The Replacement Killers (1998)

Director:

Antoine Fuqua

Writer (WGA):

Ken Sanzel (written by)

Release Date:

6 February 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Kill or be replaced.

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Passport | Replacement | Hitman | Drug Lord | Chinatown

Cast

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
Yau-Gene Chan	...	Peter Wei
Carlos Leon	...	Romero
Nicki Micheaux	...	Technician
Max Daniels	...	Smuggler
James Wing Woo	...	Priest
Albert Wong	...	Old Man
Christopher Doyle	...	Thug (as Chris Doyle)
Joe Bucaro III	...	Thug (as Joey Bucaro III)
Robert Apisa	...	Thug (as Bob Apisa)
Norm Compton	...	Thug (as Norm F. Compton)
Cle Shaheed Sloan	...	Banger
Paul Higgins	...	Banger
James Lew	...	Bodyguard
Thomas Rosales Jr.	...	Gangster
Eddie Perez	...	Gangster
Mario Roberts	...	Gangster
Jimmy Ortega	...	Gangster
Richard L. Duran	...	Gangster (as Richard Duran)
David Gene Gibbs	...	Helicopter Pilot
Rodger LaRue	...	Helicopter Pilot
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nicole Abramson	...	Mourner (uncredited)
Chadney Brewer	...	Arcade Goon (uncredited)
Matthew Hurley	...	Arcade Goon (uncredited)
Al Leong	...	Gunman (uncredited)
Bob Minor	...	Cop Arresting Meg (uncredited)
Rocco Salata	...	Swat Team Member (uncredited)

Directed by
Antoine Fuqua

Writing credits (WGA)
Ken Sanzel		(written by)

Produced by
Matthew Baer	....	executive producer
Bernie Brillstein	....	producer
Terence Chang	....	executive producer
Christopher Godsick	....	executive producer
Brad Grey	....	producer
Michael McDonnell	....	co-producer
John Woo	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Harry Gregson-Williams

Cinematography by
Peter Lyons Collister		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jay Cassidy

Casting by
Wendy Kurtzman

Production Design by
Naomi Shohan

Art Direction by
David Lazan

Set Decoration by
Evette Knight

Costume Design by
Arianne Phillips

Makeup Department
Katalin Elek	....	makeup artist
Zoltan Elek	....	makeup artist
Ermahn Ospina	....	key hair stylist
Collier Strong	....	makeup artist: Ms. Sorvino & Mr. Chow
Ani Plotkin-Maloney	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Jim Dyer	....	unit production manager (as James R. Dyer)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Les Banda	....	second assistant director: second unit
Maria K. Battle	....	second second assistant director
Christopher T. Gerrity	....	first assistant director: second unit
Allan Graf	....	second unit director
Jeff Okabayashi	....	second assistant director
Daniel Orozco	....	dga trainee
Jeffrey Wetzel	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Maike Both	....	buyer
Audrey A. Johnson	....	assistant property master
Kent H. Johnson	....	property master
Kim Larsen-Santini	....	on-set dresser: second unit (as Kim Larsen)
Jefferson Murff	....	lead man
Jim Ondrejko	....	construction coordinator (as Jimmy Ondrejko)
Grant Sawyer	....	on-set dresser
Clare Scarpulla	....	set designer
Jason Bartolone	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Susan A. Burig	....	graphic designer (uncredited)
Daragh Byrne	....	carpenter (uncredited)
James Carson	....	illustrator (uncredited)
Scott Edward Collins	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Serge Genitempo	....	stand-by painter (uncredited)
Thierry Labbe	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Natalie Richards	....	illustrator (uncredited)
Brett V. Shirley	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Kurt Verbaarschott	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Jim Wallis	....	set designer (uncredited)
Ron Yates	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Douglas B. Arnold	....	production sound mixer
Christopher Assells	....	sound editor
Karen Baker Landers	....	supervising sound editor (as Karen M. Baker)
Bob Beher	....	foley editor
Steve Birkett	....	boom operator
Todd Egan	....	sound assistant
Nerses Gezalyan	....	foley mixer
Mark Gordon	....	foley editor
Per Hallberg	....	supervising sound editor
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley artist (as Gary Hecker)
Dan Hegeman	....	sound editor
Doug Hemphill	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steve Jablonsky	....	sound recordist
Craig S. Jaeger	....	foley supervisor
Drake Jenevein	....	sound assistant (as Drake Jonovin)
Dennis Johnson	....	sound recordist
Constance A. Kazmer	....	dialogue editor
Mark R. La Pointe	....	dialogue editor (as Mark La Pointe)
Dean G. Manly	....	adr editor (as Dean Manly)
Jennifer L. Mann	....	foley editor
Paul Massey	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joseph A. Mayer	....	adr supervisor (as Joe Mayer)
Philip D. Morrill	....	sound assistant (as Phillip Morrill)
Matt Patterson	....	sound recordist
Gregg Silk	....	sound recordist
Lauren Stephens	....	dialogue editor
Peter Michael Sullivan	....	sound editor
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist
Scott Wolf	....	sound editor
Jessy Bender	....	sound utility (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Steven D. Jensen	....	special effects technician
Joe D. Ramsey	....	special effects (as Joe Ramsey)

