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Jean-Claude Van Damme sure believes in that adage of "the more Van Damme, the merrier". Also see "Maximum Risk" and "Double Impact" for examples of movies in which you got double the dose of Van Damme for your money. Here he plays both a sick serial killer, nicknamed The Torch, who has deep-seated mommy issues, and the result of a cutting-edge government program. This program creates genetic doubles of characters like The Torch for the purpose of getting inside their heads / memories / thought patterns. Or some such nonsense. The hard-driving former homicide detective put in charge of the child-like Replicant is grim-faced Jake Riley (Michael Rooker). Unsurprisingly, the Replicant has more of a sense of decency, so obviously he's not an *exact* copy of the psycho. Inevitably, the fight will be on.

Filmed in Canada, under the guidance of a capable director, Ringo Lam, who also worked with Van Damme on "Maximum Risk", this is rather routine entertainment, but it's watchable enough. Watching JCVD play these differing characters is basically fun, as it was in "Double Impact", and the martial arts / action icon clearly is enjoying himself as the psycho, decked out in greasy wig and leather jacket. Rooker typically adds some value with his usual patented coiled-spring intensity. The rest of the cast are so-so no-names, although Marnie Alton is delectable as your standard-issue "hooker with a heart of gold". JCVD fans need not fret, as you do get to see him strut his stuff in action and fight scenes, and it will create some amusement watching him attempt to delineate the mentally slow but good-hearted Replicant.

Overall, it's passable, although I'm sure it's far from Van Dammes' worst. It does go on for a bit (clocking in at 101 minutes), but there's still enough hard-edged violence and explosions to help combat short attention spans.

Six out of 10.

A serial killer called The Torch terrorizes a city by killing single mothers, and torches them. In order to catch him, a secret government organization clones the killer with DNA they found.

It was interesting seeing Van Damme portraying two very different roles; that of a ruthless killer, and the clone with childlike behavior. For a guy his age, he is also incredibly agile and flexible still, boasting incredible martial arts skills.

I enjoyed the fact they showed us The Torch's background and his motivation behind the killings. Michael Rooker stars as the policeman who takes the clone into his custody, hoping to find the killer. Due to their shared DNA, the clone is able to sense who the next victim will be, and where.

'Replicant' is a fast-paced, action packed thriller. The ambulance chase scene during the finale is absolutely fantastic! The film has a simple premise and I'm glad they didn't try to over-complicate things with specifics and too much detail. This is an easy to follow, satisfying thrill ride.

Would I watch it again? Yes.

I have to admit that "Replicant" succeeded in surprising me quite a few times, which is surprising itself since I wasn't ready for any surprise in a direct-to-video-van Damme-movie. But this movie is not like your average van Damme-stupidity. In some way this is good, in another way it is not.

What I was hoping for was 90 minutes of fun that makes me laugh very loud the way "Double Team" or "Streetfighter" managed to do. I was afraid of seeing 90 minutes of boring stupid action with only few unintentional laughs, like "The Quest" or "Knock Off". "Replicant" walks on a thin line between those extremes.

Well, it is the third movie in which van Damme appears in two roles at the same time and it is a strange record for an action star. At first we see the bad guy, a serial killer with long hair who kills mothers by killing and then burning them. He does this because his mother used to call him "bad boy" and once almost burned him alive. Michael Rooker plays the cop who tries to catch the killer and the movie sometimes suggests that the killer also plays the typical "serial killer-movie game", in which the killer seems to kill just for the cop who chases him. But this is just a sidenote in the film whereas it is a major point that Rooker is very obsessed in finding the killer. Where this obsession comes from is never explained and this contributes to a lot of the weird aspects of the film.

