Lionheart
A renegade French Foreign Legion officer becomes an underground fighter in Los Angeles to save his brother’s family and settle a score.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Brutal
- gritty
- propulsive
- sentimental
- martial arts movie night
- 1990s action marathon
What critics said
Critics found the film competently shot and edited but largely derivative, exaggerated, and too familiar within the 1980s-style action genre.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Lyon fights in underground matches to cover Hélène's medical bills and support his dying brother's family.
Cynthia's underground fighting world links upper-class money and entertainment to Lyon's urgent financial need.
French Foreign Legion officer Lyon abandons his unit and struggles through Los Angeles as a penniless combatant.
The film emphasizes illegal street fights and a climactic contest with the brutal champion Attila.
Films like Lionheart, and why
Bloodsport
shares martial arts spectacle, an outsider protagonist, underground fighting, and a revenge-driven action plot
Kickboxer
shares Jean-Claude Van Damme, tournament combat, working-class stakes, and confrontations with a dominant champion
Best of the Best
shares gritty street fighting, criminal organizers, class tension, and a determined fighter pursuing family-centered goals
Movie Details
- Director
- Sheldon Lettich
- Release Date
- 1990-06-07
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (1210)
Cast
- Jean-Claude Van Damme
- Harrison Page
- Lisa Pelikan
- Ashley Johnson
- Deborah Rennard
- Brian Thompson
- Michel Qissi
- Vojislav Govedarica
- Billy Blanks
- Tony Halme
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, ARROW
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Lionheart about?
- A renegade French Foreign Legion officer becomes an underground fighter in Los Angeles to save his brother’s family and settle a score.
- What is Lionheart like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Lionheart as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Lionheart violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Lionheart as brutal.
- What did critics think of Lionheart?
- Critics found the film competently shot and edited but largely derivative, exaggerated, and too familiar within the 1980s-style action genre.
- Which films are like Lionheart?
- Films with a similar feel include Bloodsport, Kickboxer, and Best of the Best.
- How long is Lionheart?
- Lionheart runs 105 minutes.
- Where can I watch Lionheart?
- In United States, Lionheart streams on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, ARROW.
