It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Not much ass kicking in this one - very little in fact. But, on the plus side, everything JCVD shoots with a gun explodes (motorcycles, barrels, etc.). There's a few building explosions in there too which is pretty sweet. The scenery is nice - filmed in the Mojave desert in Cali. Would love to check that out.Also, there are a few great tit shots (why doesn't every movie have 'em?), a respectful nod to the 80s when they were mandatory. Young Jamie Pressly looks hot. Damn. Pat Morita's accent is hilarious, and the old man from the Seinfeld episode is in this movie too (the one that has the old records that Kramer and Neuman take). So bad it's good. jacobnunnally.blogspot.com

In a town consisting of about 40 people,28 is a high proportion but,as they say in "The Mikado","They'll none of them be missed" seeing as how they were all complete nut jobs who severely p*ssed off the good folks of "Inferno",the sort of small town that you drive through very quickly whilst keeping your eyes strictly on the road ahead. "Desert Heat" is a very good and entertaining movie by Mr J.G.Avildsen that does not contain an iota of originality,depth or plot and character development but nonetheless manages to grab your attention from the start with some excellent desert photography and dexterous choice of music,first-class photography and lighting and a brilliant cast of minor characters,many of whom would have been right at home with Hawks or Ford.Yes sirree,if you're gonna steal,steal from the best. Ignoring that well-known advice about digging two graves before setting out on revenge,Eddie Lomax(J-C vD)ends up having 28 baddies buried in a canyon by the gleeful Pat Morita operating a power-tipper.Way to go,Morita-san. With so many townsfolk having challenging behaviour even J-C vD has his hands full,but with a little help from the USAF he manages in the end. Monsieur van Damme - looking more like a young Tony Curtis than ever - evidently had a lot of fun with this,and,despite being in a decidedly ambivalent relationship with his buddy Johnny Six Toes (how homo erotic is that?) rather ungallantly simultaneously beds two ladies he rescues from the grip of the local psychos.A quick glimpse of J-C vD's bottie here may be an enticement to a certain element of his fan base. In short - "Inferno" is fun,particularly so for the older movie fan who can smile at all the bits (i.e.most of it) stolen from it's olders and betters.

Van Damme plays Eddie Lomax,a drunken,suicidal,ex-soldier,who runs afoul of the local drug runners,while on a trip through the southwest to see a war Buddy.In typical JCVD fashion picks himself up and goes to settle the score by dividing to opposing gangs.And hopefully find a reason to live.We all know its a remake of Yojimbo.But it actually comes of as more of a Van Damme meets twin Peaks type place.Its a throw-back to the 50s and 60s.And full of clichés.Movie looks great.Production values first class.A lot of colorful characters and well-known faces are to be found here.Like Pat Morita,Jamie Pressly, Gabrielle Fitzpatrick, Larry Drake,Prasilla Pointer.Veteran Character actors Danny Trejo,Vincent Schiavelli,Bill Erwin, and Ford Rainey.Not to mention villain actors Jeff Kober and Paul Koslo;are all good here.The action scenes are well done.Nothing to big.We get fights,shoot outs,Death by snake.There is one set-up that just cries out for Van Damme to wreck the bar Kickboxer-style,that goes kind of flat.The ending recalls 1989s equally trashy Road House.There is also a lot of comedy.A very funny set to a sex scene involving JC.And Prasilla Pointer watching from afar.A funny line involving Depends.Some comical moments with all the towns folk.(intentional or otherwise) Van Damme actually tries here.Most of the time he is saddled with a goofy hat that makes him look like a sort of bumpkin.But when its time to deliver he is always there.Rocky Director John Avildsen adds style and wit to the proceedings.As to why the movie is credited to Danny Muroon is a mystery for the ages.

COYOTE MOON (UK: Inferno) Aspect ratio: 1.85:1Sound format: Dolby DigitalA disillusioned ex-soldier (Jean-Claude Van Damme) goes to the desert to commit suicide, but instead gets drawn into a small town plagued by thuggish drug runners.Van Damme's career continued its downward slide with this routine actioner, inspired by YOJIMBO (1961) and bolstered by violent set-pieces and a gallery of eccentric supporting characters (played by Pat Morita, Danny Trejo, Larry Drake and Vincent Schiavelli, amongst others). Tom O'Rourke's screenplay springs few surprises, but director John G. Avildsen (THE KARATE KID) keeps the pot boiling in between scenes of gunfire and hand-to-hand combat, and Van Damme strikes something of a god-like figure in his skintight vest and clinging jeans (it's doubtful he ever looked sexier than he does here). Undiscriminating action fans will lap it up, though it doesn't really amount to very much. Released to video in the US as DESERT HEAT.