One day after Rooker again managed NOT to catch the killer some government guys approach him and make an interesting offer. They want to clone the killer and try to catch him with the memories of the real killer in the clone's brain (that's what I think is their plan). The way the "clone"-thing is introduced must be seen to be believed. We never get the feeling that the movie plays in the future and neither the science guys nor Rooker as the cop make a big deal of simply cloning another person for an investigation. When Rooker is told about the clone idea his reaction does not exist. He simply accepts not questioning for a mili-second what is going on. Even more strange is the fact that the government guys even think of trusting Rooker to take care of the clone. And for no reason at all Rooker uses this trust by deceiving them time after time, by refusing to cooperate but these "National Security" guys never mind at all. Neither do Rooker's relatives and partners who very very rarely wonder why he has a new pet and why it looks like the serial killer everyone's looking for?

It may seem strange to go into such deep plot discussions but the movie plays so seriously that it's hard not to do. That's the weird thing here: the film only scarcely tries to go for cheap effects and shortcuts. For a van Damme movie the action is very rare and except maybe two scenes not very spectacular.

And then there is van Damme's performance as the clone. The clone, who is never referred to with any name, seems like a mixture between a retard and Jackie Chan. He hardly speaks, looks bewildered and confused but can also swing himself around pipes a dozen times, jump around like a monkey and fight like a karate dog. I'm not quite sure where he has the fighting abilities from and why they developed so much better than his thinking abilities. To say the least, it is an interesting performance but it also produces some laughs especially because of the way Rooker treats him.

Rooker has the strangest character here, being obsessed with a case for no reason, cruel to the only person who can help him and sometimes very stupid. For example when he first hunts the killer and simply lets him drive away while dozens of policemen in police cars arrive and he simply doesn't mind telling them that the killer has just been around the corner one second ago.

There are a lot of strange things in this movie but most of them work somehow and make it actually very entertaining. An action scene with an ambulance is both ridiculous and effective. A scene with the clone spending time with a prostitute is not working at all and feels contrived and unnecessary. Some things are simply unexpected, for example the cruelty of the killer when he is not actually killing. He shoots innocent bystanders for no reason and in a scene in a hospital his violence becomes comic-like when he kicks nurses and hits wheelchair patients with the ambulance. In one scene Rooker has to throw his weapon away because he is threatened to get killed and for no reason he throws it in a bucket of blood. Later the clone has to fetch it out of there. And there is a scene in the killer's apartment that questions his motivation, the logic of computers and plot and the the abilities of the clone.

"Replicant" is a B-movie, that is for sure, but in an unexpected way it is a good one, entertaining, not too much over the top and somehow still convincing. Nevertheless the final scene gets a big laugh for its unbelievable silliness both in plot logic and music choice. And why we see that picture during the end credits is beyond me. Don't expect another "Double Team" but don't expect anything else.

This was very different for a Van Damme movie. Even though this is like the 100th time Van Damme has done the double role thing, this is the best out of them. Van Damme really plays his roles well in this one. I don't really like Michael Rooker as an actor, but he does well with what he is given. Some of the characters are underdeveloped, but the movie still is decent.

Sure, Replicant is about what you'd expect from JCVD past his prime. This str8 to vid movie is hardly deplorable... just don't expect too much. Michael Rooker was certainly a nice touch.

26 January 2003. This is one of Jean-Claude Van Damme's most sensitive and exciting movies and ranks among his best along with Time Cop if not better. There is a sharp, serious, deadly edge to this cop thriller with a sci fi twist. There is compassion, tenderness, and an icy, cold-blooded, frozen hard serial killer - no holds barred action thriller here. Surprisingly complex, full of non-stop action, as well as relationship, character-driven backdrop to this movie. Worthy of a rental for sure. 7 out of 10 stars.

Well story lined. Double Van Damme one is serial killer and another his 'Genetic Dobule' created by Natioanl Security Agency to capture killer one who is clever, strong and dangerous. Here clone is good despite he was created for behaving and thinking same as killer. Climax is well not good and is as we expected. Acting side is not much mentionable, Van Damme is stone faced whereas Michael Rooker as Jake is a perfect cop. Another remarkable role by Angie( Catherine Dent, SHIELD fame ) She makes you to notice her. Actions are usual as they are in Damm's movies. Overall watchable for once.

