Legionnaire is a 1998 American drama war film directed by Peter MacDonald and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as a 1920s boxer who wins a fight after he was hired by gangsters to lose it and then flees to join the French Foreign Legion.

Desperately needing a new escape plan, he signs up for the French Foreign Legion and is shipped to North Africa to help defend France against a native Berber resistance of Rif warriors, who are led by Abd el-Krim.

Along the way, Alain meets some new friends, including Luther, an African-American who has fled injustice in the Southern United States since he felt that he would be well treated by returning to Africa; Mackintosh, a former British Army major who was dishonorably discharged because a gambling problem caused him to pass bad checks; and Guido, a naive Italian boy who wishes to impress his fiancée back home by returning as a hero.

After marching for days, the troops arrive at a small pond, but before getting their full share of water, they are ambushed and shot down by the Berbers.

Abd el-Krim, seeing Alain's courage and determination, allows him to live and tells him to inform his superiors what is waiting for them if the French continue their colonization.

There is an alternate/deleted ending in which Alain rescues Katrina and originally plans to kill Galgani but does otherwise; the director and producer felt that would be too violent.

Van Damme originally pitched the story of joining the Foreign Legion to escape from the mob as a more humorous vehicle starring himself and a comedian such as John Candy.

Legionnaire was released as a direct-to-video in the United States since the distributor, Lionsgate, predicted the film would do poorly on the box office because since Van Damme's drawing power was decreasing drastically.