ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Saturday, April 27, 1996               TAG: 9604300018
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 10   EDITION: METRO 
                                             TYPE: MOVIE REVIEW 
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO CORRESPONDENT

VAN DAMME'S FAIR FIGHT `THE QUEST' IS FOR YOUNGER FANS

Jean-Claude Van Damme makes a credible directorial debut with "The Quest," a nicely staged if conventional martial arts movie.

The atmosphere is exotic with Oriental locales and a 1920s setting. The fight scenes are handled well, and the violence is kept well within the limits of a PG-13 rating, making this one a solid recommendation for younger fans.

Van Damme plays Christopher DuBois, who takes it on the lam from New York gangsters, and immediately finds himself captured by gunrunners. Somewhere off the coast of China, he's "rescued" by the pirate Dobbs (Roger Moore), then roped into the "ghan-gheng," a Tibetan martial-arts Olympics with a solid gold dragon as the prize.

That tournament is the second half of the film. The fights vary in style from virtual dances to Japanese Sumo to more conventional cinematic slug-fests. Given the strict limitations of the genre, the fighters manage to develop a large degree of personality when they show off their styles. As director, Van Damme makes the physical action engaging and exciting. Those fight scenes recall Van Damme's screen debut, "Bloodsport." Frank Dux, who shares story credit for this film, was also behind that one.

In the end, "The Quest" certainly doesn't break any new ground for martial arts. For Van Damme and his fans, though, it's a welcome return to the kind of film that he does best.

The Quest

**1/2

A Universal release playing at the Salem Valley 8 and Valley View 6. 95 min. Rated PG-13 for violence, a little rough language.

LENGTH: Short :   41 lines
ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO:  Jean-Claude Van Damme both directs and stars in "The 
          Quest." color.