Inferno (1999)
Inferno (alternatively known as Desert Heat) is a 1999 American action film directed by John G. Avildsen, and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Danny Trejo, Pat Morita, Gabrielle Fitzpatrick, and David “Shark” Fralick. This was the last film directed by Avildsen before his death in 2017. The plot revolves around Eddie Lomax (Van Damme), who is a veteran soldier sick of life, wandering the desert looking for a reason to die. An incident with a few thugs from the nearby town, who steal Eddie’s motorbike and beat him almost to death, sets him on a path of revenge. The film is loosely based on the 1961 Japanese samurai film Yojimbo by Akira Kurosawa.
Plot:
Eddie Lomax (Jean-Claude Van Damme) rides an Indian motorcycle in salt flat. When his bike breaks down, he begins drinking and passes out. When he awakes, he sees his old friend from the Army, Johnny Sixtos (Danny Trejo). Eddie tells Johnny he is haunted by dreams of atrocities they committed in the Army, and intends to kill himself after giving Johnny his Indian motorcycle. However, Eddie begins shooting rounds randomly, and one hits a passing truck. Three brothers stop and begin harassing Eddie, and Johnny disappears.
They beat and shoot Eddie, leaving the youngest brother Petey to execute him, and steal his bike.
Johnny reappears and carries Eddie to his home, where he nurses him back to health. Once recovered, Eddie sets off to avenge himself and retrieve the motorcycle. In town, he finds his gun has been sold to a local store. Eddie kills the two men inside when they attack him, and free their uncle whom they had been keeping prisoner in a back room. Uncle Eli supplies Eddie with guns and ammunition.