Jake(Rooker, enjoyable to watch as usual) is a cop, obsessed with a serial killer(Van Damme, who, like we see in The Expendables 2, is a much better villain than hero), Torch(so named because of his MO... he uses a knife. ...OK, yeah, it's fire, obviously), who in turn stalks him, because films like Se7en made money. Government agents have the latter cloned(no, no, wait! It... it gets even better!), since they were going to hunt down terrorists like that(!), and, as we all know, "genetics carry memories"(I *told* you! Didn't I?). The best part about the latter is that it's just... slung out there(accompanied by the words "science has proved", which I think is one of those sayings that people use when they know that it just ain't so, like "no offense"). It's like they have it said out loud just to see if it gets any stupider like that, if it gets worse than it looks on the page of the screenplay. How is this going to help? ...who said it would, they just wanted two of him, like in Double Impact(it took a decade to forget why it was so wrong the first time). No, I'm kidding. There's a psychic link between the two. Duh! At this point in reading this, I can only imagine you're bleeding from the ear from the concentrated idiocy of the core concept, so let's not dwell on that any longer. The titular Replicant(yes, yes, that's... very cute, you watched Blade Runner, we get it) is like a child(or possibly even less mentally adept... perhaps that's just JCVD's vacant expression... to be fair, he does well in this role, as well, and the shift between the two is seamless), and our other lead has to take care of him, and this is where it gets interesting, as there is a mirroring, and the nature vs. nurture debate is handled, without being preachy(not that it's entirely subtle, either). Acting is decent. The action is OK, though it barely really needed to be the Belgian Karate champ in the dual role - he gets to do some of those kicks we like to see, sure, but that seems like the afterthought, as he mostly doesn't go up against anyone skillful(he's mostly taking on regular people... and for some reason, he at one point uses a vacuum cleaner as a weapon... no, really). Who looks at him and thinks "mass murderer"? At best, it is quite tense and fast-paced, such as the climax and at least one of the chases. It goes for usual genre clichés(even the relatively recent one of "unmotivated personal endangerment by supposedly professional protagonist"), and we get a one-liner or two that are as dumb as they are uninspired. Ringo Lam, who also helmed Maximum Risk, directs this(and gets us into it, at times, using excitement to distract from... well, scroll back up and see it again, if you've regained your senses and blocked it out), presumably because he was disappointed that his last "two of Jean-Claude" flick didn't have them both featured, and alive, at the same time(on that, while the majority of the tricks to make it look like there's two of him are as unconvincing as his usual performance, there are several effective bits). There is some moderate to strong language, bloody violence and disturbing content as well as a little sexuality(no nudity, and mostly audio) in this. I recommend this to fans of its stars. 5/10

Trying to catch a deranged serial killer by cloning him, that's the kind of logic only a Van Damme movie can employ. It has to be said though: this is very different from his usual material, because the writers felt like exploring his range a little. Sure, he has played a double role before in "Double Impact" (why do I know this?), but there it was just tough guy/tough guy. Here it's bad guy/mute, which is very interesting to say the least. I particularly liked the scene where the hapless clone visits a prostitute, Van Damme is actually sorta uhm, dare I say convincing? Villainous Van Damme may just be even better, the long hair and sunglasses is a perfect touch. Michael Rooker is also awesome as usual, whenever I hear that trademark gravelly voice I know the movie can never completely suck. But screw the actors, what about the action? Well, I'm glad to say that it looks really good, even despite the limited budget. Director Ringo Lam apparently really knows how to squeeze every penny and treats us to some excellent brainless mayhem, fun all around. This movie is WAY better than it looks.

Let me preface this by saying that you should not rate Van Damme movies the same way you would, say, Shindler's List. Or anything that's ever won an award, for that matter. Van Damme movies are horses of a different color. In the case of Replicant, the horse's color doesn't matter as much because the horse certainly deserves to be made into dog food.

