GamerTab That was an excellent one.

Exoticalot People are voting emotionally.

Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Beanbioca As Good As It Gets

ivo-cobra8 Disclaimer: If you are a viewer that mainly prefers art-house-type movies, then you might as well ignore this review. In addition, if you're not able to take a Van Damme underrated, science fiction, action film from Ringo Lam, ignore this review, as well. We'll both be better off.Replicant (2001) is Van Damme's third Direct to Video decent Science Fiction/action movie, that I think is very underrated and bashed off. In my opinion this is my favorite Van Damme. It is the second movie from Van Damme that is direct to video I saw on VHS. The first one would be Legionnaire which I liked that movie, but I love this one. In my opinion this movie is far way better than Knock Off, Derailed and Inferno aka Desert Heat! I seriously hate those movies. Each of them suck and Replicant is miles way better than those movies together, that I think Van Damme made a shitty job in there. The movie starts off about a scientists who create a genetic clone of a serial killer in order to help catch the killer, teaming up with two cops.Replicant is about obsessed serial killer (Jean-Claude Van Damme) and the recently retired cop (Michael Rooker) intent on stopping him. After finding his hair follicle at a crime scene, a secret government agency clones the killer in the hopes that the replicant will aid in the search. Although he's full-grown, the clone (also played by Van Damme) has the emotional and mental capacity of a young child. Soon the naive replicant begins to have visions of past murders and an abusive mother, leading him to escape and seek the killer on his own. The film it self is more about retribution for a cop and a serial killer's replicant clone. I love Michael Rooker as Det. Jake Riley, I seriously love his acting performance in this movie, the same I did love his acting performance in his other movies as a cop. Renegade Force (1998) and The Replacement Killers (1998), which I own this movie on Blu-ray disc. Jean-Claude Van Damme did a solid job acting performance in this movie, the fight choreographer was good, and the fight scenes where also good.This was the second collaboration between Jean-Claude Van Damme and Hong Kong film director Ringo Lam that they where working together. This first one was Maximum Risk and this is the second one. Honestly Direct to Videos that Van Damme made, my favorites are Maximum Risk and this one Replicant. I love how smart and brilliant this movie is, that Van Damme's replicant helps Jake (Michael Rooker) catching the serial killer his original clone./: Edward "The Torch" Garrotte (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is a serial killer, who prey's for the female's who are mom's or a single mom's and kills's them. Each of the mom is picked up randomly whenever she say's words like "You're a bad boy" than he attacks and kill's them. He uses his martial arts to escape from the cops, who are after him. Det. Jake Riley is actually a cop, who is chasing The Torch for a years not successfully. So now he is forced to get retired, but The Torch call's on the phone him and pushes him, beyond the limit. A scientist clone the killer with the help of his DNK and they gave him to Riley (Michael Rooker) in to the care. The replicant will help him to catch The Torch.I love how Rooker's character hated, the replicant and blaming him for everything that is happening in his life and so on. I also love how the replicant saves Jake on the end, beats up The Torch, fake's his own death and flees the crime and starts the new life with the hooker, he just saved. Seriously a good movie and not bad for 51 year old Van Damme. There are few more movies Van Damme made direct to video that I like beside this one. I am giving this movie a sold 8, because Ringo Lam did made a great job directing this movie and working together for the second time with Van Damme. I love this movie and it is my favorite Van Damme movie. I will get this movie on Blu-ray disc next month, I hardly wait. Replicant is a 2001 American science fiction action film directed by Ringo Lam, and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Michael Rooker. It is the second collaboration between Jean-Claude Van Damme and Hong Kong film director Ringo Lam, and the fifth time that Van Damme has starred in a dual role. The film had a limited theatrical release in many European countries, and was released on direct-to-DVD in the United States on September 18, 2001.8/10 Grade: A Studio: Artisan Entertainment Eagle Films, Lionsgate Home Entertainment Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Michael Rooker, Catherine Dent, Brandon James Olson, Pam Hyatt, Ian Robison, Allan Gray, James Hutson, Marnie Alton Director: Ringo Lam Producers: David Dadon, Danny Lerner, John Thompson Screenplay: Lawrence David Riggins, Les Weldon Rated: R Running Time: 1 Hr. 40 Mins. Budget: $17.000.000 Box Office: $848,053

