Double Impact
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Movie Reviews of Double Impact
Movie Review: twice the van damme, twice the action
Summary: 5 Stars
this movie is so cool, because jean-claude van damme is one of my favorite actors, and to of them makes it even better.Movie Review: van dammage
Summary: 5 Stars
van damme returns for a utimate challage yet and bolo is back from bloodsport iy was proper dammageMovie Review: Double your pleasure,double your fun!
Summary: 4 Stars
All apologies aside to an old gum commercial,this Aug./91 film Double Impact starring JCVD is an absolute kick! One of his more successful movies,and deservedly so,it has a solid supporting cast,is deftly directed and has good production values.
The story opens in Hong Kong where one Paul Wagner(Andy Armstrong) and his business associate Nigel Griffith(Alan Scarfe)are unveiling a new tunnel connecting mainland China to Hong Kong(FYI:this is still British controlled Hong Kong).It was built with the help of money from a local gang headed by Raymond Zhang(Philip Chan).After the ceremony is over Paul,his wife,twin boys and their nanny head home.Paul's close friend Frank Avery(Geoffrey Lewis)follows them so far in his car then heads off home alone.Paul's car is ambushed farther along by Zhang and his gang members,with an assist from Griffith.Griffith has decided to take out his partner,take control of the bridge and split the future tunnel revenues with Zhang.Paul and his wife are killed but the nanny escapes with one of the twins(Alex) and Frank who appears on the scene for a brief encounter with the gang escapes with the other(Chad).
The scene is 25 years later and in the States we find Chad who has been raised by Frank.Frank and Chad run a successful ballet and karate school.Chad is a fit young man,whose tastes are refined,especially in the clothing department where he prefers the brighter colours.Frank has never forgotten what happened and a PI has tracked down Chads brother Alex.Frank calls Chad into his office and breaks the news that he is not his uncle and that he has a twin brother in Hong Kong.Soon Frank and an incredulous Chad are off to the Orient.
It is not a great reunion in Hong Kong between the brothers.Before they actually meet Chad is mistaken for his brother more than once.In fact Alex's girlfriend Danielle(Alonna Shaw)actually thinks Chad is Alex.As she is about to make Chad's day Alex walks in and gives Chad a wallop to the head.Frank comes in and straightens out the misunderstanding,along with an explanation of the boys past and the circumstances of why they were brought up they way they were.Alex is a street wise guy who smuggles for a living and frequently has had dealings with the gang boss Zhang.Alex's girlfriend by coincidence works for the boys fathers old backstabbing partner Griffith.She is in disbelief but agrees to keep her eyes peeled for any info she may come upon to verify the story Frank has told.
As time progresses it becomes apparent to the boys and Danielle that there is indeed something rotten in Hong Kong and that Zhang and Griffith are behind it all,including the boys parents deaths.The boys along with Frank start with a series of interruptions in Zhangs trafficking of goods.They also make a shambles of a meeting of several gang bosses with Griffith and Zhang.Frank and the boys hide out in a remote part of Hong Kong but they are eventually discovered and flushed out.
The movies' climax ends on board a large ocean freighter that Zhang has planned to ship drugs on to the States.First the brothers have to go up against Griffith and Zhangs top enforcers.Alex confronts Griffiths guard Kara(Corrina Everson)while Chad confronts Zhangs' Moon(Bolo Yeung).Once dispatched the boys then move onto the king pins themselves.Alex takes care of Zhang half way up a giant ship loader while Chad takes down Griffith with a drop of a ships container.
Frank who had been tortured below decks comes above to reunite with the two brothers who have successfully beaten the odds to take back what was rightfully theirs.
The action in Double Impact is fast and furious and Van Damme is in excellent form here portraying twins flawlessly.Again Van Damme has a solid supporting cast behind him with Clint Eastwoods favourite sidekick Geoffrey Lewis as Frank,Canadian veteran actor Alan Scarfe as the nasty Griffith,Phillip Chan does a fully in control villain as Zhang,Bolo Yeung returns here as Moon,Van Dammes ultimate nemesis in Bloodsport and bodybuilder Corrina Everson plays a great heavy as Kara.The plot is imaginative and moves at a good pace throughout and the stunt work is fantastic.A "holy smokes" moment to watch out for occurs at the beginning of the film when Chad has to take over a karate class dressed in his ballet teaching leotards(purple!).A student who is getting a bit out of hand challenges Chad.From a standing still position to a lightning kick to the face,and a return to his original posture,all in a seemingly split second,it is breathtaking to watch.
