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Double Impact
The Corsican Brothers
USA 1991
produced by Ashok Amritraj, Paul Michael Glaser, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Moshe Diamant (executive), Charles Layton (executive) for Stone Group Pictures, Vision International
directed by Sheldon Lettich
starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Geoffrey Lewis, Alonna Shaw, Corinna Everson, Philip Chan, Alan Scarfe, Bolo Yeung, Andy Armstrong, Lung Wu Fong, Peter Malota, Sarah-Jane Varley, Kamel Krifa, Eugene Choy, Jack Gilardi jr, David Lea, Donn Berdahl, Sing Chen, Julie Strain, Galen Yuen, Alicia Stevenson, Christopher Leung, Leo Lee, Kai Ng Kwok, Chow Kwok-Po, Yu Wai-Keung, Cheung Yuk-San, John Sham, Lee Tat Chiu, Chiu Lee Bing, Wong Chi Kin, John Cheung, Kwok Tsang Sing, Paul Aylett, Chung Ching Wai, David Ho, Sarah Yuen, Tam Jan-To, Eric Ng, Chan Siu Wah, Evan Lurie, Roland Lor, Jennifer Stone, Rita Lau, Ching Wong Chung, Georges Bejue, Matthew J Cates, Shelley Michelle, Tan Chen-Tu
story by Sheldon Lettich, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Steve Meerson, Peter Krikes, screenplay by Sheldon Lettich, Jean-Claude Van Damme, music by Arthur Kempel, stunt coordination by Vic Armstrong, John Cheung
review by Mike Haberfelner
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Available on DVD! To buy, click on link(s) below and help keep this site afloat (commissions earned) |
Always make sure of DVD-compatibility!!!
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25 years ago, Paul (Andy Armstrong) and Katherine Wagner (Sarah-Jane
Varley) were murdered as Griffith (Alan Scarfe), Paul's partner in a Hong
Kong tunnle project, wanted them out of the picture to reap in the rewards
on his own. But their twin sons survived. One, Chad (Jean-Claude Van
Damme), has been brought up in LA by the Wagner's loyal bodyguard Frank
(Geoffrey Lewis) to become a yoga and karate teacher, the other, Alex
(Jean-Claude Van Damme again) stayed in Hong Kong, grew up on the streets,
and has become a successful smuggler. Then one day Frank decides it's time
to take Chad back to Hong Kong and team up with Alex to reclaim their
parents' wealth. And with Alex's friend Danielle working at Griffith's
company, they even have a mole gathering them evidence. Of course, all
of this doesn't go without hiccups, which includes Chad being mistaken for
Alex and taken to druglord Zhang (Philip Chan) who tries to force him to
work for his organisation, and being beaten up (by Bolo Yeung no less)
when he refuses ... and I don't think I even need to tell you that Zhang
is actually Griffith's partner in all things evil. Then though the
brothers and Frank make a raid on Zhang's drug operation and blow up his
night club, before hiding out in an abandoned hotel on an off-coast
island. Meanwhile, back in Hong Kong, Danielle is found out by
Griffith's bodyguard Kara (Corinna Everson), and Chad comes to the rescue
- much to the dismay of Alex, who thinks he tries to get into her panties.
The brothers have a big fight and both run off - just before Zhang and
Griffith's men storm the abandoned hotel and take Frank and Danielle
captive. Of course, the brothers then have to team up to come to the
rescue ... Well, it's a Jean-Claude Van Damme film from when he
was riding the crest of his fame, so you shouldn't expect this to be a
philosophical masterpiece or high art or any of this. But if you can get
into the right mindset for the movie, and are maybe in need of a bit of
macho movie nostalgia, then you'll find yourself well-entertained by this
one - certainly among Van Damme's best. Sure, he isn't too great an actor,
but the demands of the role stay within his image, and he clearly has fun
playing the two very different brothers. And while the film's plot is
simplistic to a fault and even then doesn't make too much sense, it
doesn't take itself too seriously. And it has all the action and violence
in all the right places, and these scenes are well-staged for sure. So
lean back, turn your brain on low, and you'll find yourself enjoying this
one more than you expected (I know I did).
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