Scarecrow-88 A "genetic double", cloned from the DNA of a serial killer nicknamed Torch(..for how he burns the female corpses of mommies who resemble the horrible maternal figure who abused him as a child), will be used to track him down, partnered up with disgruntled ex-cop Jake(Michael Rooker). Jake has been after Garrotte for so long, it has developed into an obsession that wrecked his marriage with cop Angie(Catherine Dent). The chase is on but will Jake be able to babysit this clone, whose an infant to the world around him, and succeed in his mission to capture Torch once and for all? Can the replicant be trusted, since he is, after all, a "brother", in a sense, to Torch? Collaberating with director Ringo Lam once again, Jean-Claude Van Damme actually has here one of his better Post-Time Cop movies, starring in dual roles, as both a vicious psycho and essentially a child responding to a brand new world alien to him. And, I'll be damned if he doesn't pull it off! Torch is easily one of JCVD's most sadistic characters, pummeling women and men alike, no conscience or humanity, just a nasty, cold-blooded killer who stares down anyone who in his path, superkicking them out of his way. JCVD, as the replicant, however, is a polar opposite to Torch, an innocent drug about, mostly by handcuffs, like a houndog by a monumentally angry Rooker. Rooker is on edge the entire film, a short fuse with one goal in mind and that's to find and kill Torch. JCVD's replicant is often victimized by Rooker because he's a direct image of the man he's pursued for a long period of time. As you'd expect, Rooker grows fond of the replicant and eventually the showdowns commence. JCVD uses a lot of stunt doubles in this movie because Ringo Lam stages several incredible set-pieces which demand dangerous stunts. While JCVD doesn't really emote when portraying Garrotte, he really doesn't have to because as this killer, he physically destroys innocent people in vast quantities(..particularly during the finale in the hospital)..you hate him for his violent conduct towards others alone. The scene certain to raise eyebrows will be when Rooker "strip searches" JCVD's replicant for a properly placed tracking device. When you compare Replicant to the host of direct-to-video actioners JCVD has put out recently, it isn't so bad. Does it cover new terrain? The science-fiction angle regarding cloning aside, no, not really. But, it moves relatively well and there's enough thrilling set-pieces to maintain interest, I think, and seeing JCVD in a different kind of film besides those aping Kickboxer and Lionheart is refreshing. Set in Seattle, this is a location I enjoyed quite a bit. I think JCVD fans will enjoy this one along with non-discriminating action fans. Torch's handiwork is rather shocking.

monacoforeverr This film is brilliant! Ringo Lam is a genius!!Come on, OK, Hopkins is a good actor, but with all the arrogant stereotypical crap that actors just like him deliver (I'm so good, I'm so respected and important in the movie industry, you don't even need to watch my films, you just know I'm the best actor ever.).? Give me a break! This film has none of that, and is way better!It's basically about a serial killer (who has been coined 'The Torch' by cops, for very obvious, and extremely interesting reasons you will notice) who lives a very elusive (which explains how he can live in a fixed position without being noticed) and disturbing life in Seattle. I won't say who he kills, but it is for very specific reasons, almost to suggest that he's actually a good guy, with the exception of a couple of body counts which were different to the rest, but still motivated by method in madness. He's basically a very lonely man, who has been the victim of a lot of abuse and is now pretty keen to show the world what if feels like to be a victim, which is so cool because it 180% reflects an actual serial killer's mind!There are so many interesting elements to this film, like why does Garrotte get so angered by Riley (played by the legend that is Michael Rooker) talking so bad about him on TV near the start, considering nobody knows his true identity? How about the tattoo we get a shot of near the start on his arm? United States Marine Corps......? Why does he kill almost all his victims in the same fashion? Why is Riley so sadistic on the innocent clone when he first meets him? Who injured the little boy? The clone? The dog?....Himself? And how is Jake related to the little boy and Angie anyway? How about him hearing the woman calling her son a 'bad boy'? We don't see him finish her off, so what did he do? Why does it seem that since the police are involved he's killing just for Riley, not any other cops, to pick up the pieces? What does Garrotte mean by 'You received my message...'? Why is he so interested in taking pictures for his computer and for his mother to see? Why is she in the place she is, and in that condition? How did he know the cops would turn up at his apartment when they did? How about his apartment in general? What did he actually do so wrong as a child to be treated that way? There's a line by Jake's mother :If you treat people like criminals, that's exactly what they will become.' Remember it for the rest of the film. That's the most down-to-earth statement I have ever heard in my life! Pay close attention also to the file Jake's co-worker has on Garrotte near the end about him, and the scene where the clone remembers Garrotte shaking like a child next to his mother's bed. I can't stress it enough, this film is absolutely incredible!!!!! It's all these ambiguous questions that make this a cult classic, this is one of the most interesting films ever!You have to really feel sympathy for the serial killer, he is so innocent underneath it all, and so incredibly interesting, and Van Damme delivers an incredible performance as the killer and the clone. Yes, Jean-Claude can act! If you compare this to 'The 6th Day' made one year earlier, with a similar plot, it's amazing how much better it is, and how much better Van Damme can act than Arnie! Forget Hannibal, seriously, Van Damme would absolutely wipe the floor with Hopkins' character and performance in those movies!! Another great thing about this film is that the death toll of the killer (told by a news reporter shortly in the film )is a very small number over the time, which is awesome not being a cliché like Grissom's death count in Con Air or Hannibal Lectar or some other film and serial killer that is 500 miles up its own backside with how amazing they think they are.The ending is humorous and enlightening, and it never at one point leaves you bored, there is always some awesome question you are asking yourself. As for the action? Van Damme can still do the moves like a master blaster at 40 years old and he is in tremendous physical condition, car chases and explosions to keep you going all the way.I must also thank Jean-Claude for proving that he doesn't always ruin or damage the career of Chinese directors making American movies for the first time, like people think he did with Ringo, John Woo and Tsui Hark, because he has now done 4 films with Ringo Lam, all of which are great. Also thanks to the legend that is Michael Rooker for a hell of a convincing performance as the obsessed detective, who is also in great shape for his age. Always fun to watch him. Highly recommended. 500/10

