A troubled hitman 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 hitman.
With the aid from a New York City policeman, a top immigrant cop tries to stop drug-trafficking and corruption by immigrant Chinese Triads, but things get complicated when the Triads try to bribe the policeman.
A disillusioned assassin accepts one last hit in hopes of using his earnings to restore vision to a singer he accidentally blinded, only to be double-crossed by his boss.
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."Written by
Anonymous
When Antoine Fuqua and Chow Yun-Fat had the first meetings about the film, they talked about everything but the film. Also, Fuqua describes Chow as a quiet and peaceful man. See more »
Goofs
In the opening scene, John Lee shoots a gangster in the chest, leaving bloody entry holes. As the gangster falls, however, his yellow jacket opens to reveal an unstained green shirt with no bullet holes whatsoever. See more »
Quotes
Stan 'Zeedo' Zedkov:
You're not under arrest, Meg, which means you have no right to an attorney.
Meg Coburn:
It also means I can walk out the fucking door.
See more »
Alternate Versions
Available in an extended version on DVD and Blu-ray. See more »
Wild and absolutely menacing thriller involving Chow Yun-Fat (in his American film debut) as John Lee, a quiet yet resourceful hit-man who along with a sarcastic forger, Meg Coburn (Mira Sorvino), become involved when Lee refuses to take out someone close to a cop (Michael Rooker), who shot and killed his mobster boss' drug-dealing son during a drug bust and in the process, Coburn and Lee are also targeted by his superiors.
It's a brilliant debut for Yun-Fat and director Antoine Fuqua ("Bait", "Training Day"), both of whom show their skills with such respect. Some of the shoot-outs that take place in some areas that you wouldn't even think of (car wash, alley, movie theater, etc.). Plus, the cinematographer Peter Lyons Collister and composer Harry Gregson-Williams excell in making the movie even more entertaining. The scenery has a very colorful and artistic look to it and the music doesn't get too loud. I think of the movie as "Lethal Weapon" made like in the style of John Woo, who is one of the film's producers.
"The Replacement Killers" certainly hits the center of the bulls-eye with hair-raising accuracy.
34 of 46 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
| Report this
Wild and absolutely menacing thriller involving Chow Yun-Fat (in his American film debut) as John Lee, a quiet yet resourceful hit-man who along with a sarcastic forger, Meg Coburn (Mira Sorvino), become involved when Lee refuses to take out someone close to a cop (Michael Rooker), who shot and killed his mobster boss' drug-dealing son during a drug bust and in the process, Coburn and Lee are also targeted by his superiors.
It's a brilliant debut for Yun-Fat and director Antoine Fuqua ("Bait", "Training Day"), both of whom show their skills with such respect. Some of the shoot-outs that take place in some areas that you wouldn't even think of (car wash, alley, movie theater, etc.). Plus, the cinematographer Peter Lyons Collister and composer Harry Gregson-Williams excell in making the movie even more entertaining. The scenery has a very colorful and artistic look to it and the music doesn't get too loud. I think of the movie as "Lethal Weapon" made like in the style of John Woo, who is one of the film's producers.
"The Replacement Killers" certainly hits the center of the bulls-eye with hair-raising accuracy.