This is not a good movie, even by Van Damme's standards. Yes, he plays a dual role in the film. Yes, one of the Van Dammes is a crazy killer. Yes, the other is a clone. Yes, Michael Rooker is the only other actor of note in the movie (yes, I know how sad that is). These elements would make me think Replicant would be an amusing movie. I mean, come on! Van Damme fighting himself is always amusing and when he is also one of the most talented actors in the film, you just know it's going to be stupid. Stupidity and Jean-Claude go together to make dumb action movies.

This movie is just dumb, though. And boring. And WAY too stupid to ignore. The good Van Damme is a clone (or, should I say ... REPLICANT?!?) of the bad Van Damme. He is created to give insight into the mind of the bad Van Damme. Because clones clearly have psychic connections to their evil originators. That is why Congress has outlawed cloning, because it leads to mind reading. And if our children don't read books, by God, they won't read minds.

Obviously, the audience is too stupid to realize that Van Damme is playing two roles that are drastically different, so the bad Van Damme has long hair. If it wasn't for the foresight of the filmmakers, I would have been scratching my head over that one for months; "I thought he was a good guy clone. Why is he evil now? ((sound of me throwing my own feces at the TV))" On the bright side, the good Van Damme shows off his acting skills. I wish I could say that Jean-Claude turns in a winning performance, but this movie was not entered in the Special Olympics, so everyone is not a winner. He does act mentally retarded, though. That is either pretty funny or horribly offensive, depending on your point of view. If only the makers of The Other Sister had realized how easily Van Damme can act like a person doing a bad impression of a handicapped person ... my God. The Other Sister could have had Van Damme playing dual retarded roles. And they would have to fight each other ... like retards! That movie would have so awesome, I would have lost control of your bowels for months.

That's right. I control your bowels. You have to pee ... NOW.

I used to be Jean-Claude Van Damme's biggest fan back when I was 13 or so, having seen HARD TARGET on video and then watching every subsequent Van Damme movie up to MAXIMUM RISK (which for some reason I just didn't feel like watching). As it would turn out, I didn't end up seeing any more of his work for the next five years or so, half because it just sounded awful (UNIVERSAL SOLDIER 2) and half because it didn't make it to the theater. Now I'm in video stores all the time seeing flicks like LEGIONNAIRE, DERAILED, and DESERT HEAT, wondering "when did that come out?". They just seem to spring up without warning. REPLICANT was one of those, and I laughed when I first saw the poster in a video store, immediately assuming it was just some awful BLADE RUNNER rip-off.

That said, I finally broke down after two years and rented it based on all the positive stuff I've heard, and I'll say I'll have to go with the flow on this one - it's surprisingly good! Van Damme looks a bit older but he's still in great shape and has more energy than your typical 14-year-old. The problem was that his acting has usually been so stiff that it's hard to root for him as the good guy (watching SUDDEN DEATH I actually was hoping the bad guys would win) - not the case with this movie.

No, believe it or not, Van Damme actually displays an amazing, intriguing, and very believable performance (or is it one?) playing the moronic and childish clone. Michael Rooker, the other reason I broke down and rented this movie, has some really great scenes like when he gets so angered by a call from the psycho-killer that he throws the phone on the ground and smashes it into a million pieces. Rooker also looks a great deal younger and in better shape than in THE REPLACEMENT KILLERS or THE BONE COLLECTOR, playing a more youthfully-minded loner as opposed to a tired old sheriff or something. While this film has a really familiar concept, a lot of those "oh god that's dumb!" moments, and some pretty unmotivated fight scenes (why have the scene where he beats up all the government types in the abandoned building - why were they even there in the first place?), it's really good considering they had a great deal less than $10 million to make this movie, about half of what it would cost to even hire Schwarzenegger to do a film. Take this movie and the extremely similar THE 6TH DAY and run them side by side, and it's almost sad how much better Van Damme's acting is, how much better the cloning concept is handled, and how surprisingly "fresh" everything seems.

Van Damme really does a good job and actually made me care about his character (the clone one, anyway). The best scenes in the movie though have to be Van Damme as the evil twin cutting a swarth of destruction around the city - like kicking old ladies, shooting corpses, or (my favorite) when he shoots the driver of a stopped car he's running past in an intersection FOR NO REASON! If actions spoke louder than words, Jean-Claude would have at least one Academy Award.