Visual Effects by
Ivy Agregan	....	digital effects coordinator
Clint Colver	....	compositor: SPI
Carole Cowley	....	digital effects producer
John Decker	....	compositor: SPI
Layne Friedman	....	compositor: SPI
Brian Keeney	....	production manager: SPI
Hal Miles	....	digital artist
Kelley Ray	....	visual effects supervisor
Sam Richards	....	technical designer: SPI
Serge Sretschinsky	....	compositor: SPI
Michelle Steinau	....	high speed compositor: SPI
Jason Dost	....	digital recording operator (uncredited)
Harrison Gibbs	....	assistant visual effects editor (uncredited)
Anthony Harris	....	visual effects timing coordinator (uncredited)
J.W. Kompare	....	visual effects editor (uncredited)
Vincent Lavares	....	technical assistant supervisor (uncredited)
Paul McGhee	....	film scanning and recording (uncredited)
Mindy Minkow	....	optical camera (uncredited)
Michael S. Pryor	....	digital production manager: SPI (uncredited)
Doug Yoshida	....	technical assistant (uncredited)

Stunts
Michael Adams	....	stunts
Sandy Berumen	....	stunts
Jill Brown	....	stunts
Alisa Christensen	....	stunts
Mark De Alessandro	....	stunts
Donna Evans	....	stunts
Mickey Giacomazzi	....	stunts
Tanner Gill	....	stunts
Al Goto	....	stunts
Allan Graf	....	stunt coordinator
Randall Huber	....	stunts
Brian Imada	....	stunts
Jeff Imada	....	stunts
Keii Johnston	....	stunts
Mike Kelly	....	stunts
Henry Kingi	....	stunts (as Henry M. Kingi)
John Koyama	....	stunts
Al Leong	....	stunts
A. Michael Lerner	....	stunts
Clint Lilley	....	stunts
Bob Minor	....	stunts
Tom Morga	....	stunts
Larry Nicholas	....	stunts
Hugh Aodh O'Brien	....	stunts
Carrick O'Quinn	....	stunts
Dennis Scott	....	stunts (as Dennis R. Scott)
Webster Whinery	....	stunts
Tsuyoshi Abe	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jennifer Badger	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Jay Caputo	....	stunts (uncredited)
Clay Donahue Fontenot	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Marian Green	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gary Guercio	....	stunts (uncredited)
Toby Holguin	....	stunts (uncredited)
Sidney S. Liufau	....	stunts (uncredited)
Kent W. Luttrell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Michael Owen	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carl Paoli	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Peewee Piemonte	....	stunts (uncredited)
Shelby Swatek	....	substitute stunt double: Mira Sorvino (uncredited)
Mitch Toles	....	precision driver (uncredited)
Eddie L. Watkins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Lee Whittaker	....	stunts (uncredited)
Scott Workman	....	stunts (uncredited)
Harry Wowchuk	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Stuart Abramson	....	key grip (as Stuart M. Abramson)
Lloyd Ahern II	....	director of photography: second unit
Guy Norman Bee	....	camera operator
Carl Boles	....	chief lighting technician: second unit
Mark Broneau	....	best boy grip: second unit
Ron Cardarelli	....	second grip (as Ronald Cardarelli)
Michael Cassidy	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Don Davidson	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as Donald K. Davidson)
Darrin DeLoach	....	assistant camera
Mark W. Elias	....	key grip: second unit
Shane D. Kelly	....	gaffer
Mark La Bonge	....	camera operator: second unit
Frank Masi	....	still photographer
Peter Mercurio	....	first assistant camera
Sean J. O'Shea	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Thomas J. Ruffner	....	dolly grip
Adam Sklena	....	first assistant camera
Todd Slyapich	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Jorge Sánchez	....	first assistant camera: second unit
John Trapman	....	aerial director of photography
