Amazon.com

When a kickboxing police inspector is murdered, his kickboxing twin brother infiltrates the Russian mob in order to see justice meted out--as painfully as possible. A slimmed-down Jean-Claude Van Damme is surprisingly effective as the lead(s), but the real star here is gritty Hong Kong director Ringo Lam (probably best known for City on Fire, the film that inspired Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs), who makes a lethal American debut with this hard-edged, convoluted film, which uses the identical-sibling gimmick to considerably darker effect than the goofball Double Impact. Some incredible stunt work and a terrifically ruthless final reel make this underrated action film a winner, although fans of Species may be somewhat disappointed that costar Natasha Henstridge never fully displays the assets that made her famous. --Andrew Wright ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A Ringo Lam action fest.
Look, Van Damme films will never be in a class that I consider good fare. His stuff is usually thin on plot, full of laughable dialogue, and fist-thick on martial arts. Does that mean that I don't watch his stuff? No it doesn't. I've watched his movies because there are times that I don't want to think, just escape, and he provides just that in "Maximum Risk". Out of his movies that I have seen, this one turned out to be one of his best, if not the best (but honestly, he doesn't give us a lot to choose from).

"Maximum Risk" is an extremely violent movie with a very high body count. I lost track of the dead early on. While the plot is as thin as always (Russian mafia, twin brother, beautiful girl), Ringo Lam pumps it up with some nifty car chases (if you like that sort of thing) and provides the viewer with one heck of a ride as we step over the bodies. This is non-stop action from the get-go, and the fight scenes (yes, there are many) are hard-hitting and brutal, yet believable (almost a first).

For those that like Van Damme, this movie should be high on your list. For the rest of us, well, it is violent and even mean-spirited, but I ended up enjoying the ride, and the credit must go to director Lam. Between 1 and 10, "Maximum Risk" gets a solid 6.

Van Damme's best movie
I am a fan of action movies, but I've found some of Van Damme's previous flicks (most notably, Knock Off), to be below average. After seeing this movie on TV, however, I was quite impressed and ended up buying it.

As with most action movies, this one features a hero (Van Damme) who has to kick some butt, aided by a beautiful girl (Natasha Henstridge). The movie starts off with a pretty good car chase, followed by lots of scenes with guns firing and martial arts sequences. The plot isn't extensive -- Van Damme's character's twin brother is killed and he now assumes his twin's identity, only to be hounded by the Russian mafia and corrupt FBI agents.

I've only seen the VHS version, so unfortunately I can't comment on the DVD sound and video quality. Nevertheless, this is a good standard action flick -- in my opinion, Van Damme's best movie (or at least it rivals Bloodsport), and I recommend it for any action movie fan.

One of JCVD's best movies!!!
This was a great flick that had action from start to finsh! If you like a lot of shootouts, car crashes, and SUPER HOT women like Natasha Henstridge then you will love this movie. The director Ringo Lam (from Replicant) does a great job with all the camera angles. The best angles were when JCVD does his shooting and the stunts were amazing. This is plain and simply a great movie.

Damme Good Action Movie!!!
THIS HAS TO BE ONE OF VAN DAMME'S TOP 3 MOVIES. There is plenty of action and excitement that will make you want to watch it over and over again. Natasha Henstridge is down right sexy and georgeous. She played a perfect role in this movie. The movie was well-acted and thought it deserved a 5 star. This movie is a must-own on DVD. The sound quality is great as well as the picture. *Van Damme kicks plenty of...

utterly Van Damme's best
Van Damme has Derailed and went In Hell for some of his career, but this one I would say is his best, well next to Universal Soldier and Bloodsport I'd say its right up there with them. basically about Van Damme getting killed and then Van Damme coming into his brothers life. fast action and a good finale make this worth while ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jackie Chan resurrects the old Corsican Brothers chestnut of identical twin brothers separated at birth who meet up as adults and discover that they share more than blood ties. Poor boy Chan is a mechanic and race-car driver whose black-market activities have made him the target of some nasty mobsters, while jet-setting Chan is a world-famous conductor back in Hong Kong for a concert. In the same vicinity for the first time in years, they can suddenly feel each other's pain, and more. As one Chan jumps a jet boat for a wild escape, the other becomes a spastic victim of the furious ride, thrown around a posh restaurant while drenching his date with drinking water. Though the American cut has been pared of the worst of Chan's incessant mugging (it's about 12 minutes shorter than the original version), it's still overloaded with silly slapstick and cartoonish mistaken-identity gags as the boys swap girlfriends and dance. But wade through the crude comedy and you're rewarded with a gymnastic free-for-all climax in a car-testing workshop, where Chan leaps over, under, and through cars while taking on an army of gangsters before split-screen brothers team up for a bit of marionette martial arts. Tsui Hark and Ringo Lam codirect, Tsui taking the comedy and Lam handling the action, and John Woo makes a cameo as a priest in the wedding finale. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Twin Stars
I haven't as yet seen this DVD (I fully plan to as Jackie Chan dubbed on this release I am told). The 3 stars are for the movie itself. It is not the best Jackie Chan Hong Kong movie, the Police Story series and Project A 1 & 2 are much better but is definitely worth a look. I have seen an old dubbed version (OK) and the Asian DVD release (better). Before approaching any "old" Jackie Chan film (ie. ones done in Hong Kong before America!) viewers should be aware they are lower budgeted so don't have the capacity for special effects as in US movies. Also, what a Chinese considers funny might not necessarily be what a westerner thinks is funny! Keeping this in mind, I really liked this film. The story is "old" (ie. twins separated at birth and coming together later in life with the expected mix-ups) but with Jackie (twice!) it is a lot of fun. The last action scene in the car factory shows Jackie's amazing acrobatic and martial arts skills to perfection. If you are Hong Kong movie buff, there are a lot of cameo appearances by HK actors and directors. Jackie did not direct this film, so ignore any criticism of bad direction by him! Most of the films Jackie directed himself are superb action pieces, though the acting is not very good in some. Jackie is more interested in action than dialogue, though "Accidental Spy", his latest Asian release, is extremely good in all aspects, both action and action, with a good storyline. Anyway, give Twin Dragons a look - it will be worth it.

Lots of fun - but not one of the best
Just a quick note: I don't think some of the reviewers have paid attention. There are criticisms to Jackie Chan as director. Well, two notes: 1) He did not directed this movie 2) Most of the best Jackie Chan movies have been directed by him. He has been recognized as an excellent director.

Anyway, this movie was done for the construction of some association for directors from Hong Kong, and that explains why the multiple directors. Jackie Chan has said he is not satisfied with the final result of the movie.

But don't be scared. This is an excellent comedy, using the old joke about mixed identities. It is not heavy on the action side, but includes some nice fight scenes, including a final shutdown at a facility for testing cars.

If you are looking for one Chan movie, there are better ones to select for starters (Supercop, Operation Condor, Rumble in the Bronx). But if you are a die hard fan, you will want to take a look at "Twin Dragons".

a good funny movie but not an action one.
I am a cantonese person and I rent this US version dvd. Is some ways it disapointted me because it doesn't provide cantonese audio and they substitute English audio instead. Anyway, this movie is so funny is so ways. I especially like the bathroom scene. It can't help laugh loudly. The action parts are quite boring but I think American people would like to watch them.
I would like to give it a 4 stars if it provides chinese audio.

Stick with an Original
Why American production make HK movies look so cheap? First of all, they cut off so much scene, second of all ruin it by making look acting so dumb by English Dubb. For ANY of HK movies, ALWAYS stick with ORIGINAL LICENSED HK RELEASE. Be careful with cheap imports, boots though.