In the technical department the movie itself is a very good print and is quite clear and crisp throughout.It is in its' original widescreen a/r of 1:85:1 and comes with no features except the trailer.The disc is one sided and comes in a thick keepcase.
All in all one of Van Damme's better films which I give a solid four stars to.With a great cast and production values,along with a good script,this film is a solid winner.Recommended.
Movie Review: Doublemint Van Damme
Summary: 4 Stars
The Jean Claude Van Damme Review Matrix (JCVD-RM)
1.Who is he? He's two guys! Identical twins separated at birth by the Chinese mafia, one, Chad, is a silk underwear-wearing pretty boy from Los Angeles, and the other, Alex, is a criminal from Hong Kong. Amazingly, they both grew up to be martial arts experts.
2.Which family member/friend must be avenged? Their parents are murdered by the same Chinese mafia
3.Does he take his shirt off? Bolo Yeung rips Chad's shirt off during a fight sequence
4.Does he have sex with a C-List actress? Yes. Actually, his sex scene with the beautiful Alonna Shaw is worthy of late-night skinemax fame.
5.Is there a tournament? Sadly, no.
6.Is training needed for this tournament? Perhaps some firearms training should have taken place, but aside from that, no.
7.Does he do the splits in training or in the tournament? When teaching/training a class for aerobics, or something, he dons some spandex and displays the goods for the ladies. He tells them that the splits are easy because of his big legs and karate.
8.Does he punch someone in the balls? Yes, Chad jab-kicked Bolo Yeung in the jewels during the final fight - which was clearly revenge for the nut-chop Bolo delivered to Chad's family jewels earlier in the movie.
9.Does he do a series of flying or 360 kicks? Let's just say that he can use the marks on Bolo Yeung's jawline for his next boot fitting
10.Is his enemy unbeatable? It's Peter Malota and Bolo Yeung. Plus, Bolo has a glass eye, and a career record of 0-1 previous to this movie. So, challenging? Yes. Unbeatable? Probably not.
11.Does he overcome an injury or other hindrance? Not only does he have to battle Peter Malota, Bolo Yeung, Cory Everson, and poor night-vision, but during one fight scene Donkey Kong apparently begins to throw barrels at Chad.
12.Does he win? Without the help of electricity, I have no doubt Bolo Yeung would have won. However, JCVDx2 manages to avenge their parents and claim their stole inheritance by taking down the entire Chinese syndicate.
So, this one goes slightly outside the typical JCVD flick, but the overall impression is positive. In spite of himself, he actually portrays a bad guy or a hardened criminal fairly well. I especially appreciated perhaps the best snot-rocket scene in cinema history - the lighting is stupendous. Ignoring the whole JCVD angle, this one is actually a decent movie with some rather funny dialogue with several gratuitous F-bombs.
Movie Review: Double Dynamite!
Summary: 4 Stars
This is not necessarily my favorite genre of film, but I must say that it is a VERY impressive entertaining film. Jean-Claude Van Damme is SO believable as twin brothers that it is so easy to think that Van Damme has a twin in real life starring in a movie with him.
The martial arts and action is great, as well as a very unique storyline.
I especially enjoyed the (always) great Geoffery Lewis in this. He is a perfect casting choice as the body guard of the twins' late parents, then years later as a friend/partner/protector of the adult twins.
I've never even been a big fan of Van Damme's, but he is great in this. And, as two completely different people! It's very well scripted and very well directed, and the acting is very well done by everyone in the film.
The story is that, as imfants, the baby brothers are orphaned when their parents are murdered by a Chinese businessman and his American associate. Years later, the boys are now grown men, living completely seperate lives, unaware that the other exists until Geoffery Lewis' character brings them together to exact revenge on the people who murdered their parents, and to take back what is rightfully theirs.
This is a film I would highly recommend to anyone who is a fan of this genre of film, and/or anyone who just wants to sit back, eat some popcorn and enjoy some great kick a** action and some awesome martial arts. This is definetly in the same league as any Bruce Lee flick, or any Jackie Chan film, if not better. It has all of the ingredients that this genre of film calls for: Action, adventure, martial arts fighting, murder, betrayal, double crossing, double dealing, revenge, and double Van Damme.
Not a movie that I would own, but one I would highly recommend. My only complaint was there were way too many head-butting scenes. Other than that, well, let's just say that this is a rare gem for the fans of martial arts/action films. Thank you.