Well worth a rental for anyone actually interested in this movie enough to find themselves reading this.

this is by far JCVD's best movie. The script is pretty good, JCVD is two great performances(especially the one as the replicant). Mike Rooker is also good as the hard edged cop.The direction of Ringo Lam also puts this film over the top as does the cinematography. I also must say that editing also gives this film a really good pace which never really lets up. The only down side to this is that some charactater development(Yes i am talking about character development in a vandamme movie)could have been a little better, you will see what i mean if you watch the deleted scenes on the dvd. The last thing i want to say is that i cant believe artisan put this straight to video. it deserved to been seen on the big screen. So good story,good acting, and great action sequences make this a must see movie

My brother rented "Replicant" from the video store in the vein attempt to see a good movie with Jean Claude Van Damme in it. In his martial arts mag it had been given a good review so he thought he'd check it out.

I had the misfortune of being in the room at the time, and with nothing pending...I sat down to watch.

To start off, looking at the cover turned me off this movie even before I watched it... the star cant act and Michael Rooker bless his heart, had never really been in anything higher than B movies. So I knew I was in for some below level film.

The story to the movie is rather simple Jake (Rooker) is trying to catch the torch (Van damme with one of the lammest hairdos ever) a serial killer who after killer his victims (always mothers) lights the on fire.

They have a very cliche'd cat and mouse game where they talk on the phone. and Jake retires to get away from the torch once and for all having been tracking him for 3 years. But after one phone call he gets a job at the NSA and somehow, they have grown a full grown replicant of Van Damme to try and track him down.

The second act in the film basically consists of Van damme looking scared and not talking, while Rooker keeps beating him and teling him to shut up. and last but not least the two Van Dammes have a crappy fight and the good guys win and walk away with hookers.

One of the worst movies I've ever seen, I didnt pay for it and I felt ripped off.

No stars.

Replicant stars Van Damme as a killer who is cloned by scientists so that the clone helps capture him.

Van Damme scores his best since Sudden Death in this better than average DTV movie. Ringo Lam delivers some great action scenes and explots Van Damme's physical ability to great affect making Replicant a good movie.

Overall Replicant would have been better if it wasn't so long but in anycase Replicant is a nice change of pace for the muscles from brussels. *** (Out of four)

Fully deserving of it's 'straight-to-video' status, this derivative, disjointed mess of a film wasted everyone's time at release, and has not improved with age. I'm not being paid to take the time to tell all as to why this is one to be avoided by anybody with 1. Any developed critical faculties, or 2. Anyone who doesn't harbour (homo)erotic fantasies about the leading man.

So I won't.

Just trust me on this.

Play 'Tomb Raider' instead.

Or something else.

This is one of those films that you might sit down to watch if there's nothing better on. And you'll enjoy yourself. It's a decent enough, but fairly formulaic action/sci-fi flick. The production is suprisingly well polished, with some good direction and entertaining stunts. My main criticism would be that it drags on for a little too long. Films this generic can generally hold your interest for about 90 mins or so, but anything longer can start to be a drain. Still, it's worth sticking with. Just as you start to get bored the film throws another carrot your way. Just switch off your brain and enjoy yourself ...

"Replicant" is a Jean Claude Van Damme movie that lost a ton of money at the box office. I don't think it's because it's among his worst films ("Street FIghter" was godawful but did better box office)...I think it's because it's so unoriginal. After all, the die-hard Van Damme lovers are bound to notice that this is the fourth movie of his where he played dual roles! Four?!! Yep...four times. And I think he just went to the well too many times with this plot device.

