User reviews

I'm a huge fan of CYF - for almost 30 years now. His on-screen persona is just the finest and he is one of the best actors out there!

But with other HK stars transfers to Hollywood - where the big wigs all claim that they know what is best - I was quite concerned for his debut.

Replacement Killers actually plays quite well!

Still carrying that 90's look, we are treated to 85 minutes of stylish Hong Kong wanna-be shoot outs and angles that sometimes overdoes the John Woo homages - some of which are pretty good, some that just ended up quite slow.

Regardless, it was a great introduction to the US audience for HK's coolest actor, and an enjoyable film nonetheless!

The soundtrack is killer for this movie, giving off an edgy yet sexy vibe that the whole movie relies on. The storyline is fairly well developed, the acting is pretty good, and the main characters have good chemistry. The action delivers well enough and keeps up through the whole movie.

i think this movie rocks -- it is the best place to watch Mira Sorvino be entertaining and hot.

i just bought the DVD in a bargain bin and i can't stop watching it. OK it's a bit of a TV movie script. but it's a year ahead of the matrix, and i dare you to watch it without making production comparisons. in fact, i can't watch the matrix any more. so much for movies with great scripts.

so much of the goodness of this movie relies on Mira Sorvino's screen presence that it plays a bit like a bit music video -- it's just plain fun to see her on screen. Chow Yun Fat is good, and this American Chinese boy (me) likes seeing a hybrid movie like this... well, it's fun to see the Chinese guy wear nice suits and kick some a$$ too. i can't watch any of the crappy hong kong stuff that the other users seem to think is superior to this. i can see how HK martial arts lovers wouldn't like this -- it's a very different, very American movie. personally, i'd rather see more clones of this movie than more jackie chan.

hey, did i mention Mira Sorvino is hot? i even like the relationship chemistry that develops here -- sort of like the David Carradine character wandering the desert in the Kung Fu TV shows -- he never even gets to kiss the pretty girl who falls for his decency, but the mutual respect is better that way. more movies need to take this route.

i'm not a Mira watcher -- i've only seen her aphrodite and some awful film school $hit i'm sure she wishes she never made, and her happy day on the Oscar alumni stage. as a Harvard guy, i'm not sure i want to see her in romy and michelle. this was simply a great role for a very underutilized actress at the right time in her life during the era of east-west action fusion. if i were producing movies, i'd kick myself for not watching this movie sooner and taking advantage of Mira Sorvino in her prime. it's not too late -- check our her recent IMDb pics. papa sorvino was right -- his daughter is great, and anyone who says otherwise should get a cap in his knee. this movie is the proof.

In Los Angeles, Detective Stan "Zeedo" Zedkov (Michael Rooker) kills the Chinese mobster Peter Wei (Yau-Gene Chan) during an operation at the docks. His father, the mobster kingpin Terence Wei (Kenneth Tsang), brings the assassin John Lee (Chow Yun-Fat) to kill Zeedo's eight-year-old son to bring grieve to the detective. However, John's moral sense does not allow him to kill the boy and is hunted down by the mobsters. He contacts his friend Eddie in his garage, and he indicates the forger Meg Coburn (Mira Sorvino) to prepare documents for him to travel to Chine to protect his family from Wei's retaliation. While in her office, Wei's gangsters shoot at John and Meg and they team-up to escape. Wei hires the replacement killers Ryker (Til Schweiger) and Collins (Danny Trejo) to kill John, Meg and the boy. However, John and Meg decide to protect the boy from the assassins, while they are also hunted by the Zeedo and the police force.

Revisiting "The Replacement Killers" (1998) in 2024, the viewer will see this movie is still a stylish action movie, with Chow Yun-Fat and Mira Sorvino. The excellent director Antoine Fuqua has another excellent work, supported by a simple but effective screenplay. Chow Yun-Fat has been one of the great names of action movies for decades and "The Replacement Killers" is his debut in American films when he was in his heyday. The gorgeous and sexy Mira Sorvino has been an underrated actress, good in several genres, but best known as Paul Sorvino's daughter. She has a great performance as the partner of Chow Yun-Fat in this film. Michael Rooker and Jürgen Prochnow are other great names to be highlighted in this production that still have and excellent support cast with Til Schweiger, Danny Trejo and Kenneth Tsang among others. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Assassinos Substitutos" ("Replacement Killers")

Sheesh! Chow Yun-Fat has the silky charm and coiled rage of a tiger, and Mira Sorvino has great legs, but they are both wasted in this dull, Hong Kong action flick-wannabe. The film, about a hitman (Yun-Fat) who refuses to kill a young boy and becomes hunted by mercenaries, is the cinematic equivalent of a fast-food restaurant's neon sign. Flashy and colourful, noisy and shallow, "The Replacement Killers" is never as cool or as exciting as it could have been.

There's one great sequence - a shoot-out in a car wash - and any film with Michael Rooker in it isn't completely worthless. Most of the film, though, is a cluster of pedestrian action scenes centred around a group of characters with no depth. Sorvino is on autopilot as the brash, hard-as-nails chick; the villains are instantly forgettable; and Yun-Fat only gets to glower.