"I think I got the fighter!!!!"
...If your interested in a REAL Jackie Chan movie, with REAL stunts, REAL comedy, REAL action, and REAL Jackie, look no further than TWIN DRAGONS.
It may not be entiely convincing that the twins are really together inframe (the split screen effects are as corny as they get) and the story may not be entirely original...but TWIN DRAGONS is nevertheless, one of the best Jackie Chan movies ever...

Jackie plays Boomer, womanizing, karate choppin' mechanic living in Hong Kong, and the brother he never kenw he had, reknown condutor John Ma. Ma arrives in Hong Kong to give a concert and things go completely cattewumpus. Ma knows kung fu about as well as Boomer knows how to conduct a concert
Boomer:P>Before long, bad guys have kidnapped Boomer's smart-...buddy Tyson (Teddy Robin, who also produced)...with all that to worry about, there's even girl trouble, when Ma's lady Tammy (Nina Li Chi) winds up in the sack with Boomer, believing him to be Ma, and lovely lounge singer Barbara (lovely Maggie Cheung) falls for Ma believing him to be Boomer.

The summary of TWIN DRAGONS plot simply does not do it justice. From the moment Boomer gets in a fight with an entire night club full of mobsters, the movie has already hit take off velocity. Fans of the sexy Maggie Cheung...will find she doesn't have much to do, but looks fabulous not doing it. This is only one of the movie's she's done with Jackie. off the the top of my head, I can name many others, but let it suffice to say that for action, comedy, and Maggie Cheung, Jackie Chan's TWIN DRAGONS can't lose. ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Very good movie
This movie is alot different than van damme's usual movies. This movie has a more serious plot. Him and his wife are living in russia becasue van damme has to work there. his wife is murdered and when van damme takes the killer to court, they let the killer off, due to lack of evidence. Van damme comes out of the room takes a pistal and kills him right outside the court doors. He is sent to a jail where the people where the guards dont give a crap about the people in the prison. There are many fight battles. The battles come about when either 2 men want to fight against each other, or the guards want to pick 2 fighters. The owner of the prison bets on the winner and thats how he makes money. This movie has good acting, action scenes and realism. This is a must see, for all movie fans.

Worth Buying 4 1/2 Stars
Well I guess I'll do a review too.

Reading the plot outline to IN HELL, it would be easy to assume that it's just another typical Jean-Claude Van Damme fancy kicks, buttock shots, big guns festival. But much to my surprise, it wound up being a deep, gritty, poignant, intense and mature picture instead. Who knew? After the abysmal DERAILED (his worst film along with STREETFIGHTER), the Muscles from Brussels returns to top form in what is his best movie since REPLICANT and probably his strongest performance ever. This bitter pill punched hard with its unrestrained display of human ugliness, gripping symbolism and brutal violence which itself was dipped in philosophy and a sadness stricken aura. The films "ace" though was that it played it mainly as an engaging character-driven piece about one mans loss of his soul and his tortuous journey in prison to regain it. Thankfully, J-C was up to the task. I felt his characters pain, gulped a few times and was rooting for the main man the whole way.

Visually, the movie also came out a big winner with its strong showing of exquisite photography, stylish/creative shots and an intoxicating morbid atmosphere. Think David Fincher (SEVEN) like. And the fight sequences, you may ask? Well, we're treated to a different flavor than the usual Van Damme here. Gone are the "show off" aerial kicks that wouldn't hold up in a real fight and present is a more grounded style of fighting that reinforced the films realism and emotional impact. Sadly, parts of the script weren't up to par. Without the minor plot holes, the various prison movie cliches, the obvious devices to communicate substance and the tacky "ghost" appearance, the flick would've reached a higher level of quality. But in the end, I was still genuinely moved, impressed and highly entertained by IN HELL. It transcended its faults and affected me on many levels. Way to go, Jean-Claude

Very good prison action/drama
I'm really sick of reading these negative 2 to 1 star reviews of this film by people who are pissed there are no high flying kicks. HELLO this is NOT a popcorn action film, it's more of a drama with REALISTIC depictions of prison fighting. It's like watching Keanu Reeves in "Something's Gotta Give," a romantic comedy, then being pissed he wasnt busting out guns or kicking people like in the Matrix. Give the movie a bad rating because it fails in some way, NOT because you think it should have more chop-socky fighting.

All that aside, I was very surprised by this film. After the unwatchable "Order" and tear-jerkingly horrendous "Derailed," I had lost hope for Van Damme, but "In Hell" is possibly one of his best films and one of the most effective prison dramas in the last few years. The cinematography and directing is great, thanks to Ringo Lam, a very underrated Hong Kong director, and the acting is very good as well. Van Damme has grown as an actor, and it shows in this film. Also look for a cameo by actor Paulo Tocha(Paco, the arrogant kickboxer from Bloodsport) as Victor.

Van Damme is Kyle, a man jailed in a Russian prison for killing the murderer of his wife. The wardens set up illegal fights inside the prison, and Van Damme struggles to survive inside while maintaining his humanity.

The fights are brutal and VERY realistic. They mirror real fights you would see in the streets or in UFC and other full contact events, which means elements of grappling and ground fighting are heavily utilized. This adds that much more to the realism of the film and shows Van Damme's versatility as a martial artist. In Derailed we saw some Ju-Jitsu and grappling from Van Damme, but he showcases these skills more heavily in this film.

Do not rent or buy this film if you are looking for mindless action and high flying split kicks like in other Van Damme movies, but DO rent or buy it if you want to see a gritty and well directed prison drama with some realistic and brutal fights.

Please Support This
Please support this movie. In Hell is a movie that attempts to fill it's dark, prison combating with more than meets the eye, and even though In Hell isn't an entirely successful picture it is infused with enough ingredients to warrant multiple viewings. I mean you've got to give Van Damme credit after all these yrs, and flops, he's still bustin it and genuinely trying to make a non inferior product, sure he's got to pay the bills but one gets the feeling that with this movie it's also still about creativity and entertainment.

BEST
i freaking love this movie its one of his best ive seen from this time. Replica was cool and this one was something i wasnt expecting . FOR all u SO CALL FANS SAY O THIS SUCKED CASUE NO FIGHTING. u GUYS ainT FANS NOTHING BUT PU$$Y$. EVERYONE this movie is great good plot cause most prison are like that. nice fighting. and acting aint that bad. MAKes HIM LOOK LIKE A WIMP its a damn movie
beside he dosnt know any really moves cause he a fake A ACTOR not like JET LI he the real thing anyways good movie must watch then if u want BUY. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Ho hum.
The production of Francis Drake consists of a narration, some live action monologues, beautiful costumes, and nice close-ups of antique maps. The acting by the Francis Drake character, and other characters, consists mainly in a number of poses. There is little real dialogue, just mainly monologues by the actors. Francis Drake's speech is somewhat easy to understand, but there is a young, blond-haired actor who plays some other character, whose speech is unintelligible. At one point, the Queen Elizabeth character talks to herself by a window, posing stiffly. Wouldn't if have been better to have her talking with some other character? This picture could be helped a bit if it allowed you to activate captions, since the actor's speech is not well recorded. The scenes of the ship, both inside and out, are lovely and inspiring. However, there are no scenes of the ship (Golden Hinde) in the proximity of any other ships, and there are no scenes of it docking near any beaches or towns. Hence, the production as a whole gets a little monotonous. The production could be improved by a few dialogues involving two actors, an argument or two, a short debate, some amusing banter. The company that made this video made a large series of videos on historic persons. Unfortunately, I also bought their version of King Alfred the Great. It too, has monotonous monologues, and speech that is not well recorded.

