 2 — and I believe his villainous turn holds up.

The Expendables 2’s Jean Vilain Is One Of Van Damme’s Best (And Silliest) Characters

Jean VIlain with a knife in The Expendables 2.
Sylvester Stallone as Barney Ross Pointing a Gun in The Expendables 2 the cast of the expendables 2 Arnold Schwarzenegger as Trench in Expendables 2.
Dolph Lundgren In The Expendables 2 frowning in a neck scarf and backward baseball capJean VIlain with a knife in The Expendables 2. Sylvester Stallone as Barney Ross Pointing a Gun in The Expendables 2
the cast of the expendables 2 Arnold Schwarzenegger as Trench in Expendables 2. Dolph Lundgren In The Expendables 2 frowning in a neck scarf and backward baseball cap

In The Expendables 2, Van Damme joins Dolph Lundgren, Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, among many other iconic action heroes, in what I think is one of his best (and silliest) roles. It’s not surprising that a film franchise that aims to unite the world’s greatest action stars would call upon Jean-Claude Van Damme to join its ranks. Much like Van Damme, Stallone, who created The Expendables franchise in 2010, also hit a rough patch in the 2000s until he rebounded with Rocky Balboa (2006) and Rambo (2008). For me, The Expendables cemented Stallone’s return.

…Van Damme plays Jean Vilian, the leader of an opposing mercenary syndicate known as the Sangs.

What’s perhaps most interesting to me is that Jean-Claude Van Damme rejected The Expendables before eventually agreeing to star in the 2012 sequel. In The Expendables 2, Van Damme plays Jean Vilian, the leader of an opposing mercenary syndicate known as the Sangs. When the sinister and arrogant Vilain kills Billy the Kid (Liam Hemsworth), Barney’s (Stallone) newest recruit, the Expendables set out to exact their revenge. With an epic showdown between Van Damme and Stallone, The Expendables 2 might be ridiculous, but I still think it delivers a lot of classic action movie fun thanks to Van Damme.