To tell you the truth, I have no desire to write any more about this movie. Having never seen an actual Hong Kong action movie, I can only guess they're better than "The Replacement Killers." In any case, you'd be better off renting one of those.

Crime thriller. The debut work of the famous American director Antoine Fokua, known to a wide range of viewers thanks to such films as "Training Day", "Olympus Fall", "Left-Handed" and two parts of "The Great Equalizer", and then he was an ordinary clip maker. As you can already understand, if you read my reviews, then I have a personal story connected with almost all the old paintings. Well, it will be the same here. This was the first time I watched this action movie on a VHC tape, oh, there were times, there was still no sense of the Internet, and not everyone had a video recorder, I literally had to cassette tapes, they often deteriorated, then scandals and so on. Oh sorry, I'm a little distracted. So, I don't remember exactly how this tape turned out to be with me (maybe I even begged it out), but I rubbed it into holes. Reviewed an unlimited number of times. In childhood, this picture seemed perfect to me. But now, having reviewed it already at a conscious age, with the look of a cynical beast who criticizes cinema, I realize that the picture is not so cool. There was no disappointment, I just remembered this action movie much better than it really is. And here is my brief opinion - A cool action movie from childhood. Despite a certain nostalgia, I intend to consider both the advantages of this picture, and the cons that are striking too persistently. Then let me get started! So, the pros: 1. Atmosphere - you will be surprised, but it is here, and even very solid. The closest analogue that comes to mind is "Without a Face", and early paintings by Guy Ritchie. The picture literally from the first frame makes it clear that in the next hour and a half we will find a cool and inconspicuous criminal action movie, where a cool hero will throw the adversaries with one left, protecting someone along the way. And, here's a surprise, the way it is! 2. Music - the well-known composer Harry Gregson-Williams who wrote very suitable music for this picture was responsible for it. There are Eastern motives, and sad ones, and pop music, which was playing from every teapot at that time. All this is very harmoniously combined, for each melody or song sounds out of place and does not have time to get bored. Unfortunately, there are no catchy tunes here, but this is purely my nit-picking. 3. Skirmishes - oh yes, it was because of them that I watched this picture countless times, and then imagined myself as the main character John Lee and played in the courtyard with the boys in the war. It was after watching this picture that I bought a gun with bullets for my pocket money. Oh, I'm sorry, I was distracted again, but it was just that. Oh yes, the shootings in this picture occupy almost eighty percent of the entire timing (plus or minus ten percent, but that's not accurate), and they were shot very soundly. Bullets whistle, adversaries die, blood spurts within reasonable limits, professionals work with professionals, in general - class! Do not think it wrong, the shootings here are not a masterpiece, but at one time the picture set a record for the number of shots, which says a lot. 4. History - the seasoned killer ruined the order, as a result of which he became a target, now he has to not only deal with the former employer, but also save several lives, including the life of an unexpected ally who was involved in this whole channel through him. The story for a criminal action movie is quite simple - and this is its plus. I saw a detailed scenario move, for example, in the film "The Crying Killer", "John Wick" and many others. After all, the militants are not looking for complicated stories with an unexpected turn, but for the shootings, fights and chases. The sad moments that reveal the characters of the heroes were also brought into history, thanks for which. Especially now I have watched an extended version of the picture, which added interesting and sometimes sad dialogs. The picture ends at the right moment, although in something sad. For this genre - just right. It is a pity that the picture failed at the box office. So cons: 1. Scenic holes - not without it. At the first viewing, they obviously will not catch your eye, and in childhood I did not notice them at all, but now. Let's just say that in several scenes the actions of both heroes and bandits defy any logic. Does this hit perception hard? No, not much. But when you think about it, you want to exclaim - "Juno, take you!" 2. Final - yes, I already said that it breaks off in the right place, but you know me, I'm a romantic damn! I want another finale, well, please! A little about the main characters: 1. John Lee, played by Chow-Yun-Fat, is a Chinese expat, a top-notch hitman working for a very influential crime boss. He ruined the task, as a result of which he became a walking target. A killer, but with his code of honor. Something like Leon. As a child, I tried to be like him, but I talked about this above. How does he really like a suit and pistols, which he skillfully uses. An unrealistically cool hero, which Chow perfectly embodied on the screen. which is not surprising, given his experience in Hong Kong action movies! Bravo Chow! 2. Meg Cowburn performed by Mira Sorvino is a casual acquaintance of John, whom he dragged into disassembly, and now bears responsibility for it, though the lady is not from a timid dozen, but is able to fend for herself no worse than her forced ally. True, they will not tell us about the acquisition of these skills that saddens. The Beauty of the World coped with this role perfectly, you can't argue. 3. Terence Way performed by Kenneth Zahn is John's crime boss. After the failure of the order, orders to eliminate the insolent. Typical bigwigs. Rich, domineering, and not forgiving. Kenneth just fit perfectly. Still here, cool guys such as Danny Trejo and Til Schweiger lit up. As a result, we have a good action movie from the nineties with a good atmosphere, excellent shootings, a simple but memorable story, charismatic heroes, high-quality music and excellent acting.

