Explosive Movie Showdown: Universal Soldier vs. Cyborg

Jean-Claude Van Damme may be best known for high-flying kicks, splits, and tournament-style martial arts showdowns—but when it came to stepping into the sci-fi action arena, he brought something entirely different to the screen. Both Universal Soldier (1992) and Cyborg (1989) gave fans a glimpse at JCVD in dystopian, futuristic action—and though they’re drastically different in tone and style, they remain cult favourites for die-hard Van Damme fans.

Universal Soldier (1992)

Directed by Roland Emmerich, Universal Soldier is a sci-fi military thriller with a brilliant hook: reanimated soldiers turned into emotionless killing machines.

Van Damme stars as Luc Deveraux, a Vietnam soldier resurrected and controlled as part of the UNISOL program.

His nemesis? The chillingly brutal Andrew Scott, played by Dolph Lundgren, who steals scenes as a soldier completely unhinged and enjoying the chaos.

The film balances explosive action, psychological tension, and futuristic tech—complete with shootouts, face-offs, and some great hand-to-hand brawls.

Van Damme isn’t just kicking people here—he’s trying to piece together his identity, battling programming and his past. It gave us a more emotionally grounded action hero, set against a backdrop of military experiments and rogue operations. The showdown between him and Lundgren? Pure adrenaline.

Cyborg (1989)

A very different beast. Directed by Albert Pyun, Cyborg is grindhouse sci-fi through and through. Gritty, low-budget, post-apocalyptic, and dripping with atmosphere, this one feels like it was born on the back shelf of a video store—and that’s part of its charm.

Van Damme plays Gibson Rickenbacker, a lone drifter (and yes, the name rules) hired to escort a cyborg carrying critical information to save the world from a plague.

Expect rusted cities, brutal wastelands, and lots of slow, heavy brawling.

The villain, Fender Tremolo (again, best name ever), is pure nightmare fuel—barefoot, hulking, and snarling, he’s the perfect heavy for JCVD to square off with.

The story is minimal, the visuals are soaked in dystopian grit, and Van Damme delivers more of a physical, primal performance here.

While it’s rough around the edges, Cyborg has a dedicated cult following, and for fans of 80s sci-fi fused with martial arts and Mad Max-style bleakness, it’s a blast.

If you’re in the mood for a cleaner, high-octane military sci-fi film, Universal Soldier hits hard with its blend of futuristic warfare and emotion. But if you want to dive into grimy, atmospheric, end-of-the-world storytelling, Cyborg is raw and unforgettable.

Two sides of Van Damme, two very different visions of the future—and both worth revisiting.