The Replacement Killers (1998)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

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 | Police | Drug Lord

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

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:

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 | 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

Filming Locations:

Ennis-Brown House - 2655 Glendower Avenue, Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Brillstein-Grey Entertainment

Trivia:

The Chinese character engraved on Lee's bullets means "death".

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: In the alleyway, when John pulls out a pistol for the third time, he shoots a man on a fire escape, but no report from the gun is heard, nor is a flash seen.

Quotes:

Meg Coburn: Smile, and say "Flight from prosecution."

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 'Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty' - Making of the Hollywood Game (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

33

An excellent movie that I've enjoyed through many viewings

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.