Friday 20 January 2012

The Replacement Killers

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Year:1998
Country of origin:USA
Director:Antoine Fuqua
Genre:Stylish martial arts actioner
Starring:Yun-Fat Chow, Mira Sorvino, Michael Rooker
Rating:3/5
IMDB link:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120008/
Tagline:Kill or be replaced.
Favourite line:"Hostage etiquette: kidnapper pays the incidentals."

Generic Hong Kong style action thriller that, although produced not directed by John Woo, has his fingerprints daubed all over it.

Chow Yun-Fat plays John(!), a lapsed hitman, no more interested in blood letting and unable to kill due to a crisis of conscience: he won't kill when children are in the room.
The soft touch.
His bosses are none too pleased at his change of heart and send in someone to take his place in their posse of Scaramanga's - a replacement killer - and, with the help of master forger Mira Sorvino he must get back into China to face his nemesis.

Whilst the action pieces are played out with a great deal of panache, this is very much a case of style over substance and, it's not too long before the mind starts to wander, the on screen bullet-riddled mayhem no longer sufficient to hold the attention.
Hardcore action fans may love it, but the rest of us will probably be dozing off by the time the end credits begin to roll.

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