Lucas, a 14-year-old boy, is still one of the life gangs in Washington, DC. When Lucas found himself one of those gangs, he determined that his 10-year-old brother would not follow that route. Maybe there will be a hidden side and another chance when an Afghan veteran comes to the neighborhood, where there seems to be another chance.
Van Damme may be famous enough that he can afford to continue noodling around with different roles and performance styles. But his fellow cast members deserve a lot better than We Die Young.