AWOL (film)

Lyon Gauthier ( Jean-Claude Van Damme ) - a soldier of the 13th semi - brigade of the French Foreign Legion , while in Djibouti, along with his unit, receives a letter from his sister-in-law Helene ( Lisa Pelican ) that they tried to kill his brother, who lives in California - Francois he was selling drugs and in one transaction, sellers tried to give him sugar instead of cocaine. When Francois discovered the substitution, the bandits doused him with gasoline and set it on fire. With severe burns, he was taken to the hospital, where, in agony and delirium, François repeated only the name of his brother Lyon. Gauthier asks for a vacation to meet his dying brother, but the command refuses him and sends him to solitary confinement for disobedience. Lyon decides to escape. He manages to hide in the desert, get to the port and get on the ship as a fireman.

Having landed in New York , Lyon is looking for an opportunity to earn money for a trip to Los Angeles, or at least for a phone call. He finds himself on an underground street fight tote organized by Joshua ( Harrison Page ). Lyon wins the fight very spectacularly, after which Joshua decides to show it to Cynthia ( Deborah Rennard ) - a business woman who also organizes fist fights , but at a higher level - for wealthy spectators.

Lyon wins the fight, earning $ 5,000 at the same time and, together with Joshua, goes to his brother in Los Angeles . There, in the hospital, he learns that his brother is dead. Lyon finds Helen with her daughter Nicole ( Ashley Johnson ). The widow of his brother clearly needs help, but refuses to accept it from Lyon, accusing him of the death of Francois.

Gauthier, forced to hide and wanting to help his brother's family, decides that participating in underground battles is his only real way to make money. He returns to Cynthia and takes part in the battles. Joshua should regularly transfer the money he earned to Helena under the guise of insurance.

In the meantime, Legion officers overtake the deserter and try to grab and return to the unit. Lyon tries to avoid this, and is forced to fight with them, after which, with a broken rib, he strikes again on the run.

Soon Lyon will have an exciting duel with the Asian fighter Attila ( Abdel Kissi ). Before the fight, Lyon is told that Attila is a weak fighter who is easy to defeat. In reality, Attila turns out to be a very fast and strong fighter who loves to play with his opponent first and then kill or cripple him. In addition, Attila knows that on the eve of the battle, Lyon’s rib was broken and purposefully hits him in the injured side. In a tense battle, in which Attila would seem to have won, Lyon manages to gather the rest of his strength and defeat him. But the militants of the Legion are among the spectators, and after the battle they deliver the exhausted Gauthier to his apartment. They are going to send the fugitive back to North Africa, they allow him to take a bath and say goodbye to his family. Then the escort leaves, but around the bend the convoys release Gauthier as a sign of respect and recognition of his right to stay with his family. Lyon returns home, where Helen, Nicole and Joshua meet him surprised and delighted.

• Jean-Claude Van Damme - Lyon Gauthier
• Harrison Page - Joshua Eldridge
• Deborah Rennard - Cynthia
• Lisa Pelican - Helen Gauthier
• Ashley Johnson - Nicole Gauthier ^[3]
• Brian Thompson - Russell
• Voyo Gorik - Sergeant Hartog
• Michelle Kissy - Mustafa
• Abdel Kissi - Attila
• George McDaniel - Adjutant
• Eric Carson - Doctor
• Ash Adams - Francois Gauthier
• William T. Amos - Drag Dealer
• Rose Bosley - Nurse
• Dennis Rucker - Irish Legionnaire
• Billy Blanks - African Legionnaire
• Scott Spiegel - Pool Fight Bookie
• Sheldon Lettich (uncredited) - dock worker

In September 2014, the copyright company invited Albert Pyun , who was already working with Jean-Claude Van Damme on the film Cyborg , to stage a remake of "The Volunteer" with the direct participation of the actor. The director expressed doubt about the need for a new film, but expressed his willingness to get to work if he is given freedom of action on the set ^[4] .