The plot to "Replicant" is pretty dumb...bear with me while I explain it. Detective Jake Riley (Michael Rooker) has spend years trying to arrest a serial killer (Van Damme) and he's about to retire....and is disgusted because he never caught the guy. Soon some government agents approach Riley....telling them he can help him find the killer by using their new secret weapon...a clone. Apparently, they can make clones which look exactly like the original...though HOW the clone is not a baby but a man is confusing. What's more confusing is that the clone has some of the original's memories...and regains more as the movie progresses. The scientist explains that 'memories are contained in the DNA'...no, they really are NOT...this is ludicrous.

What's also ludicrous is that the Feds give the clone of the killer to Riley to use! Now this guy is supposed to be the very first clone...and they just give it to Riley1 And, Riley treats him worse than a dog....which makes no sense as he looks like a killer but isn't one. You can only assume the replicant will become evil as well...but as a result of Riley's abuse. Oddly, however, the replicant seems nice and is bent on stopping his twin...at least at first. Why? I have no idea. What also is odd is that they do very little to teach the replicant to walk, talk and reason....but after a while, he seems to just start doing this on his own. It makes you wonder who writes this stuff AND do they really think the audience would buy it? Well, for the latter, apparently they didn't!

The best thing I can say about this is that it IS better than "Street Fighter"....faint praise indeed! The plot is really dumb and the film will likely make you laugh...unintentionally so.

Van Damme is surprisingly convincing in both of his roles (if you thought you could never take him seriously as a serial killer, this may prove you wrong), and the film is efficiently directed by Ringo Lam, who choreographs some high-powered action sequences and one or two outstanding set pieces. But the story is rather poorly thought-out (the clone supposedly helps the cop find the killer, but he isn't really very helpful and usually the killer finds them first), and some scenes are gratuitously harsh and violent. Oh, and the whole serial killer "thing" is getting kind of tired and overused lately, don't you think? (**)

IF ONLY I HAD CREATED a replicant of myself...SO THAT POOR SUCKER COULD HAVE SAT THROUGH THIS MOVIE!

I'm still reeling from the appalling trash that is REPLICANT! I hope the kindly folks at my local AMC theatre near Tokyo Disneyland forgive me for leaving claw marks all over their comfortable seating. HAH. I must admit I didn't walk out.....I was with a friend, and, well, she whispered to me that she kinda liked it, so...well, you know.

Jean-Claude Van Damme AKA The Muscles From Brussels defines himself as an actor in this movie. Hang on...what am I saying? Oh yeah, that's another actor, another movie...Syllabically-challenged Van Damme stinks! His acting is oh-so woefully bad he easily makes a naked store mannequin look like an Academy Award winner. But I suppose I'm the idiot for expecting anything more from this Belgian Waffle. To think he plays two characters in this movie - one a vicious killer, the Torch; the other a drooling, IQ-lacking, Mummy-change-my-nappy replicant...with the very original name, Replicant - so unconvincingly that it actually invokes belly-aching laughter...well it did from me any way! See Van Damme (as the Replicant) bumble, fumble and stumble around the city like a Scientology recruit on the run!

And what can I say about all-rounder Michael Rooker's performance? Ummmm...not much! Does Rooker have to act so damned angry in every movie he makes? His brutish Jake Riley seems fitting at first, but he overplays the role. I did, however, enjoy somewhat his stomach-pounding mistreatment of Van Damme throughout the film. "That's for 'Timecop', and that's for 'Double Impact'..."

On a serious note, the murder scenes are graphic and a real turnoff. Do we really need to see the Torch burning his victims and putting a baby's life at risk? I also found a scene involving the Torch's dead mother to be one of the worst I've ever seen. Not recommended for those with weak stomachs.

My advice is to avoid this movie like the plague.

