Double Impact
1991 Directed by Sheldon Lettich
Synopsis
Jean Claude Van Damme plays a dual role as Alex and Chad, twins separated at the death of their parents. Chad is raised by a family retainer in Paris, Alex becomes a petty crook in Hong Kong. Seeing a picture of Alex, Chad rejoins him and convinces him that his rival in Hong Kong is also the man who killed their parents. Alex is suspicious of Chad, especially when it comes to his girlfriend.
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Routine but highly enjoyable gun fu actioner with a couple big twists: For one, two Van Dammes, which as you might imagine is twice as good as the normal amount of Van Dammes (1). Two, director Sheldon Lettich brings a gonzo visual style to some of the action scenes, such as one fight which bathes Van Damme and his opponent in an inexplicable blue light that reminded me of Argento or Bava or something.
There's also a surprisingly effective vignette in which the "tough" Van Damme goes into a drunken jealous rage imagining his twin brother having sex with his girlfriend.
The final shot ... good lord.
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"Double Impact" might not break the mold of the extraneous influx of action films from the early 90s, but dammit I still had a ton of fun with it. Van Damme being an ass to Van Damme is remarkably fun (he's double the asshole here!) and even though neither character has any sort of arc to their growth outside basic stuff, it works for what it is. Plus there is more spin kicks in this movie than there is logic!
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Film A Day #34 (3/1/2012)
An absolute cheese gem that sees Jean Claude playing twins exacting revenge on his parents' murderers. For fans of Van Damme and bad movies, you honestly can't pass this up.
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Separated at 6 months old when their parents are brutally murdered by a Hong Kong gang, Jean-Claude Van Damme and his brother played by Jean-Claude Van Damme are reunited when they're about 25 years old. One is a bit of a fun-loving gym trainer bloke who was raised in France (so that explains the accent) called Chad who also has a fondness for brightly coloured tight fitting short clothes, and the other was raised in Hong Kong and is an importer/exporter of dodgy goods for that gang (but doesn't know they killed his parents - and also has a French accent) called Alex who likes cigars and hitting ladies. They find out their past thanks to Frank, the guy who…
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For the record, I love Van Damme. I love his terrible acting, I love his kicking random people in the head, I love how he is always out for revenge and always gets it in the most predictable fashion. I don't like this movie. I don't really understand why, it lacks a certain intangible charm that both Bloodsport and Kickboxer had and that Hard Target somewhat recaptured in 1993. I do see how Van Damme fans enjoy this one, I've tried often myself to learn to like but I just don't. In fact, I won't even watch it at midnight when nothing else is on television (not that Double Impact is on television in 2013).
If you like Van Damme,…
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I hate to admit it but I saw this in the theater. I read a review today that said, "Two Van Dammes for the price of one merely doubles the incoherence."
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"Double Impact" might not break the mold of the extraneous influx of action films from the early 90s, but dammit I still had a ton of fun with it. Van Damme being an ass to Van Damme is remarkably fun (he's double the asshole here!) and even though neither character has any sort of arc to their growth outside basic stuff, it works for what it is. Plus there is more spin kicks in this movie than there is logic!
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That's not the cover to Double Impact... it's only got one JCVD for crying out loud! Anyway, the only thing better than Van Damme is two Van Damme's. It's a fact. Also, black silk undervear.
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As the last still in the movie goes...
This movie is okay... -
Film A Day #34 (3/1/2012)
An absolute cheese gem that sees Jean Claude playing twins exacting revenge on his parents' murderers. For fans of Van Damme and bad movies, you honestly can't pass this up.
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Separated at 6 months old when their parents are brutally murdered by a Hong Kong gang, Jean-Claude Van Damme and his brother played by Jean-Claude Van Damme are reunited when they're about 25 years old. One is a bit of a fun-loving gym trainer bloke who was raised in France (so that explains the accent) called Chad who also has a fondness for brightly coloured tight fitting short clothes, and the other was raised in Hong Kong and is an importer/exporter of dodgy goods for that gang (but doesn't know they killed his parents - and also has a French accent) called Alex who likes cigars and hitting ladies. They find out their past thanks to Frank, the guy who…
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Ordentliche Fights und überraschend brutale Ballereien. Dazu Van Damme in einer Doppelrolle und fertig ist der kurzweilige Actioner für zwischendurch.
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Routine but highly enjoyable gun fu actioner with a couple big twists: For one, two Van Dammes, which as you might imagine is twice as good as the normal amount of Van Dammes (1). Two, director Sheldon Lettich brings a gonzo visual style to some of the action scenes, such as one fight which bathes Van Damme and his opponent in an inexplicable blue light that reminded me of Argento or Bava or something.
There's also a surprisingly effective vignette in which the "tough" Van Damme goes into a drunken jealous rage imagining his twin brother having sex with his girlfriend.
The final shot ... good lord.