TIMECOP

   Film (1994). Largo International N.V. in association with JVC Entertainment present a Signature/Renaissance/Dark Horse EntertainmentProduction. Dir Peter Hyams; exec prod Mike Richardson; prods include Sam Raimi; screenplay by Mark Verheiden from a story by Richardson and Verheiden, based on the comics series created by Richardson and Verheiden; starring Jean- Claude Van Damme, Mia Sara, Ron Silver, BruceMcGill, Gloria Reuben, Scott Bellis and Jason Schombing. 98 mins. Colour.

   Belgian martial-arts performer Van Damme is here asked to extend his range to therequirements of a romantic lead, a not wholly convincing exercise. He plays Max Walker,whose wife (Sara) was mysteriously murdered in 1994, and who now, in 2004, is a timecop for the TEC (Time Enforcement Commission). Ambitious presidential hopeful Senator McComb (Silver) headsthe government committee that finances TEC, which has effectively become an arm of government. Walker is sent back to investigate 1994 and later 1929 because somebody has beensending back operatives into history to makea profit through patents, cheap stocks, etc. The source of the corrupt senator's campaign funds becomes clear.The film ends in a flurry of time paradox, less stringently worked out than those of, say, DISASTER IN TIME (1991). It is all diverting and proficient, with plenty of action, and theemphasis on governmental conspiracy that is a Hyams trademark, but evokes memories of other films that have done it better. The time machine, for instance, recalls BACK TO THE FUTURE (1985).T represents another entry into film production of a comic-book company,Mike Richardson's Dark Horse, which earlier in the same year had a fantasy hit with the jokey SUPERHERO movie The Mask (1994). Director Hyams has a long but not especially exciting connection with filmed sf, having made CAPRICORN ONE (1977), OUTLAND(1981, his best) and 2010 (1984).

   PN