Poly Veitzer	....	second assistant camera
Marc Abramson	....	grip (uncredited)
Mike Bonnaud	....	rigging gaffer (uncredited)
Michael B. Corbett	....	best boy: second unit (uncredited)
Scott Crabbe	....	video operator (uncredited)
Donald D. Davidson	....	electrician (uncredited)
Valeska Difrieri	....	grip (uncredited)
David G. George	....	video assist operator: second unit (uncredited)
Jay M. Huntoon	....	video assist operator: second unit (uncredited)
Luis Moreno	....	electrician (uncredited)
Juan Morse	....	electrician (uncredited)
Michael J. Schwartz	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Mindy Johnson	....	casting assistant
Lee A. Miles	....	extras casting (uncredited)
Vanessa Portillo	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Wendy M. Craig	....	set costumer
Joe McCloskey	....	key costumer
Larry Velasco	....	costume supervisor (as Lawrence Velasco)
Roberta Bilé	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Terry Claborn	....	color timer
Richard Conkling	....	assistant film editor
Peggy Davis	....	first assistant film editor
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Andrew Loschin	....	assistant film editor
Edgar Pablos	....	post-production assistant (as Edgar B. Pablos)
Howard Davis	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Dale Jones	....	avid technician (uncredited)
Eric Rigney	....	avid technician (uncredited)

Music Department
Alan Meyerson	....	score mixer
Ralph Sall	....	music supervisor
Richard Whitfield	....	music editor
Martin Tillman	....	musician: cello (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Rich Bennetti	....	transportation co-captain
Jon Carpenter	....	transportation captain
Shane Greedy	....	transportation co-captain
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car (uncredited)
Brita McCollough	....	driver (uncredited)
Brenda Ryan	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Suzo Barzman	....	assistant: Ms. Sorvino
Alexandra Close	....	assistant: Mr. McDonnell
Emily Cummins	....	assistant: Mr. Baer
Carline Davis-Dyer	....	script supervisor (as Cariline Davis-Dyer)
Patricia L. DeShields	....	production accountant
Richard Di Sabatino	....	technical advisor
Judy Dickerson	....	dialect coach: Mr. Chow Yun-Fat (as Judi Dickerson)
Susan Ehrhart	....	production assistant
Sherry Gallarneau	....	script supervisor: second unit
David Gene Gibbs	....	helicopter pilot
Ramiro Adan Gomez	....	production assistant
Jennifer S. Gottlieb	....	production assistant
Mick Gould	....	technical advisor
Paul Guyot	....	assistant: Mr. Chow
Justine Hebron	....	assistant production coordinator
Justine Hebron	....	production secretary
Stephanie Higgins Frey	....	production assistant (as Stephanie Higgins)
Kent H. Johnson	....	armorer
Kristen Kurczak	....	production assistant
Dawn Lambertsen-Kelly	....	assistant: Mr. Fuqua (as Dawn A. Lambertsen)
Rodger LaRue	....	helicopter pilot
Kris Fullan Martinez	....	production coordinator
Jim Morris	....	location manager
Hoppy Munz Jr.	....	craft service (as Hoppy Munz)
Claire Raskind	....	unit publicist (as Claire S. Raskind)
Louis Farah	....	set medic (uncredited)
Peter Hansen	....	caterer: pastry chef (uncredited)
Dominique Jaramillo	....	set medic (uncredited)
Robert Lamkin	....	caterer (uncredited)
Michelene Mundo	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Billy Smith	....	key assistant location manager (uncredited)
Jeffrey D. Stevens	....	key medic (uncredited)
Lori Tilkin	....	assistant: Terence Chang (uncredited)
James P. Warren	....	animal trainer (uncredited)
Debi West	....	payroll accountant (uncredited)
John Woo	....	advisor (uncredited)
John Woo	....	technical consultant (uncredited)