THE ADVENTURERS!
Here is an international SPY THRILLER from director RINGO LAM! Starring ANDY LAU as a young Cambodian who heads to San Francisco's CHINATOWN twenty years after seeing his parents killed by a TREACHEROUS CIA AGENT! Now the killer has become a CRIME BOSS and now Wai Lok-yan, now known as MANDY CHAN, is going to get his revenge! Co-starring the lovely ROSAMUND KWAN! Not as much action as you would expect from a HONG KONG film, but, HEY! They can't all be good! ALSO you will be outrageously happy to know that this DVD includes both the CANTONESE and MANDARIAN soundtracks!

Video Review of "Sir Francis Drake"
This British filmed documentary depicts historical events in Sir F.Drake's early days as a privateer, the famous circling the globe in the "Golden Hind" ship during 1577-1580,his relationship with Queen Elizabeth I,the defeat of the Spanish Armada at his hands and ultimately his shipboard demise.The movie may be a nice addition for Drake, Naval or Anglophile historians, libraries or schools.There is a lot of footage of the replica "Golden Hind" ship on the high seas with English actors in 16th Century clothing recounting the drama of the events. This is not the most action packed historical documentary.There are no fancy computer graphics or elaborate fight scenes with the Drake's foes but the producers did a commendable job recounting Drake's storied life.

Shackleton - The Search for Good Video Documentation
As one thirsty to find good video content on Shackleton's legendary expedition to Antartica, I am especially interested in Hurley's (Shackleton's photographer on his Endurance voyage) motion picture images, said to exist and to be used to document that trip. Unfortunately, this video has (little or) no footage of Hurley's moving pictures, but does contain the most famous still photos. Perhaps the weakest part of the video is the periodic dramatization, in a studio, of the life threatening circumstances. The snow and setting are obviously fake and don't convey the sense of suffering and harsh conditions under which the expedition labored. On the positive side, the video does a good overall bio on Shackleton, presenting him in a positive light, and showing something of the extraordinary nature of his character. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

A rather mean-spirited vehicle for the normally empathetic Chow Yun-fat, with a brass-knuckle plot that recalls the Crook's Revenge story line of Payback and its source movie, Point Blank. Chow is Joe (just plain Joe), a tattooed, crew-cut professional thief who chews Clint Eastwood's old stogies, packs a sawed-off shotgun, and roars around on a chopped Harley. Betrayed and left for dead by turncoat pal Anthony Wong (the head gunrunner in John Woo's Hard Boiled), he returns several months later, in a really bad mood, to retrieve his share of the swag. The rabbit-punch aesthetic of director Ringo Lam is certainly compelling, and there are genuine innovations in the depiction of violence--like a shooting filmed from the bullet's point of view. The Asian-American actress Ann Bridgewater swivels her way through a couple of hot dance numbers as Joe's stripper girlfriend. --David Chute ... Read more

Reviews (19)

The Greatest Movie Ever Made...
This is the greatest movie of all-time. Its got it all: ultra-violence, unbelievable camera moves, incredible action scenes, a tight script, a talented director(Ringo Lam) and most importantly of all...Chow Yun-Fat, the most charismatic actor of the present era, who gives, in my opinion, his best performance to date.

On top of all of the above named, 'Full Contact' has the great villain in a film ever...Simon Yam is unbelievable as this homosexual gangster. Simon is classic.

If you say you like HK cinema and you don't dig this movie, you're a total reject. This is the finest film ever made. Go see it. Go buy it. Enjoy it.

Film Yes, DVD No
"Full Contact" ranks high on the list of classic Hong Kong "heroic bloodshed" action films. Grittier and more extreme than John Woo's films (more gore and maimings, and characters who are less noble), it's an entertaining ride, and a good showcase for the always-magnetic Chow Yun-Fat. Unfortunately, this DVD re-release has a serious problem -- the actual video print is a big improvement on the original Tai Seng release, but whole chunks of soundtrack seem to be missing from the Chinese audio track (strangely enough, they're present on the English audio track). If you don't mind watching your Hong Kong movies in English, this is a good buy, but if you're a purist, you're better off sticking with the original Tai Seng DVD for the complete Chinese audio track.

BRILLIANT..SUPERB
This is a Excellent FIlm. If you Like guns and violence Watch This. Violent and Betrayal. Chow Yun Fat is Brilliant. He is the Pacino/De Niro of Hong Kong Cinema.

Gritty!!! Violent!!! Brutal!!! Great!!!
Plot Outline: After Sam (Anthony Wong) gets in trouble with some triads over a gambling debt, his best friend Jeff (Chow Yun-Fat) has to bail him out. Sam gets word that his cousin Judge (Simon Yam) wants him and his friends to help them pull a job robbing a truck. Once on the job Jeff finds out it was all a trick set up by the triads to kill him. In a turn of betrayal, Sam is forced by his cousin to shoot Jeff. They leave Jeff to die in a burning building, only Jeff makes it out alive. Now he looks for revenge.

The Review: Full Contact is easily the sleaziest, grittiest and downright most vulgar HK action film I've ever seen. Now that I've said that, it's also just one outright cool film. Taking what could have been just an average tale of revenge, Ringo Lam injected the film with the style of the 80's and a healthy dose of brutal violence. The film represents all that was great of the all but dead Heroic Bloodshed genre. It's still around, but you don't see too many films like Full Contact anymore.

Don't misunderstand me, the violence in Full Contact, while plentiful, doesn't quite top the likes of A Better Tomorrow II, but the film is just a whole lot seedier. The violence in John Woo's films are usually comical to some point, but here the violence takes place somewhat in reality. The gunplay is actually fairly minimal really. There's only a couple of gunfights, and excluding the first person bullet effects, they aren't really all that spectacular. The violence in the film is just accentuated by the feel of the film. In one of the more brutal scenes in the film, Anthony Wong's character shoots a man in the head about seven times, covering the guy in blood. It's just an ugly image, and made uglier by the scenery and characters. It takes place in a dingy warehouse and watching his blood splatter all over his hands can almost make you feel uncomfortable.

When I first sat down to watch Full Contact I didn't know much about it and wasn't expecting much. I had read on a message board somewhere in the past that it was supposed to be a great non-Woo HK action film so I decided to give it a chance. Within the first five minutes of watching the film, it makes it's case strongly, and lets you know exactly what kind of film it's going to be. Simon Yam's gang robs what appears to be a jewelry store, in the process he stabs a innocent woman through the chest then proceeds to have her open the vault. We're introduced to the rest of his gang too. Mona, the promiscuous and Deano the muscular freak (played by Frankie Chin, best known as the guy who tries to strangle Ricky in Ricky-Oh). The introduction is so simple, but it's just so perfect. It's hard to put my hand on it, it's just the perfect way to start the film. A kick to the gut for the audience.

If one thing bothered me most about the film the first time I watched it, it was surprisingly enough Chow himself. Not that he gives a bad performance or anything like that, it's just his clothing style is just terrible. He wears a short sleeve shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Add to that a crew cut and a leather vest over the shirt, and you've got one goofy looking chow. The second time I sat through it I just took it in as part of the cheesyness of the film. The roaring electric guitar solos, the clothes... it's all so classic 80's.

The style, the violence, and the characters are what makes the film. Simon Yam is repulsive in his role as a flamboyantly gay sociopath who let's nothing stand in his way. Chow puts in a great effort, but it doesn't really take much from Chow to please. He could be playing a coma patient and would still ooze 'cool' from his pours. When I first watched the film I wasn't familiar with Anthony Wong, so I didn't actually ever notice him, but now that I've seen Beast Cops I was surprised to find out that it was he who played Sam. He's gained a whole lot of weight over the years, but I think he's actually more suited with the weight on. In this film, when his character becomes a tough guy it's kind of hard to take serious, but with some weight on him Wong comes off a bit more intimidating. As far as acting goes, those are the central characters. Everyone else puts in decent enough performances even though the girls just seem to be there for eye candy. Nice eye candy, but eye candy just the same.

