The Replacement Killers (1998)

Failing to kill anymore because of his conscience, a troubled hit-man seeks aid from a forger to help him get papers to China. However, the drug-lord has hired replacements to finish the job and kill the hit-man.

Director:

Antoine Fuqua

Writer:

Ken Sanzel

Stars:

Yun-Fat Chow, Mira Sorvino, Michael Rooker

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Yun-Fat Chow	...	John Lee (as Chow Yun-Fat)
Mira Sorvino	...	Meg Coburn
Michael Rooker	...	Stan 'Zeedo' Zedkov
Kenneth Tsang	...	Terence Wei
Jürgen Prochnow	...	Michael Kogan (as Jurgen Prochnow)
Til Schweiger	...	Ryker
Danny Trejo	...	Collins
Clifton Collins Jr.	...	Loco (as Clifton Gonzalez Gonzalez)
Carlos Gómez	...	Hunt (as Carlos Gomez)
Frank Medrano	...	Rawlins
Leo Lee	...	Lam
Patrick Kilpatrick	...	Pryce
Randall Duk Kim	...	Alan Chan
Andrew J. Marton	...	Stevie
Sydney Coberly	...	Sara

Storyline

John Lee is the best hitman money can buy. But when John refuses to kill because of the seven year-old son of his target, John's bosses send someone after John to kill him and then take his place in the ring of hitmen. John then teams up with Meg Coburn to help him escape these "Replacement Killers."

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Plot Keywords:

passport | replacement | hitman | drug lord | chinatown | 

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Taglines:

Kill or be replaced.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence and for language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Cantonese

Release Date:

6 February 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Assassinos Substitutos

Filming Locations:

Belmont Tunnel - 1304 West 2nd Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£151,464 (UK) (5 June 1998)

Gross:

£359,183 (UK) (19 June 1998)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Brillstein-Grey Entertainment, WCG Entertainment Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min 96 min (extended cut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS (8 channels)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the music that plays over the introduction of the "replacement killers" as they walk through the airport terminal, the female voice that is heard singing is actress Claire Trevor singing "Moanin' Low" from the film Key Largo.

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Goofs

During the shootout at the arcade, Ryker uses an MP5K in a briefcase. If the briefcase were actually used in this manner, the shooter would most likely end up with a calf-full of lead. The proper technique of employing an MP5K in a briefcase (as taught by the HK International Training Div.) is to hold it with both hands and brace it against the chest/stomach (muzzle toward the target, of course).

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Quotes

Meg Coburn: You know, you could've saved yourself a lot of trouble just by doing that third job.
John Lee: It was wrong. Mr. Wei was taking revenge. A man named Zedkov killed his son.
Meg Coburn: Zedkov? Jesus Christ. You're getting yourself killed for a cop?
John Lee: Not a cop. His son.
Meg Coburn: What?
John Lee: A seven-year-old boy.
Meg Coburn: Why?
John Lee: That's how Mr. Wei *deals* with his enemies. Through their families.

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Connections

Features Beast Busters (1989)

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Soundtracks

"Rocco"
Written by Richard Fearless and Steve Hellier
Performed by Death In Vegas
Courtesy of Time Bomb Recordings / Deconstruction Limited

User Reviews

A Gritty, Visceral Crime Drama with the right cast and the right pace.

Low angle shots, slow motion scenes, and a host of well chosen techniques show why Antoine Fuqua has become a force of nature in the film industry. The film combines elements of Blade Runner with a dark, gritty plot and a no-nonsense dialog that keeps you riveted to the screen. The influence of Ridley Scott and John Woo are evident, and the resulting picture stands out as an epic in crime stories. Chow Yun-Fat, a star in the orient and a cult favorite in the US, is John Lee, an unwilling but able assassin bound by duty and honor to his boss, played elegantly by Kenneth Tsang. Mira Sorvino is the hard, independent woman working on the fringe of the law, but careful not to get involved in the business of criminals. Jurgen Prochnow is the trusted right hand man of Mr. Wei (Tsang). Of particular note is Clifton Collins Jr as the street thug who turns informant. Micheal Rooker and Carlos Gomez work well together as the detectives looking to bring down the killers, and both Schweiger and Trejo convince you they are the people your mother warned you about. The action is non-stop, the plot logical and plausible, and the overall effect will draw you into the film sitting on the edge of your seat. Lots of violence, lots of language, not for the kiddies. If you like a fast paced action film with gritty, visceral action, this is it.