Nowhere to Run (2003)

25% of critics liked it
(20 reviews)
39% of users liked it
(20,179 ratings)

An escaped convict fights for his rights while hiding out from the law in this action drama. Sam Gillen (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is a thief who, despite his criminal past, is an essentially decent man; he ended up behind bars after taking a murder rap for his partner. Sam escapes from prison in a… More An escaped convict fights for his rights while hiding out from the law in this action drama. Sam Gillen (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is a thief who, despite his criminal past, is an essentially decent man; he ended up behind bars after taking a murder rap for his partner. Sam escapes from prison in a daring jailbreak, and he hides out on a remote farm while on the run from police. A young boy named Mookie (Kieran Culkin) finds the fugitive and takes him in; it seems that the farm belongs to his mother Clydie (Roseanna Arquette), and soon Mookie and his sister Bree (Tiffany Taubman) have become friends with Sam, and Clydie and Sam fall in love. However, Franklin Hale (Joss Ackland), an unscrupulous land developer, wants to buy Clydie's farm and isn't taking no for an answer. When Hale's thug Dunston (Ted Levine) tries to use force to drive Clydie off her property, Sam is ready to fight fire with fire. Nowhere to Run was co-authored by noted screenwriter Joe Eszterhas; Richard Marquand received his story credit posthumously. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 30 min.
Directed By: Robert Harmon
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Action & Adventure

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1993 Wide
On DVD: Dec 11, 2001
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
A relentlessly corny and shamelessly derivative vehicle.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
Several members of the Astor Plaza audience yesterday afternoon could not contain their merriment when, in the middle of the film, Mr. Van Damme's character identified himself as a lawyer.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
Except for a few short bursts here and there, and one extended scene during the climax, the film is mostly talk. And since Van Damme's range as a dramatic actor is marginal at best, this is a problem.
Richard Harrington, Washington Post
While it boasts better supporting actors and technical credits than other Van Damme projects, the film nonetheless founders, a victim of its own lugubrious pace and misguided efforts at turning the bulging Belgian into a romantic lead.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
This is the kind of movie that is so witlessly generic that the plot and title disappear into a mist of other recycled plots and interchangeable titles.
Nick Funnell, Time Out
When Van Damme is doing what he does best -- narcissistically displaying his body and thumping the bad guys -- the film works reasonably well.
Clint Morris, Moviehole
Van Damme hits a high-note for once
Robert Roten, Laramie Movie Scope
All in all, it is a pretty good action film and it could be a breakthrough for Van Damme.
Louis Black, Austin Chronicle
If you don't expect much (and the developer vs. land owner plot is ridiculous) you may be surprised at what's here.
Chris Hicks, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
The best aspect of Nowhere to Run is some inventive camera work from director Robert Harmon. Too bad he didn't have a better script to work with.

Read all 10 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Tsubaki S

If you were a hot woman in the 90s, chances are you were on a Van Damme movie. Van Damme also had plenty of good actors as the bad guys, in this case Ted Levine, it is a shame that the script is just complete crap and just an excuse for Van Damme to bed said hot woman (Arquette) and… More
If you were a hot woman in the 90s, chances are you were on a Van Damme movie. Van Damme also had plenty of good actors as the bad guys, in this case Ted Levine, it is a shame that the script is just complete crap and just an excuse for Van Damme to bed said hot woman (Arquette) and beat the crap out of said bad guy in climatic final battle, but right after a bunch of pointless stuff that you don't care about.
Jason O

In "Nowhere To Run," Jean-Claude Van Damme plays as Sam, an escaped convict who ends up staying on a small farm with Clydie (Rosanna Arquette) and her two kids. However, he finds out that he has some new enemies while he's staying there, including a jealous cop and some… More
In "Nowhere To Run," Jean-Claude Van Damme plays as Sam, an escaped convict who ends up staying on a small farm with Clydie (Rosanna Arquette) and her two kids. However, he finds out that he has some new enemies while he's staying there, including a jealous cop and some men who are trying to take away the farm that Clydie and her two kids live on. I recommend anybody who likes Van Damme movies to get "Nowhere To Run." If you aren't familiar with Van Damme's other movies, this would be a good movie to get to get you familiar. It doesn't have as much fighting in it as most of his other movies do, but it certainly doesn't lack in action. You'll see some great action sequences such as when Van Damme is trying to find a place to run from the police by riding a motorcycle. It has more drama than most of the other Van Damme movies, but it's still a good one. NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2000. Van Damme just rocks. Sad to see him getting older :-(
Jason S

A pretty plain action movie but with enough of a story to keep you interested for the run time.
xGary X

More of the usual bone-headed action fare from JCVD. Not his worst effort, and Roseanna Arquette is appealing, but it's all so very "so what?"
danny d

van damme kicks some guys
Shawn M

As a kid, Van Damme movies were my top pick, Violence, Drama, this one I've watched a couple times, check it out!
Deb S

Jean Claude Van Damme is an escaped convict who happens upon a sleepy little town and comes to the aid of a woman (hot Rosanna Arquette) and her two children who are being pressured to sell their land to corrupt developers. This is not Van Damme greatest, he does not show up his… More
Jean Claude Van Damme is an escaped convict who happens upon a sleepy little town and comes to the aid of a woman (hot Rosanna Arquette) and her two children who are being pressured to sell their land to corrupt developers. This is not Van Damme greatest, he does not show up his martial art skills like in Bloodsport but still pretty watchable.
Jim W

Nowhere to Run is a decent film with Van Damme as an escaped convict. He befriends a single mom and her son an stays with them. When they are in danger, he's of course there to save the day.
Chad R

I actually liked this movie...besides the pants pulled up to the nipples and the f'd up line by the little Culkin kid...He's got a big penis...idiot!

Read all 9 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Jean-Claude Van Damme as Sam Gillen

            Rosanna Arquette as Clydie

            Joss Ackland as Franklin Hale

            Ted Levine as Mr. Dunston

            Kieran Culkin as Mookie

            Tiffany Taubman as Bree

            Edward Blatchford as Lonnie

            Anthony Starke as Billy

            Robert Apisa as Prisoner

            Tony Brubaker as Prisoner

            Steve Chambers as Pick-Up Truck Thug

            Tony Epper as Fire Thug "Al"

            John Finn as Cop in Chase

            Ron Howard George as Prisoner

            John Kerry as Big Thug "John"

            Gene Lebell as Bulldozer Man

            Peter Malota as Prisoner

            Sven Ole Thorsen as Prisoner

            Kevin Page as Hale's Associate

            Manny Perry as Prisoner

            Jeff Ramsey as Bulldozer Man

            Thomas Rosales Jr. as Prisoner

            John Rubinow as Clydie's Husband

            Ron Stein as Prisoner

            Leonard Termo as Bus Guard

            Jack Verbois as Prisoner

            Luana Anders as Town Meeting Chairwoman

            Jophery C. Brown as Prisoner

            Jack Gill as Bulldozer Man

            Jack Lucarelli as Prisoner

            Frank Orsatti as Prisoner

            Stanley White as Cop in Diner

            Stephen Wesley Bridgewater as Tom Lewis

            Albie Selznick as Hale's Associate

            Jackie Burch
            
            Christy Botkin as Sarah Lewis

            Chuck Zito as Prisoner

            Allan Graf as Bus Driver

            James Greene as Country Store Clerk
See full cast

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