To wrap things up, Full Contact stands out as one of the best Heroic Bloodshed films made not by John Woo. That actually sounds a little harsh, I don't compare the film to Woo's work, but it's just unavoidable. Anyway, I've debated with myself whether to give it a four or a five for a while now, and I've come to the conclusion that it's getting the Stubbing Award. Sure, it doesn't add a whole lot more to the genre, but it delivers what is one of the funnest rides the genre has ever produced. Full Contact is a classic, not to be missed by HK film fans, or gritty gangster film fans for that matter.

One of Chow's Best!
I've had a quality bootleg VHS copy of this film for years, but picked up this DVD on the cheap to compare it to the original Golden Princess release. In some ways its better (more squibs, better subtitles, more dialogue and scenes) and in some ways it's worse (characters names have been changed, much of the rocking HK soundtrack missing). Inexplicably Jeff's name has been changed to Godfrey. Godfrey! What kind of name is that for a tough guy? Virgin's name has been changed to Yin and the big muscular villian is now Madman. I believe originally it was Deano or something like that but don't quote me on it as I haven't watched the original version in a while. The great guitar work is missing from both the Bangkok car chase and the final nightclub shootout, but most of the other music remains intact, notably as Chow recuperates and trains in Bangkok and when Mona is dancing at the nightclub. This DVD has english and chinese language dialog and widescreen and full screen picture. Buy it man, it kicks a$$! ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A Ringo Lam action fest.
Look, Van Damme films will never be in a class that I consider good fare. His stuff is usually thin on plot, full of laughable dialogue, and fist-thick on martial arts. Does that mean that I don't watch his stuff? No it doesn't. I've watched his movies because there are times that I don't want to think, just escape, and he provides just that in "Maximum Risk". Out of his movies that I have seen, this one turned out to be one of his best, if not the best (but honestly, he doesn't give us a lot to choose from).

"Maximum Risk" is an extremely violent movie with a very high body count. I lost track of the dead early on. While the plot is as thin as always (Russian mafia, twin brother, beautiful girl), Ringo Lam pumps it up with some nifty car chases (if you like that sort of thing) and provides the viewer with one heck of a ride as we step over the bodies. This is non-stop action from the get-go, and the fight scenes (yes, there are many) are hard-hitting and brutal, yet believable (almost a first).

For those that like Van Damme, this movie should be high on your list. For the rest of us, well, it is violent and even mean-spirited, but I ended up enjoying the ride, and the credit must go to director Lam. Between 1 and 10, "Maximum Risk" gets a solid 6.

Van Damme's best movie
I am a fan of action movies, but I've found some of Van Damme's previous flicks (most notably, Knock Off), to be below average. After seeing this movie on TV, however, I was quite impressed and ended up buying it.

As with most action movies, this one features a hero (Van Damme) who has to kick some butt, aided by a beautiful girl (Natasha Henstridge). The movie starts off with a pretty good car chase, followed by lots of scenes with guns firing and martial arts sequences. The plot isn't extensive -- Van Damme's character's twin brother is killed and he now assumes his twin's identity, only to be hounded by the Russian mafia and corrupt FBI agents.

I've only seen the VHS version, so unfortunately I can't comment on the DVD sound and video quality. Nevertheless, this is a good standard action flick -- in my opinion, Van Damme's best movie (or at least it rivals Bloodsport), and I recommend it for any action movie fan.

One of JCVD's best movies!!!
This was a great flick that had action from start to finsh! If you like a lot of shootouts, car crashes, and SUPER HOT women like Natasha Henstridge then you will love this movie. The director Ringo Lam (from Replicant) does a great job with all the camera angles. The best angles were when JCVD does his shooting and the stunts were amazing. This is plain and simply a great movie.

Damme Good Action Movie!!!
THIS HAS TO BE ONE OF VAN DAMME'S TOP 3 MOVIES. There is plenty of action and excitement that will make you want to watch it over and over again. Natasha Henstridge is down right sexy and georgeous. She played a perfect role in this movie. The movie was well-acted and thought it deserved a 5 star. This movie is a must-own on DVD. The sound quality is great as well as the picture. *Van Damme kicks plenty of...

utterly Van Damme's best
Van Damme has Derailed and went In Hell for some of his career, but this one I would say is his best, well next to Universal Soldier and Bloodsport I'd say its right up there with them. basically about Van Damme getting killed and then Van Damme coming into his brothers life. fast action and a good finale make this worth while ... Read more

Reviews (35)

One of Van Damme's best
While Jean-Claude Van Damme may be a direct to video action star now, Replicant is a surprisingly good film that should have seen time in theaters instead of other Van Damme flops like Knock Off and Double Team. The storyline, which has Van Damme doing double duty as a serial killer called The Torch and a clone of the killer, is instantly ignored as we see how surprisingly creepy and effective Van Damme is as the killer, and how naive and innocent he is as the developing clone. Michael Rooker is great as well (he always is though) as the ex-cop on the killer's trail. The action scenes are very well put together, and as I said before, the acting from Van Damme is so unbelieveably good in his dual roles that you might forgive him for films like Street Fighter and The Quest (well, maybe not), but all in all, Replicant is one of Van Damme's best, and it is a shame it has gone direct to video.

Two Van Dammes,One Damme Good Movie...
I hate to say it but Van Damme's days as a box office superstar are over and probally we'll never see one of his flicks in theaters again.Replicant another film that went straight to video is a surprisingly good film.The film is directed by Ringo Ram,who also directed "Maximum Risk$Q brings alot of story and thought into the picture.Even though we've seen two Van Dammes before like in "Double Impact" this one has a more convincing story.Michael Rooker who plays Detective Jake Riley really does a great job acting.Van Dammes acting was also good and it's the first time he's really acted like a child,it's really funny.Even though liscensed critics down the movie,I however like it enough so that I own the DVD,it's a great film to watch if you like drama,action and a great sequence to a storyline.

THIS SHOULD'VE HIT THEATRES
IN AN ATTEMPT TO CATCH A SERIAL KILLER [VAN DAMME], THE POLICE CLONE THE SERIAL KILLER [THE CLONE IS ALSO PLAYED BY VAN DAMME]. HMM, THIS IS DEFINITELY A FIRST. NOT ONLY DOES VAN DAMME PLAY THE USUAL HERO, BUT HE ALSO PLAYS THE VILLAIN. VAN DAMME ACTUALLY MAKES A VERY INTRIGUING BAD GUY. THIS MOVIE IS DEFINITELY A HIGH STEP UP FROM MOVIES LIKE ''DESERT HEAT'' AND ''LEGIONNAIRE''. GOOD ACTION SEQUENCES AND A CLEVER PLOT. VAN DAMME SHOULD PLAY A VILLAIN MORE OFTEN. THIS SHOULD BE A TREAT FOR ACTION FANS AND VAN DAMME FANS ALIKE. ACTUALLY ONE OF VAN DAMME'S BEST MOVIES.