This could have been a good movie with just a bit more thought and better plot. I get very tired of heroes that can gun down four bad guys (all shooting back with machine guns) with just a pistol. Mira Sorvino and Yun-Fat Chow wasted their talents creating believable characters in this.

I suppose this is actually a B movie, but there's something about this movie that keeps me coming back to see it again every few months. Maybe it's the rather unique (for Hollywood, anyway) relationship between Meg and John. I mean, they don't even so much as kiss each other and barely touch at all! But I think they make the screen sizzle, nonetheless.

I must admit I love the action in this movie, too. Every once in a while I wonder how a small time forger learned to fight and shoot like she does, but then I blissfully ignore it and just enjoy the movie.

Great action scenes, wonderful relationship development and great acting by Mira and Yun-Fat Chow make this a movie I'm sure I'll see many more times.

The Replacement Killers is not only the US debut of Chow Yun Fat, but also the first film project for director Antoine Fuqua. Before his masterpiece Training Day, Fuqua was known for Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise" video and this film. Heavily influenced by John Woo's The Killer. The Replacement Killers is a very stylized, sharp looking and well acted action film. Of course, there is only one John Woo and this film is not nearly as good or as intense as his best work. Though somewhat restrained by comparison, The Replacement Killers is a solid action film in its own right and has an excellent cast. Chow Yun Fat, Mira Sorvino, Michael Rooker, Jurgen Prochnow, Kenneth Tsang and Danny Trejo all give incredible performances that elevate the material beyond that of standard action fare. The film looks great and the shootouts are abundant and high quality as well. In today's world this sort of film is nearly extinct. For what it is(straight up action), The Replacement Killers is well done and much better than most of the action films coming out recently.

THE REPLACEMENT KILLERS

Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Sound formats: Dolby Digital / SDDS-8

John Woo (who else?) co-produced this debut US vehicle for Asian superstar Chow Yun-fat (or 'Mr. Fat', as he's known to some careless movie fans), in which Chow plays a hired killer pursued by ruthless gangster Kenneth Tsang Kong (BISHONEN) after refusing to assassinate the family of a cop (Michael Rooker) who killed Tsang's son during a drugs bust. Mira Sorvino plays the plucky con artist hired by Chow to provide him with forged documents so he can flee the country, only to find herself caught up in Tsang's lust for vengeance, as monstrous hit men Til Schweiger (DER BEWEGTE MANN) and Danny Trejo (BLOOD IN BLOOD OUT) arrive on the scene to exterminate both Chow and his immediate family. For all its flashy visuals and explosive soundtrack, Antoine Fuqua's derivative film ploughs a well-worn furrow, slavishly imitating the Hong Kong action-thrillers which first brought Chow to Hollywood's attention, whilst completely disregarding the emotional/thematic resonance that distinguishes Asian cinema from its western counterparts. Chow is OK, as usual, but the part doesn't require him to do very much, and the entire cast (including an underused Jürgen Prochnow) plays second fiddle to the slam-bang pyrotechnics. Routine stuff, with few redeeming features.

This movie, despite what you think it may be about, is really about gunfights. There are more gun battles in this film than there were in the Civil War. Pistols capable of shooting dozens of rounds without reloading, criminals who could not hit their target (even wounding it) despite blazing away with - oh let's say - a billion rounds of ammunition, and a hero that is capable of killing them by the dozens. Did you know that you cannot be shot if you drop and roll? Yes, it's true, the gangster shootout version of duck and cover during an atomic attack. Drop and roll deflects all bullets headed your way. So, if you like gunfights with automatic and semi-automatic weapons, and the only reason your life has meaning is to see gunfights with automatic and semi-automatic weapons, then this, believe me, is the movie for you.

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.

If you're looking for a basic action movie this may be for you. I think its a very underrated movie. It is stylish, fast paced, well acted, and has a reasonable plot. Most importantly for me its not pretentious. There is actually a pretty good character development too. The characters are actually quite believable and one can feel for the characters played by Chow Yun Fat and Mira Sorvino.

It is not a martial arts movie (see "Return of the Dragon" for that) and its not high drama (see "Leaving Las Vegas"). However for anyone who wants an action movie that is reasonably intelligent this is a good choice.

This movie has almost no plot, and so it relies on an almost endless series of shootouts to make up its hour and a half length. Don't get me wrong, I like a good action shooter film, but this just isn't one of them. The trailers for the film touted Academy Award winner Sorvino, but her acting contribution is non-existent. This one isn't even worth a rental.

Those of you who desire a deep, thought provoking, plot. One which leaves you asking questions, after the movie is done. Well, guess what? This is not the movie for you. However, if you are seeking a high intensity, past paced, exciting, action-packed, drama, stay tuned because the ride has just begun. This is the second time I have watched this movie. I watched it when it first came out and then again just last night. I can't help it but Chow Yun-fat is definitely the Sean Connery of our eastern brothers.

I will admit that this movie is not for everyone. Then again, you can't make everyone happy all of the time. You can make some people happy some of the time. This movie made it's money's worth, so apparently it made most people happy most of the time.