Paul Andrews Replicant is set in Seattle where over the past three years a serial killer known as the Torch (Jean-Claude Van Damme) has murdered eleven people, cop Jake Riley (Michael Rooker) has been trying to catch him but thus far has failed. The day of Jake's retirement comes & he hangs up his badge with the Torch still at large, however Jake is contacted by National Security Federation boss Satn Reisman (Ian Robison) who wants Jake to work for them & that they can help him catch the Torch. Jake agrees & it is revealed that the NSF have created an exact clone, or replicant (according to the IMDb's automatic spell-check the word 'replicant' isn't actually a word at all...) as they like to call it, of the Torch taken from an extract of his DNA from a hair strand at a crime scene. The NSF hand the replica over to Jake in an attempt to use his genetic memory inherited from the Torch to track him down...Directed by Hong Kong action film maker Ringo Lam this was his second Hollywood made film after another JCVD vehicle Maximum Risk (1996) & to date his only other two Hollywood films have also starred JCVD in In Hell (2003) & Wake of Death (2004), I have to say that Replicant is actually a fairly intelligent sci-fi action flick although it's not perfect. The script by Larry Wiggins & Les Weldon has a fairly emotive & relevant issue at it's core with both the moral & ethical dilemmas surrounding human cloning touched upon. Replicant doesn't just use the notion of cloning as an excuse for lots of action as it really does try to approach the issue in a somewhat grown up way. The whole idea of how a clone should be treated & the line 'if you treat someone like a criminal expect them to behave like one' is a very obvious allusion to the way we treat each other, the themes of the relationship between the clone & the person who has been cloned is raised as is whether they would share the same memories or feelings or thoughts. In the end it doesn't amount to much but at least Replicant tries to say something & have some sort of message which is a lot more than most straight-to-DVD action films attempt. Of course it's not all good news, the action scenes are a little too low key & infrequent for my liking & despite trying to present cloning in a semi serious light I don't see how a clone can have the memories from the person used to create it yet alone some sort of telepathic link. At over 100 minutes I think it goes on for a bit too long as well with an alarming amount of time between action set-pieces.Director Lam does a decent job, there's not much style here & it's a little bit flat & bland. In fact it feels like a made-for-telly film at times. The special effects are good & the action scenes are well choreographed. The fights are good, there's some explosions & an impressive sequence of an ambulance speeding through a car park crashing into other cars & the like. The violence is strong but not graphic. You know call me odd but I actually quite like JCVD, while the likes of Steven Seagal, Chuck Norris, Mark Dacascos, Dolph Lundgren & Wesley Snipes are content to churn out horrible low budget action films JCVD at least tries & his films are usually much better than those as well with the interesting if not totally successful Replicant a good example.According to the IMDb this had a budget of $17,000,000 which is total crap, in fact I believe it was $7,000,000 so I guessed someone pressed the '1' button by mistake somewhere along the line! It's well made for sure, although set in Seattle it was shot in British Columbia in Canada. The acting is pretty good, JCVD plays a dual role again as both the bad guy & his clone. Michael Rooker is decent as the burnt out cynical cop while there is no one else of any note in the cast.Replicant is a film which tries to be different, it tries to take a relevant issue & do something with it & it almost pulls it off. A couple more 'big' action moments & Replicant could have been great, as it is it's definitely good but not great.