Van Damne vs Van Damne
Againg i saw this movie on T.V,and i loved it.Van Damne plays 2 characters.I character hes a killer that kills mom thats bad to their children.His other character is a clone so he could he get the bad one for this F.B.I agent.I loved this movie.I coudnt wait at the end becuase thats when Van Damne fights Van Damne.Good fight,they should make more of these.This movie is worth watching,trust me I am like a huge Van Damne fan and when I say his movie is good,then its good.

horrid..I was fearing for my life
Van Damme in my perspective has gone soft and turned into a horrible actor..he doesnt even come out with movies that hit theaters anymore...in this one..again he has a double..like in Double Impact which was better then this piece of junk...lots and lots of terrible acting deffently down this puppy...along for the flop with Van Damme is Michael Rooker(The 6th Day...sorta seems like this movie is a rip off of the 6th day because when I seen it I was like..hey..sorta has the same atmosphere as The 6th day with Arnold)...nothig but a dumb flop ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Ho hum.
The production of Francis Drake consists of a narration, some live action monologues, beautiful costumes, and nice close-ups of antique maps. The acting by the Francis Drake character, and other characters, consists mainly in a number of poses. There is little real dialogue, just mainly monologues by the actors. Francis Drake's speech is somewhat easy to understand, but there is a young, blond-haired actor who plays some other character, whose speech is unintelligible. At one point, the Queen Elizabeth character talks to herself by a window, posing stiffly. Wouldn't if have been better to have her talking with some other character? This picture could be helped a bit if it allowed you to activate captions, since the actor's speech is not well recorded. The scenes of the ship, both inside and out, are lovely and inspiring. However, there are no scenes of the ship (Golden Hinde) in the proximity of any other ships, and there are no scenes of it docking near any beaches or towns. Hence, the production as a whole gets a little monotonous. The production could be improved by a few dialogues involving two actors, an argument or two, a short debate, some amusing banter. The company that made this video made a large series of videos on historic persons. Unfortunately, I also bought their version of King Alfred the Great. It too, has monotonous monologues, and speech that is not well recorded.

THE ADVENTURERS!
Here is an international SPY THRILLER from director RINGO LAM! Starring ANDY LAU as a young Cambodian who heads to San Francisco's CHINATOWN twenty years after seeing his parents killed by a TREACHEROUS CIA AGENT! Now the killer has become a CRIME BOSS and now Wai Lok-yan, now known as MANDY CHAN, is going to get his revenge! Co-starring the lovely ROSAMUND KWAN! Not as much action as you would expect from a HONG KONG film, but, HEY! They can't all be good! ALSO you will be outrageously happy to know that this DVD includes both the CANTONESE and MANDARIAN soundtracks!

Video Review of "Sir Francis Drake"
This British filmed documentary depicts historical events in Sir F.Drake's early days as a privateer, the famous circling the globe in the "Golden Hind" ship during 1577-1580,his relationship with Queen Elizabeth I,the defeat of the Spanish Armada at his hands and ultimately his shipboard demise.The movie may be a nice addition for Drake, Naval or Anglophile historians, libraries or schools.There is a lot of footage of the replica "Golden Hind" ship on the high seas with English actors in 16th Century clothing recounting the drama of the events. This is not the most action packed historical documentary.There are no fancy computer graphics or elaborate fight scenes with the Drake's foes but the producers did a commendable job recounting Drake's storied life.

Shackleton - The Search for Good Video Documentation
As one thirsty to find good video content on Shackleton's legendary expedition to Antartica, I am especially interested in Hurley's (Shackleton's photographer on his Endurance voyage) motion picture images, said to exist and to be used to document that trip. Unfortunately, this video has (little or) no footage of Hurley's moving pictures, but does contain the most famous still photos. Perhaps the weakest part of the video is the periodic dramatization, in a studio, of the life threatening circumstances. The snow and setting are obviously fake and don't convey the sense of suffering and harsh conditions under which the expedition labored. On the positive side, the video does a good overall bio on Shackleton, presenting him in a positive light, and showing something of the extraordinary nature of his character. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Ho hum.
The production of Francis Drake consists of a narration, some live action monologues, beautiful costumes, and nice close-ups of antique maps. The acting by the Francis Drake character, and other characters, consists mainly in a number of poses. There is little real dialogue, just mainly monologues by the actors. Francis Drake's speech is somewhat easy to understand, but there is a young, blond-haired actor who plays some other character, whose speech is unintelligible. At one point, the Queen Elizabeth character talks to herself by a window, posing stiffly. Wouldn't if have been better to have her talking with some other character? This picture could be helped a bit if it allowed you to activate captions, since the actor's speech is not well recorded. The scenes of the ship, both inside and out, are lovely and inspiring. However, there are no scenes of the ship (Golden Hinde) in the proximity of any other ships, and there are no scenes of it docking near any beaches or towns. Hence, the production as a whole gets a little monotonous. The production could be improved by a few dialogues involving two actors, an argument or two, a short debate, some amusing banter. The company that made this video made a large series of videos on historic persons. Unfortunately, I also bought their version of King Alfred the Great. It too, has monotonous monologues, and speech that is not well recorded.

THE ADVENTURERS!
Here is an international SPY THRILLER from director RINGO LAM! Starring ANDY LAU as a young Cambodian who heads to San Francisco's CHINATOWN twenty years after seeing his parents killed by a TREACHEROUS CIA AGENT! Now the killer has become a CRIME BOSS and now Wai Lok-yan, now known as MANDY CHAN, is going to get his revenge! Co-starring the lovely ROSAMUND KWAN! Not as much action as you would expect from a HONG KONG film, but, HEY! They can't all be good! ALSO you will be outrageously happy to know that this DVD includes both the CANTONESE and MANDARIAN soundtracks!

Video Review of "Sir Francis Drake"
This British filmed documentary depicts historical events in Sir F.Drake's early days as a privateer, the famous circling the globe in the "Golden Hind" ship during 1577-1580,his relationship with Queen Elizabeth I,the defeat of the Spanish Armada at his hands and ultimately his shipboard demise.The movie may be a nice addition for Drake, Naval or Anglophile historians, libraries or schools.There is a lot of footage of the replica "Golden Hind" ship on the high seas with English actors in 16th Century clothing recounting the drama of the events. This is not the most action packed historical documentary.There are no fancy computer graphics or elaborate fight scenes with the Drake's foes but the producers did a commendable job recounting Drake's storied life.

Shackleton - The Search for Good Video Documentation
As one thirsty to find good video content on Shackleton's legendary expedition to Antartica, I am especially interested in Hurley's (Shackleton's photographer on his Endurance voyage) motion picture images, said to exist and to be used to document that trip. Unfortunately, this video has (little or) no footage of Hurley's moving pictures, but does contain the most famous still photos. Perhaps the weakest part of the video is the periodic dramatization, in a studio, of the life threatening circumstances. The snow and setting are obviously fake and don't convey the sense of suffering and harsh conditions under which the expedition labored. On the positive side, the video does a good overall bio on Shackleton, presenting him in a positive light, and showing something of the extraordinary nature of his character. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

One of Van Damme's best
While Jean-Claude Van Damme may be a direct to video action star now, Replicant is a surprisingly good film that should have seen time in theaters instead of other Van Damme flops like Knock Off and Double Team. The storyline, which has Van Damme doing double duty as a serial killer called The Torch and a clone of the killer, is instantly ignored as we see how surprisingly creepy and effective Van Damme is as the killer, and how naive and innocent he is as the developing clone. Michael Rooker is great as well (he always is though) as the ex-cop on the killer's trail. The action scenes are very well put together, and as I said before, the acting from Van Damme is so unbelieveably good in his dual roles that you might forgive him for films like Street Fighter and The Quest (well, maybe not), but all in all, Replicant is one of Van Damme's best, and it is a shame it has gone direct to video.

Two Van Dammes,One Damme Good Movie...
I hate to say it but Van Damme's days as a box office superstar are over and probally we'll never see one of his flicks in theaters again.Replicant another film that went straight to video is a surprisingly good film.The film is directed by Ringo Ram,who also directed "Maximum Risk$Q brings alot of story and thought into the picture.Even though we've seen two Van Dammes before like in "Double Impact" this one has a more convincing story.Michael Rooker who plays Detective Jake Riley really does a great job acting.Van Dammes acting was also good and it's the first time he's really acted like a child,it's really funny.Even though liscensed critics down the movie,I however like it enough so that I own the DVD,it's a great film to watch if you like drama,action and a great sequence to a storyline.

