The Replacement Killers (1998)

Saw this way back when, but it hasn't aged well and now just seems kind of mediocre rather than gripping. The cinematography is crisp and stylish and the acting is solid, but the plot is actually wisp thin and the casual ultra-violence is really heavy, which has lost some of its appeal to me as I have aged. With age and wisdom it's clear now that this film is mostly fluff and little substance, but I was a lot shallower way back when, and either I just didn't notice or didn't care. This is basically a simplistic high-body count, high-voltage, action movie in which it's pointless to count the bullets, especially given that firearm magazines don't seem to be constrained by reality. If that's what you're looking for you won't feel like you've wasted your time watching this, but I doubt you'll be left feeling that you've just experienced a cinematic masterpiece either. It is what it is, which in my book is now only slightly above average for a movie of this type.

The Replacement Killers (1998): Dir: Antoine Fuqua / Cast: Chow Yun-Fat, Mira Sorvino, Michael Rooker, Kenneth Tsang, Jurgen Prochnow: Mindless action film where villains are required to miss their targets while the heroes hit dead on. Replacement killers have nothing to do with anything. It regards Chow Yun-Fat who is sent to kill a cop who put away his boss's son. The cop had no choice but upon showing up at the funeral the father voices his hate. Yun-Fat spares the cop's son and meets Mira Sorvino who concocts an I.D. card until her residence becomes plastered with bullet holes. Lame and predictable with director Antoine Fuqua handling the action, which may be the only ambitious element of the film. Yun-Fat rises above the material playing a guy who can express mercy to those unable to defend themselves such as the boy he is ordered to target. Sorvino is hardly involved and exists mainly as a possible love interest. Michael Rooker as the cop is placed in a difficult position but will realize that Yun-Fat is not against him. Kenneth Tsang plays the true villain whining over losses. The action is fast and furious but the screenplay is dull and full of familiarity. The third act is basically one huge violent blow out where the good guys triumph and the bad guys wish they had signed on to a better film. Well made action farce that needs more than just the killers replaced. Score: 2 / 10

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!

I have watched this movie so many times that I can't remember how many. Although I have read that Sorvino and Chow didn't get along very well during the filming, you would never know it based on the chemistry between the two of them on the screen. They are perfectly paired. The gunfight scenes in this movie are some of the best I have ever seen. More bullets fly than you can ever possibly count, and Chow Yun-Fat can shoot two guns with more determination than anyone else in the industry. He moves like art in motion. I have seen many of Chow's movies, and I consider this one to be one of his best, so if you like John Woo Hong Kong action movies you need to watch this one and watch the sparks fly.