In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, martial arts action starJean-Claude Van Dammedazzled audiences with his big kicks and eye-popping splits. Though his audience expanded in the time between 1988’sBloodsportand 1992’sUniversal Soldier,critics largely dismissedVan Damme’s moviesfor their simple plots as well as the one-dimensional characters. In 1994, however, Van Damme delivered one of his most well-rounded chacters ever:Peter Hyams’Timecop.
What Is ‘Timecop’ About?
Based on the Dark Horse comic book seriesbyMike RichardsonandMark Verheiden,Timecopis centered around the activities of the Time Enforcement Commission (TEC) whose sole mission is to stop individuals from altering history for self-enrichment or threats to humanity. Its central protagonist is Agent Max Walker (Van Damme), a former police officer who was the victim of a home invasion in 1994 that resulted in the death of his wife Melissa (Mia Sara). Ten years into the future of 2004, Walker uncovers a plot by Senator Aaron McComb (Ron Silver) to use time travel to fund his presidential campaign.
Amid his investigation, Walker comes across compromised TEC agents and an altered future where McComb’s influence threatens the commission’s operations. Returning to 1994 to prove the existence of his compromised partner (Gloria Ruben),Walker discovers a secret his late wife was hiding that forces him to change his future for the better.
‘Timecop’ Explores Free Will Versus Predestination
Where Van Damme’s previous directors largely specialized in action pictures,Timecop’s director,Peter Hyams, had a journeyman experience in sci-fi as well as thrillers about morality and corruption. Among such credits includeOutlandwithSean Connery’s sheriff battling corruption on a mining colony andThe Star ChamberwithMichael Douglas’ district judge conflicted about taking the law into his own hands. InTimecop, Hyams goes beyond showcasing Van Damme’s martial arts talents, andexplores the conflict between free will and predestination through Agent Walker’s refusal to correct his tragic past.
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Manytime travel moviesfollow a similar path: either correct the past for a better future (i.e.the Back to the Futuretrilogy) or prevent a catastrophic event from happening (i.e. The Terminator).Timecopchooses the former path, but not right away. The laws of the TEC prevent people from altering history, including high-profile assassinations. Though he mourns his wife through old home movies,Agent Walker’s duty to time enforcement is what drives his life. Such a devotion to the job keeps him from getting close to others except for his boss, Commander Matuzak (Bruce McGill). He even has a lack of remorse towards his ex-partner, Atwood, who sold out the agency to get rich during the 1929 market crash.
For Agent Walker, there is a greater irony to his commitment as a law enforcement agent. On the tragic night of 1994, Melissa had news to share with him before he was called to work. An argument ensued between the couple right before the attack. For the next ten years,Agent Walker was haunted by putting his job over his wife. Only when he visits a hospital in 1994 to prove the existence of his turncoat partner Fielding (Gloria Reuben) through a blood sample does he find his wife’s secret: A blue vile confirming Melissa’s pregnancy. At that moment,the mission to stop McComb becomes secondary to saving his wife from her tragic fate.
‘Timecop’s Villain Elevates the Action Movie
Van Damme’s performance inTimecopis elevated by sharing the screen with experienced character actors like Sara, Reuben, and McGill. But there was one actor who made the film even more memorable: The lateRon Silveras Senator McComb. LikeTommy Lee JonesoppositeSteven SegalinUnder Siege, McComb is a brilliant but dangerous politician, outsmarting Van Damme at every turn. Their cat-and-mouse interplay in scenes is very reminiscent ofBruce WillisandAlan RickmaninDie Hard. While Silver does steal the majority of his scenes, Van Damme remains a hero to root for in changing his future.
What also makes Silver’s role the highlight of the film is how Senator McComb is a cinematic villain way before his time. BeforeTimecop, there had been movies featuring greedy politicians committing crimes in office for political gain, especially in‘70s movieswhen Richard Nixon was in office. Senator McComb predates some of today’s politicians who use the power they have over the justice system to conceal their crimes while gaining more political capital. When he’s first introduced as a junior senator in 1994, McComb agrees to oversee the TEC, as he understands what he can gain from it. As an older man running for president in 2004, he pays off TEC agents and kills a computer chip manufacturer so he can be wealthy enough to win the election and shut down the agency. With McComb as the central antagonist,Timecopbecomes a hybrid time travel action picture with elements of a classic political thriller.
Jean-Claude Van Damme Pulls Double Duty in ‘Timecop’
Timecopcould not be complete without another Van Damme signature:Double Van Damme on screen. As done previously with 1991’sDouble Impactwith Van Damme playing twins,Timecop’s third act features the older Agent Walker at home battling McComb’s men simultaneously with young Officer Walker, oblivious of the home invasion. Hyams’ direction excels here with the use of very low-key lighting and the dangerous storm atmosphere to create real tension while keeping the two Walkers apart in the sequence. Additionally,Van Damme succeeds with the challenge on screen to make the young Walker struggle more against the villains,while the older Walker gets the upperhand due to his experience.
Having two Van Dammes also presents another interesting challenge inTimecop. One of the film’s many time travel rules is that“equal matter cannot occupy the same space.”While Silver’s McComb can manipulate his naive younger self to take direction to change his future, he cannot make physical contact with him. The same is true for Walker who has to avoid running into himself during the finale. Ultimately, the rule pays off for Walker when he tricks young McComb into the location and kicks him into his older self to melt out of existence.
In the end,Hyams brought out the best in Van Damme withTimecopnot only as an action star but also as a strong acting presence. When given a solid script and talented actors like Silver to work with, Van Damme can rise to the occasion and give audiences a satisfying movie experience. His successful collaboration with Hyams led to two more films: 1995’sSudden Deathand 2013’sEnemies Closerwith the Muscles from Brussels taking a rare villain turn. WhileTimecophad a straight-to-video sequel without the star and a short-lived television series, the original remains a standout piece of entertainment in the ‘90s time capsule.
Timecop: In a future where time travel is regulated by a governmental agency, an officer finds himself entangled in a perilous struggle against a corrupt politician with deep connections to his past. As he navigates the complexities of time, he must protect both his life and the integrity of history itself.