THIS SHOULD'VE HIT THEATRES
IN AN ATTEMPT TO CATCH A SERIAL KILLER [VAN DAMME], THE POLICE CLONE THE SERIAL KILLER [THE CLONE IS ALSO PLAYED BY VAN DAMME]. HMM, THIS IS DEFINITELY A FIRST. NOT ONLY DOES VAN DAMME PLAY THE USUAL HERO, BUT HE ALSO PLAYS THE VILLAIN. VAN DAMME ACTUALLY MAKES A VERY INTRIGUING BAD GUY. THIS MOVIE IS DEFINITELY A HIGH STEP UP FROM MOVIES LIKE ''DESERT HEAT'' AND ''LEGIONNAIRE''. GOOD ACTION SEQUENCES AND A CLEVER PLOT. VAN DAMME SHOULD PLAY A VILLAIN MORE OFTEN. THIS SHOULD BE A TREAT FOR ACTION FANS AND VAN DAMME FANS ALIKE. ACTUALLY ONE OF VAN DAMME'S BEST MOVIES.

Van Damne vs Van Damne
Againg i saw this movie on T.V,and i loved it.Van Damne plays 2 characters.I character hes a killer that kills mom thats bad to their children.His other character is a clone so he could he get the bad one for this F.B.I agent.I loved this movie.I coudnt wait at the end becuase thats when Van Damne fights Van Damne.Good fight,they should make more of these.This movie is worth watching,trust me I am like a huge Van Damne fan and when I say his movie is good,then its good.

horrid..I was fearing for my life
Van Damme in my perspective has gone soft and turned into a horrible actor..he doesnt even come out with movies that hit theaters anymore...in this one..again he has a double..like in Double Impact which was better then this piece of junk...lots and lots of terrible acting deffently down this puppy...along for the flop with Van Damme is Michael Rooker(The 6th Day...sorta seems like this movie is a rip off of the 6th day because when I seen it I was like..hey..sorta has the same atmosphere as The 6th day with Arnold)...nothig but a dumb flop ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A Ringo Lam action fest.
Look, Van Damme films will never be in a class that I consider good fare. His stuff is usually thin on plot, full of laughable dialogue, and fist-thick on martial arts. Does that mean that I don't watch his stuff? No it doesn't. I've watched his movies because there are times that I don't want to think, just escape, and he provides just that in "Maximum Risk". Out of his movies that I have seen, this one turned out to be one of his best, if not the best (but honestly, he doesn't give us a lot to choose from).

"Maximum Risk" is an extremely violent movie with a very high body count. I lost track of the dead early on. While the plot is as thin as always (Russian mafia, twin brother, beautiful girl), Ringo Lam pumps it up with some nifty car chases (if you like that sort of thing) and provides the viewer with one heck of a ride as we step over the bodies. This is non-stop action from the get-go, and the fight scenes (yes, there are many) are hard-hitting and brutal, yet believable (almost a first).

For those that like Van Damme, this movie should be high on your list. For the rest of us, well, it is violent and even mean-spirited, but I ended up enjoying the ride, and the credit must go to director Lam. Between 1 and 10, "Maximum Risk" gets a solid 6.

Van Damme's best movie
I am a fan of action movies, but I've found some of Van Damme's previous flicks (most notably, Knock Off), to be below average. After seeing this movie on TV, however, I was quite impressed and ended up buying it.

As with most action movies, this one features a hero (Van Damme) who has to kick some butt, aided by a beautiful girl (Natasha Henstridge). The movie starts off with a pretty good car chase, followed by lots of scenes with guns firing and martial arts sequences. The plot isn't extensive -- Van Damme's character's twin brother is killed and he now assumes his twin's identity, only to be hounded by the Russian mafia and corrupt FBI agents.

I've only seen the VHS version, so unfortunately I can't comment on the DVD sound and video quality. Nevertheless, this is a good standard action flick -- in my opinion, Van Damme's best movie (or at least it rivals Bloodsport), and I recommend it for any action movie fan.

One of JCVD's best movies!!!
This was a great flick that had action from start to finsh! If you like a lot of shootouts, car crashes, and SUPER HOT women like Natasha Henstridge then you will love this movie. The director Ringo Lam (from Replicant) does a great job with all the camera angles. The best angles were when JCVD does his shooting and the stunts were amazing. This is plain and simply a great movie.

Damme Good Action Movie!!!
THIS HAS TO BE ONE OF VAN DAMME'S TOP 3 MOVIES. There is plenty of action and excitement that will make you want to watch it over and over again. Natasha Henstridge is down right sexy and georgeous. She played a perfect role in this movie. The movie was well-acted and thought it deserved a 5 star. This movie is a must-own on DVD. The sound quality is great as well as the picture. *Van Damme kicks plenty of...

utterly Van Damme's best
Van Damme has Derailed and went In Hell for some of his career, but this one I would say is his best, well next to Universal Soldier and Bloodsport I'd say its right up there with them. basically about Van Damme getting killed and then Van Damme coming into his brothers life. fast action and a good finale make this worth while ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Ho hum.
The production of Francis Drake consists of a narration, some live action monologues, beautiful costumes, and nice close-ups of antique maps. The acting by the Francis Drake character, and other characters, consists mainly in a number of poses. There is little real dialogue, just mainly monologues by the actors. Francis Drake's speech is somewhat easy to understand, but there is a young, blond-haired actor who plays some other character, whose speech is unintelligible. At one point, the Queen Elizabeth character talks to herself by a window, posing stiffly. Wouldn't if have been better to have her talking with some other character? This picture could be helped a bit if it allowed you to activate captions, since the actor's speech is not well recorded. The scenes of the ship, both inside and out, are lovely and inspiring. However, there are no scenes of the ship (Golden Hinde) in the proximity of any other ships, and there are no scenes of it docking near any beaches or towns. Hence, the production as a whole gets a little monotonous. The production could be improved by a few dialogues involving two actors, an argument or two, a short debate, some amusing banter. The company that made this video made a large series of videos on historic persons. Unfortunately, I also bought their version of King Alfred the Great. It too, has monotonous monologues, and speech that is not well recorded.

THE ADVENTURERS!
Here is an international SPY THRILLER from director RINGO LAM! Starring ANDY LAU as a young Cambodian who heads to San Francisco's CHINATOWN twenty years after seeing his parents killed by a TREACHEROUS CIA AGENT! Now the killer has become a CRIME BOSS and now Wai Lok-yan, now known as MANDY CHAN, is going to get his revenge! Co-starring the lovely ROSAMUND KWAN! Not as much action as you would expect from a HONG KONG film, but, HEY! They can't all be good! ALSO you will be outrageously happy to know that this DVD includes both the CANTONESE and MANDARIAN soundtracks!

Video Review of "Sir Francis Drake"
This British filmed documentary depicts historical events in Sir F.Drake's early days as a privateer, the famous circling the globe in the "Golden Hind" ship during 1577-1580,his relationship with Queen Elizabeth I,the defeat of the Spanish Armada at his hands and ultimately his shipboard demise.The movie may be a nice addition for Drake, Naval or Anglophile historians, libraries or schools.There is a lot of footage of the replica "Golden Hind" ship on the high seas with English actors in 16th Century clothing recounting the drama of the events. This is not the most action packed historical documentary.There are no fancy computer graphics or elaborate fight scenes with the Drake's foes but the producers did a commendable job recounting Drake's storied life.