Thanks
Richard Francis-Bruce	....	special thanks
Debra Hill	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (as Columbia Pictures) (presents)
• Brillstein-Grey Entertainment (as Bernie Brillstein/Brad Grey)
• WCG Entertainment Productions (as WCG Entertainment)

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (1998) (worldwide) (all media)
• Columbia Pictures (1998) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film (1998) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films AB (1998) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (1998) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (1998) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (1998) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing Canada (1998) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (199?) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (199?) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Egmont Entertainment (1999) (Finland) (VHS)
• Egmont Entertainment (2002) (Finland) (DVD)
• Egmont Film (1998) (Sweden) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (1998) (Argentina) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2013) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Nelonen (2003) (2004) (Finland) (TV)
• Nordisk Film (2002) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Nordic (2007) (Finland) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (1998) (Canada) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Canada) (DVD) (extended cut)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (extended cut)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2007) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• V8 (2001) (Netherlands) (TV)

Special Effects

• Sony Pictures Imageworks (SPI) (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Columbia Records  soundtrack
• Direct Tools & Fasteners  expendables
• In Motion Catering  catering
• Sony Pictures Studios  sound services
• Varèse Sarabande  score album released by

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and for language

Runtime:

87 min | USA:96 min (extended cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Cantonese

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS (8 channels)

Certification:

Australia:MA | Belgium:KNT | Canada:18A | Germany:18 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R | New Zealand:R18 | Argentina:13 | Peru:14 | France:-12 | USA:Unrated (extended version) | Finland:K-16 (VHS) (1998) | Finland:K-18 (35 mm) (1998) | Iceland:16 | Malaysia:18SG | Philippines:R-18 | Singapore:PG13 (re-rating) | Australia:M (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Yun-Fat Chow's first American film.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the opening scene, as John draws the second gun and twists around to shoot the last bodyguard, his tie ends up over his right arm as he shoots. In the overhead view after his last shot, his tie is back as it should be, but he hasn't moved.

Quotes:

Wei:The boy will die.
John Lee:Not in your lifetime.
[shoots Mr. Wei]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in All the Rage (1999)

Soundtrack:

Rocco

Good stuff

When the son of a powerful underworld boss, Mr. Wei, is killed in a police raid he swears vengeance. John Lee is the hit-man assigned with the task to carry out the hit, but despite a successful career as a contract killer he finds himself unable to pull the trigger. Even more upset, Wei sends in a duo of ruthless assassins, the replacement killers of the title, to kill both John and carry out his assignment.

This is the first feature length film for a successful music video director so it probably doesn't look so hot, but don't be fooled: this is one terrific action movie. Antoine Fuqua serves up a very assured and stylish direction while keeping the film going at an exciting pace. The shootouts are spectacular and are among the most furious seen outside of Hong Kong cinema. The film's performances are also strong and while the action makes the film exciting, they make the film involving.

The film is not to high on the originality scale as Chow Yun-Fat has played the self-conscious hit-man going against a ruthless underworld many times and the screenplay is for the most part predictable, but as an action movie it works very well. 8/10

Rated R for intense violence, and profanity