Double Impact

The Muscles from Brussels takes a co-producer and co-writer credit on this routinely plotted but agreeable action picture. Van Damme plays twin boys, who were orphaned in the 1960s by thugs representing some greedy white collar criminals. One of them, Chad, ended up in L. A. where he got to live a fairly soft life. Alex, on the other hand, remained in Hong Kong where he became a street smart smuggler. 25 years later, their "uncle" Frank (Geoffrey Lewis) locates Alex and reunites the boys so they can have a classic bit of revenge - and reclaim what's theirs in the bargain.

All of the action is watchable if never truly inspired. There's a good deal of hard hitting violence (the naive Chad takes his lumps before the story is over), and plenty of effective squib action - not to mention a hearty helping of explosions. The exotic Hong Kong setting certainly helps a lot, as well. One sequence is particularly striking, and you can see bits of that in the trailer. And there's a fairly satisfying confrontation between Van Damme and martial arts icon Bolo Yeung, who plays Moon, a goon who ends up with a fake eye and a nasty scar due to Franks' intervention back in the 60s.

There's a certain degree of entertainment in watching Van Damme play two distinctly different characters. Thanks to some reasonably effective movie trickery - body doubles, special effects, and the like - we get to see the twins interacting regularly. Philip Chan, as crime kingpin Raymond Zhang, and Alan Scarfe, as the nefarious Nigel Griffith, are decent action movie baddies in the classic tradition. Both the blonde Alonna Shaw (as Alex's girlfriend Danielle) and the athletic brunette Corinna Everson (as henchwoman Kara) add much sex appeal. The eternally solid and reliable Lewis is a tremendous asset to the story, lending it an appropriate amount of respectability.

"Double Impact" may not be memorable in the end, but it sure provides a nice diversion for the better part of two hours.

Seven out of 10.

OK, face it, Jean-Claude cannot act his way out of a wet paper bag. That is not why we watch him. We watch for the action, and this film has plenty of that.

No viewing of Jean-Claude's films would be complete without this one where he plays both himself and his brother. Separated by 25 years, one (Alex) stays in Hong Kong as a smugger, and the other (Chad) is a fitness instructor in California. That's ladies fitness instructor in pretty blue tights. Hmm, is there something to his role as "Gay Karate Man" in his first film? California Jean-Claude returns to Hong Kong to join Honk Kond Jean Claude to regain what is rightfully theirs. Luscious scenery provided by Alex's girlfriend Danielle (Alonna Shaw). Hot breathing brought on by action between Danielle and Kara (Corinna Everson). The return of Bolo Yeung (Bloodsport) as Moon is a big big plus for the film.

Lots of action, lots of laughs, and a good time for all.

Coming out during the twilight of Jean-Claude Van Damme's career, it was something less than impressive. But a decent time-waster at best and for the price of one we would get two Van Damme's on screen. Twins unknowingly separated, to only meet up again 25 years later. Nice. Where else could we see Van Damme beating himself up, feuding over things and eventually teaming up to kick-ass. And there's a lot ass kicking, as well gun blazing to go with the martial arts. That's John Woo style. Slow motion galore. Bullets. Blood. Bodies piling up. Add plenty of broken bones. And nose bleeds. The action is brutal and high-energy. Van Damme cops a real work out. Where he has a whole bunch of villains (a gleeful Alan Scarfe and spiteful Phillip Chan), their henchman and Triad gangs to get through. He goes up against an old foe; Bolo Yeung (of "Bloodsport" fame) and female athlete / body builder Corinna Everson whose choice of fashion is almost upstaged by Van Damme himself. Then we got a bodyguard who uses the spurs on his boot to inflict pain. While stuck in the middle of the two Van Dammes is the always enjoyable character actor Geoffrey Lewis and the ravishing blonde Alonna Shaw. The simple plot (which was co-written by Van Damme) is clean-cut by setting up the motivation at the beginning and then the twins unite to seek vengeance on those involved in the murder of their parents. Also for laughs there's numerous mistaken identity scenarios, Van Damme's colourful fashion sense (the lover-boy one) and the macho script likes to have people telling others to virtually get f**k. Set in Hong Kong, director Sheldon Lettich (who directed Van Damme a year earlier in "Lionheart") strikes up some local flavour, amazingly tough action bursts and all at a reliable pace. Bold, but standard Jean-Claude Van Damme 90s action vehicle.

"When you find them. Bring back their bodies".

One of Van Damme's best films before he started losing it. This film sees Van Damme play twin brothers Alex and Chad, both very different in personality. Chad the pretty boy who if you look closely only uses kicks to fight his opponents and Alex who is the opposite are re united 25 years after they were separated when their parents were killed aim to get revenge on Nigel Griffith and Raimond Zang and reclaim the victoria harbour tunnel which is rightfully theirs. Together with family friend uncle Frank they kick arse in this most excellent action film.

This is joyously over the top and inane. This is classic Van Damme at his absolute best. In yet another (well in fact the first) of his duel role films, Jean Claude plays two twins separated at birth. They were separated when both their parents were killed by vicious gangsters, including the legend Bolo Yeung (Enter the Dragon).

What makes this film is the always-enjoyable combination of Van Damme and director Sheldon Lettich. Lettich knows how to get the best out of Claude in the fights sequences, with a liberal and entertainingly cheesy use of slo-mo while Van Damme grunts and poses and jumps kicks his way through countless foes. The fights are so entertaining, and they more than make up for the wooden or ham-fisted acting of the cast, not to mention the brainless plot and cheesy dialogue.

This was written by Van Damme and really seems at times like an ego trip, with some of the lines and actions that characters have. It is entertaining in that sense. What is also funny about this film is the constant posing and muscle flexing from Van Damme. This is one of his most enjoyable films, because it is so fun, it brings back the fun feeling from his earlier film Kickboxer.

Overall this is one to watch and the fight between Van Damme and Bolo is the stuff of legend. ***