Shackleton - The Search for Good Video Documentation
As one thirsty to find good video content on Shackleton's legendary expedition to Antartica, I am especially interested in Hurley's (Shackleton's photographer on his Endurance voyage) motion picture images, said to exist and to be used to document that trip. Unfortunately, this video has (little or) no footage of Hurley's moving pictures, but does contain the most famous still photos. Perhaps the weakest part of the video is the periodic dramatization, in a studio, of the life threatening circumstances. The snow and setting are obviously fake and don't convey the sense of suffering and harsh conditions under which the expedition labored. On the positive side, the video does a good overall bio on Shackleton, presenting him in a positive light, and showing something of the extraordinary nature of his character. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

really touches your heart
generally an above average movie, except for the most touching scene in the movie where the grandfather punishes the little girl by hidding her behind bundles of dried twigs(tree branches used for firewood) and locking her in the barn all for just crying. watch it and you will realise the subtleties of human emotions.

Subtle performances, appealing characters
Chow Yun Fat plays Hong Kong Police Sergeant Lau Chun Pong, nicknamed "Mew Mew". Mew Mew is a man on the ragged edge. He is, we learn a widower whose wife and child were killed by a robber, he is a man in a downward spiral. He seems numb to life that swirls around him--when he is first introduced, he's sitting in a car, chain smoking cigarettes and drinking from his flask, watching the drama of street life before him as he awaits the arrival of an informant. His expression is disinterested and weary--he pursues the arms dealers who are his prey with a curious detachment. He is going through the motions of being a policeman, yet one senses, that it is only his work that is keeping him going at all. He still commands the loyalty, respect and affection of his colleagues, including his supervisor. He's a good cop and a good man who has lost his way due to overwhelming grief.

Cherie Chung plays the sister of the murdered arms dealer--whose death sets the plot in motion. Chung's Cher Lee is a woman of quiet strength and dignity. Life has not been kind to her. Her husband betrayed her, leading a secret second life with a woman from the Chinese interior, fathering a son. During their marriage he berated her for being clumsy and stupid. Rather than continuing to suffer the humiliation, Cher has divorced him and lives quietly with her father, working along side him in the village fields, harvesting bamboo.

Her sister's death brings Mew Mew--pursuing the arms case--into her life in a dramatic fashion. Their relationship is at first contentious as he suspects her and her father of complicity in the dead sister's arms dealing. The relationship begins to transform as Mew Mew aids Cher in tracking down the father of her sister's illegitimate 4 year old daughter--who turns out to be the kingpin of the arms smuggling operation that the police are investigating.

Their bond is forged as the arms case heats up--thrown into each others company, facing adversity and danger, these two wounded souls begin to blossom. A tentative, tender relationship grows and is tested time and again through Mew Mew's suspension from the force (a result of threatening the powerful, rich arms kingpin); a domestic drama within Cher's family concerning her young niece and her father: the complication of Cher's ex-husband reentering the picture determined to
win his wife back; and an assassination attempt on Mew Mew's life by one of the kingpin's henchman--the murderer of Cher's sister.

To be sure, these are restrained performances, yet one only has to watch Cherie Chung as Cher as she sits at the bedside of the wounded Mew Mew, not knowing if he will live or die, her worry, longing and love playing over her features, to appreciate her work in this film. Chow's Mew Mew may lack the flash and dazzle of some of his bullet ballet roles, but the transformation from grief stricken widower to a man being brought back to life by love is fascinating to watch. His scenes with the young actress playing the daughter of the murdered woman are especially touching and heartwarming.

Action fans and bullet ballet junkies will be disappointed by this film. But those of us who enjoy character driven drama will find much to enjoy in Wild Search.

Good movie for Chow Yun Fat
This is one of the good movie acted by Chow Yun Fat. The story is very warm and caring. The acting for all the actors/actresses are pretty good. It is worth it to see. I don't need to read the subtitle, so I don't rate this movie based on the quality of the subtitle. But, as a Chinese, I am willing to give it a 5 stars.

This is a great movie...forget the other reviews.
This movie shows the soft and caring of CYF. It is a must have if you are a CYF fan. This movie is one of my favorite CYF films....it truly is a good movie.

Uninspired.
Another one of the formulaic action/romance films made by CYF from 1989. This was the same year as "God of Gamblers" and "The Killer" were released, both A pictures. This is definitely one of the B pictures, only worth watching for the more completist CYF fans.

CYF plays "Mew Mew", a widowed cop. While investigating the murder of a female arms dealer he meets Cher (played by his frequent castmate Cherie Chung), a country divorcee and sister of the dead arms dealer.

It is love at first sight for Mew Mew, even though he feels twinges of guilt before the memories of his dead wife and son. Cher and Mew Mew are thrown together while Mew Mew investigates Cher's sister's death, mainly by the existence of Ka Ka, the orphaned girl and niece of Cher.

There are some touching scenes between Mew Mew and Ka Ka; while it is never touched upon in the script, it seems as if Mew Mew enjoys taking care of the child as he might have done his own dead boy.

Unlike the other rough cops CYF has played in these B pictures, Mew Mew seems fastidious and neat, knows how to cook and treats his girl at least as well as his best friend. While in this film there are really no romantic moments between Mew Mew and Cher after that first fateful glance, there are some sweet scenes between them, but unfortunately they are brief at the expense of some of the action sequences - action which really isn't good enough to warrant pulling away from the story, such as it is.

A slight story doesn't give CYF or Cherie Chung, both consummate professionals, much to work with but they do their best. Miss Chung is always at her most interesting when portraying less sophisticated, more down-to-earth women and one really wishes she had had more to work with in this role; the scenes of her cutting bamboo and mixing traditional Chinese medicines for the new love in her life are solid and seem very natural. This pair of two of Hong Kong's finest actors are given wooden characters and while they manage to paint them in realistic colors, Mew Mew and Cher never really come to life except for some very brief moments.

The subtitling is very bad on this film (the Mei-Ah DVD); it looks as if the translation was done by machine, and not by a very sophisticated piece of software at that. For those who have seen a lot of these HK flicks subtitled in English you will be able to take the Canto-English and translate it on the fly; those who are unused to doing such may find the subtitling confusing at times and downright frustrating at others. At least most of the words are spelled correctly, even if misused, so I would give the subtitles a rating of 2 of 10 just for that (and that's being generous).

The direction, even though by Ringo Lam, is unexciting and unoriginal. It may be that he, apparently like CYF and Miss Chung, was simply uninspired by the whole idea of this film.

CYF looks good as usual, but a bit tired. 1989 saw the release of "A Better Tomorrow 3", "God of Gamblers", "The Killer", "Triads - The Inside Story" and this film. Two classic pictures, one very good one and two not-so-good ones in one short year is a remarkable achievement. Rent this one if you just want to see CYF and Cherie Chung together again, but only buy it if you are a CYFanatic looking to complete your collection. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Excellent
The story, acting, etc. in Burning Paradise does not quite reach the grandeur of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. For example, the acting and the romantic subplots aren't one bit as compelling. However, on its own merits, this is an excellent martial arts movie with a very effective gothic horror edge to it that makes it unique. The setting is mostly inside of a temple/prison filled with traps, wells full of bodies, and pits of flame representing as close an approximation of hell anyone could create on earth. Captured Shaolin monks who manage to fight their way past ruthless guards just find themselves impaled by snares. The temple is run by a sadistic old man who follows the old philosophy "it is better to rule in hell..." who also keeps a collection of dead girls. The scenes where he is painting images of hell or threatening the young heroine are extremely chilling. However, he makes the mistake of imprisoning the hero of the story who, of course, attempts to free the young maiden and all of the other captives in fighting scenes which are almost as good as anything in Crouching Tiger (and far more believable). The action keeps the more horrific aspects of the movie from overwhelming the audience, and it has a few moments of humour as funny as anything in Iron Monkey. But be prepared to see some slightly more graphic violence.