Skottyrock's rating: 0.5 out of 10

We all know that Van Damme has made some good movies, none that are really memorable but at least entertaining. Sadly, he is more renowned for his bad films - the late nineties saw a string of them: Double Team, Knock Off, Universal Soldier 2, Desert Heat. And, as much as I like the guy, he got his just deserts when they started to be released Direct-to-Video. However, when a film like Replicant comes along, this is where the tragedy really happens. It deserves sooooo much more credit. Now, by no means is Replicant Oscar winning material, far from it actually, but it is nevertheless a gripping, original flick. For one of the first times in a JCVD film, we really feel pity for a character - Replicant, as he is constantly beaten up and abused. Van Dammes acting as the clone is fantastic as is his portrayal of The Torch. The film has some fantastic stuntwork, from the incredibly realistic destruction of the Torch's apartment to the ambulance chase between the same guy and Jake (Michael Rooker). I honestly believe that this film is worthy of a wide theatrical release, it's just a shame it never happened as this truly marks the comeback for JCVD.

To conclude, Replicant is a very dark, sometimes unsettling thriller that really draws you into the action. It takes a while to get going but the ending is fantastic. Performances all round were good and the action scenes were quite simply beautiful. It just seems like it's too little too late for the Muscles from Brussels...

I thoroughly enjoyed "Replicant". I did. Yes, it got a low score, (only 5.4?) and yes it's considered one of JCVD's more middling efforts, but I decided to give it a go since it was free on Amazon Prime anyway.

"Replicant" takes the standard "cop chasing a serial killer plot", and lets it play out exactly as it would, but the film throws in one extra ingredient. The cop is aided by a clone of the serial killer. Come on, that's a pretty interesting premise, right? It's not an overblown sic-fi action film either, though the plot might suggest it. The film plays out exactly as the cop thriller story would, and the clone aspect is neatly added and didn't clash with the other plot elements. This all made for an interesting and engaging story.

The film is helmed by Hong Kong action director Ringo Lam, and he guides the action sequences with a sure and steady hand, with lots of great shots and cinematography as well. The pacing was also good, and there was never a lull or long dull period.

The performances were all good, particularly, of course, Jean-Claude Van Damme. He has an interesting task here, as he plays both the antagonist and protagonist, who are two very different characters despite one being a copy of the other. As the villain, JCVD is cruel and menacing, and satisfyingly evil, while as the good guy, he's likable and almost pitiful as we watch him as the clone trying to adapt to society and the hand he's been dealt. Another surprise was Michael Rooker. He's actually a very good and dependable actor, and though he's done several major projects, I still feel that he's thoroughly underrated as an actor. He's not annoying, he shares the screen equal with JCVD, and neither overpowers the other. Instead, both work very well together, and create protagonists we can root for.

The action is plentiful enough, as is standard for a JCVD film, and the violence is hard-hitting, as is standard of a cop thriller. There's an excellent foot chase in the beginning, which is handled very well. It plays out like a normal thriller, and there's not even a hint of JCVD or the sci-fi aspect that's to come. There's also a good bar fight between the main good and bad guys, a good motel fight scene, and the long final showdown which goes through a hospital, then into a long chase in a parking garage, and culminates in a well-shot and choreographed final fight. There's enough action here to satisfy any genre fan, so don't worry.

Another thing I liked was that other than the clone aspect of the plot, there was nothing science fiction-related. It takes place in the present, with normal outfits and vehicles and weapons, and not in the future with weird outfits and overblown weapons and action scenes. While the latter is entertaining, I'm glad the film went the way it did.

Overall, this is a highly entertaining and underrated actioner from JCVD, definitely worth a look wether you're a hardcore JCVD fan, or just an action fan.

Well he was never any good to start with, the only viewable movie being his first (Bloodsport), although that got mangled in editing. Well I thought, not much to count with until I saw that Replicant is directed by Ringo Lam. Interesting, the only GOOD movie by Van Damme happens to be Hard Target (yeah, flame me, but it's one of the best US-made pure action movies) made by another Hong Kong action virtuoso; John Woo. Perhaps this could be something, but sadly not. Shame on you Ringo, I am very disappointed.

Don't waste your time on seeing this movie unless you are very very disturbed. Pick up one of Ringo's HK movies instead, like Prison on Fire (1987) or Twin Dragons (1992). Or even better, if you must see Van Damme, pick up Hard Target (1993) by John Woo. If you don't know John woo, pick up some of his HK movies (The killer, Hard boiled) for some true action.