Well worth seeing
To my knowledge, this is Ringo Lam's only period piece, and while not cutting edge in the genre, it still is a singular achievement. If Edgar Allen Poe ever wrote the script for a martial arts movie, it would be just like Burning Paradise. Morbid and dark, there's a constant imagery of skeletons and death, with most of the movie set in the dungeon-like Red Lotus Temple, lorded over by a mad artist (no, I'm not kidding!!). After Qing soldiers burns down Shaolin Temple (which really did happen in the 18th century), the monks are imprisoned in the R.L. Temple and worked as slaves(which didn't happen-they either died or fled). One of the captured monks, Fong Sai Yuk, becomes a champion among the Shaolin deciples for their desire for freedom from the Manchu "dogs" who are the wardens in the temple. Other interesting characters include a renegade shaolin monk who betrays his fellow monks and becomes a vassal of the Quings (aka Manchus); Brooke, one of the R.L. Temple's female guards who's more than a little attractive, has formidle skill with a halberd and has the hots for the renegade shaolin monk (the woman of my dreams-attractive, amorous, and an expert martial artist); other interesting characters are a runaway prostitute Sai Yuk met while on the run in the beginnging of the movie who was captured and imprisoned with him, and who becomes his love interest (Sai Yuk's evidently a really tolerant guy); and the mad artist in command of the R.L. Temple who's one of the more interesting bad guys I've ever seen in a martial arts film-or anywhere for that matter (just picture Hannibal Lector as a Manchurian Picasso). The fight scenes are an 8.5 on a scale from 1-10. Not the best, but well above respectable (if you disagree, try doing any one of those moves on your own, and see if you don't end up hurting yourself). But what really makes this movie work is that it's not just your usual "here we go again" kung fu movie. From the bizzare weapons (wait to you see how Sai Yuk's horse looses it's head) to all the innumerable booby traps that make R.L. Temple seemingly impossible to escape, this movie has a feel all it's own. It's as unique as HK cinema gets.

dark, slick, and entertaining action piece
Burning Paradise is one tite action movie. All, the cinematography was great and the strong character development. There is a lot of blood and gore in the movie, one memorable one when a outraged Shaolin student was fighting with the woman ninja-type bodyguard, and spikes came out of the bridge, exploding through his legs. The plot was good. The only thing I wasn't really satisfied with was the action choreography. Man, Chris Lee can't direct action. He's incomparable to Yuen Woo-ping and his troup of "brothers", or Ching Siu-tung. Plus, Chris Lee is a rookie and there's only one action director and that's always worse. The fight sequences are so slow you can actually follow their movements in combat. Also, the movie took place mostly in the Red Lotus Temple, and it gets boring, not scary, there. You just see too much of it. Anyway, I'd give it a four since there were so many positive comments about the movie from other reviewers that compensate for my negative ones.

Serious side
This is a movie which I recently purchased at the store using the old, if Tai-Seng boxed it then it must be a decent movie strategy, and it was.The main character here is named Fong Sai Yuk,but believe me this character has absolutley nothing to do with Jet Li's character(this guy is a shaolin monk) so I don't know if it is a different interpretation of the hero or if the name is by coincidence.Anyway this is a good movie for any of those people who complain about chinese humor(which I enjoy) or any other silliness in Kung-fu movies because there is none here,just a straight forward serious tone script about a group called the Red Lotus Sect who enslaves monks in their temple.On the downside though this movie takes place all inside the temple after Fong is captured by the sect,so this movie really reminds me of Dragon Inn where the movie takes place in all one environment,good thing this movie encorporates alot of action which saves its dreary setting and the fights are very plentiful,the fights can be a mixed bag though,while some are staged perfectly others in-between seem as though they slacked off a bit, but as a whole the action gets at least a good B grade,a great aspect of this movie though is its special efects(no short budget here)alot of great pyrothecnics,none of the stab the fake dummy tricks,and alot of awesome looking dismemberments and flying projectiles which show this movie was no cheapo production.In all I enjoyed this movie, but actually like movies that can at least be light hearted for a few minutes and would have liked to see more scenery,but if your into more serious movies this is the one for you.

dark, brooding and entertaining
Burning Paradise stands on it's own as an unique piece of HK movie magic. The hero of the story is the legendary "Fong Sai Yuk" a rebellious and headstrong shaolin monk. The story revolves around the attempts of the "Red Lotus Clan" to wipe out the "Shaolin Temple". A Deadly Prison laden with traps is built by the Clan's leader as a symbol of hell and the monks are captured and imprisoned therein. The movie deals with the monks attempts to escape and contains some great characters. The Clan's leader is a mad artist (the actor who plays him is an artist in reality) and other Clan members include a traitor from the shaolin camp that must battle "fong sai yuk" and a female ninja type of guard who loves him. The cinematography is slick and their are some great action sequences and character development, lot's of fire is incoporated into this "living hell" making for many dramatic scenes. This film was made with a very high budget in HK terms but lost out at the box office - perhaps due to some rash comments Ringo Lam made about the Tianneman Square massacre which were misunderstood/taken badly by the public at large who decided not to see his movie. All in All, "Burning Paradise" should be seen by any fan of Hong Kong Cinema, it's a good story with plenty of adventure, romance, tragedy, betrayel etc. - add it to your basket! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Unusual
Ringo Lams "The Suspect" revolves around a recently released hit man whose only desire is to go straight, but the day after he gets out of prison, he is seemingly set up by a former partner for the attempted assasination of a local politician. Aided by a sympathetic reporter, he tries to both clear himself of his perceived role in the assasination attempt and sort out why his former partner set him up in the first place. Speaking from a westerners point of view, one of the attractions of Ringo Lams films is that his characters don't have the giddy silliness and don't become involved in petulent adolecent confrontations that are so specifically common in most other Hong Kong productions and all action films in general. This may or may not be a good thing depending on what you want from Hong Kong Cinema; this film doesn't have the constantly over the top action sequences that typify the genre and is more of a drama than an action film. My overall opinion is that it could have been a little more dynamic without loosing it's dramatic appeal, but it still beats the ...antics and dialogs of a lot of John Woos works. Like the characters in a lot of other Ringo Lam films, the characters in this film are both realistic and gritty, without the hollow pretentions one usually sees in an action film. However, conditioned as we are to expect a high level of action in most Hong Kong gun flicks, this is definately a rent it before you buy it kind of film.

OOPS....Ringo did it again
What shall I say? I nearly watched all the movies of Ringo Lam. OK, Maximum Risk wasn't that good, but overall none of his movies (eg. WILD SEARCH, FULL CONTACT, PRISON ON FIRE)ever disappointed me. I even liked it better than THE VICTIM.

This is a movie about friendship, honor and betrayal. The most frequent ingredients for a heroic bloodshed movie.

Here there are two friends who were in the assassin business 12 years ago. One get caught, the other escapes. When he finally gets out of the prison he is forced by his friend to kill a nominee for the president in the Philipines. When he refuses, he gets accused by his friend.

Now the Police, the Triad and a third party are looking for the suspect....

Doesn"t sound very appealing but is really worth watching. In addition the DVD of the 1998 film has a good picture and a good sound. Even the subtitles are readable all the time!

Don't expect silly non-stop action- or you will be disappointed. This is a high class thriller with a plot!

Very good movie -- solid story with decent action
The dubbed version of Ringo Lam's "The Suspect" (1998) is actually done very well. I was very impressed with the dubbing, which is one of the best dubs I've heard. Even if you are not crazy about dubbing I think you will