Knock Off

Rating:
Summary: A good de Souza script botched up by chaotic camerawork
Review: "Great film. Lots of action... Lots of... what else?" - Jean-Claude Van Damme

Hong Kong movies often have impressive stunts and fighting scenes, and the better sort (e.g. Jackie Chan's *Rumble in the Bronx*) sometimes even have good camerawork and photography. What they almost never have, however, is a really good script.

*Knock Off* is precisely the opposite: it was written by one of Hollywood's best action screenwriters, Steven E. de Souza, the author of the first two *Die Hard*, among other classics. De Souza knows what drama is about, and if you try to abstract from what you see to what the original script must originally have looked like, you'll realize that behind *Knock Off* is a really good story involving fake designer jeans, Russian nanobombs, a CIA traitor, Hong Kong cops and enough twists and turns to make a highly entertaining story, livened up by a wacky, tongue-in-cheek attitude reminiscent of the author's *Hudson Hawk*.

However, seeing that might require much more effort than the ordinary movie-goer is capable of, for visually, the movie is completely spoiled by its director, Tsui Hark, who had done a much more decent job on the *Once Upon a Time in China* series. In the making of, actor Michael Fitzgerald Wong says of Tsui Hark that he "loves chaos". As for Tsui Hark himself, he explains he "tried to make the camera as free as possible", so as to give the impression of a "lunatic rushing through everything". This gives you an idea of his style, which is so epileptic and full of mannerisms that the action often becomes virtually incomprehensible, and that it is sometimes hard to understand who is doing what to whom where.

Moreover, the actors obviously lack proper direction, and if Rob Schneider and Paul Sorvino have enough experience to compensate for it, a less trained actor like Van Damme, left to his own devices, becomes a caricature of himself (though, admittedly, this is partly intentional.) Moreover, since the last twenty minutes are just a mindless, uninterrupted Tsui Hark action scene, the film is very likely to leave you with a bad impression, as most of the plot is resolved by the time it begins, and all that is left is for the good guys is to shoot (or blast or crush or dissolve in acid) the bad guys.

In my opinion, *Time Cop* remains Van Damme's best movie to this date. But with a better director, *Knock Off* would not have been far behind. I just hope Hollywood will not blame de Souza for the failure.

(Hong Kong movie-buffs might be interested to know that the second-unit director on this movie was Sammo Hung and that apart from Michael Wong, there's also a small role for Jeff Joseph Wolfe, who played a sympathetic cowboy in the Dr. Wong movie set in America.)

Rating:
Summary: Van Damme is still going strong
Review: "Knock Off" is set in Hong Kong and Jean-Claude Van Damme stars as a fashion designer who is unwillingly selling knock off clothes which easily tear. Van Damme and his sidekick (Rob Schneider) are up against enemy marketeers who are trying to cause a worldwide catastrophe by using tiny explosive devices in items such as jeans and toys and then shipping them all over the world.

"Knock Off" definitely proved that Van Damme is a better fighter than ever and that he can still make exciting movies. This movie has the best special effects, action sequences, and even the best fighting out of all of Van Damme's movies so far, and that's saying a lot because Van Damme has made many great fighting and action movies such as "Hard Target," "Bloodsport," "Sudden Death," and many others. I didn't like the movie's plot or story that much, but the action and fighting sequences are GREAT! If you like exciting fighting movies and if you like some of the other Van Damme movies, I recommend getting "Knock Off."

Rating:
Summary: An Underrated Action-Fest. Van Damme¿s Still Got it.
Review: "Knock Off" seems to be Too Hong Kong-ised for English Speaking Audiences, but not for me. Van Damme's somewhat Comical Performance is a Breath of fresh air, and his Jackie Chan-ish flare for dangerous escapes makes this a must for his fans, he really is trying to stretch himself here.. well.. as much stretching as he (and we) can handle.

Rob Schneider gives more Professional Comic Relief as Van Dame's Wimpy Offsider. Paul Sorvino also has a small role as a Shady Government Official.

Tsui Hark's Direction is up there with John Woo's. His Visual flare is Revolutionary. The Final Action Set Piece is Jaw Dropping, I was "Oooohhh"ing and "Aaaahhh"ing like a kid seeing fireworks for the first time.

"Knock Off" is a Hong Kong flick in an American flicks body. Real Action fans and Real Van Damme Fans should love it.

Rating:
Summary: A good de Souza script botched up by chaotic camerawork
Review: "Great film. Lots of action... Lots of... what else?" - Jean-Claude Van Damme

Hong Kong movies often have impressive stunts and fighting scenes, and the better sort (e.g. Jackie Chan's *Rumble in the Bronx*) sometimes even have good camerawork and photography. What they almost never have, however, is a really good script.

*Knock Off* is precisely the opposite: it was written by one of Hollywood's best action screenwriters, Steven E. de Souza, the author of the first two *Die Hard*, among other classics. De Souza knows what drama is about, and if you try to abstract from what you see to what the original script must originally have looked like, you'll realize that behind *Knock Off* is a really good story involving fake designer jeans, Russian nanobombs, a CIA traitor, Hong Kong cops and enough twists and turns to make a highly entertaining story, livened up by a wacky, tongue-in-cheek attitude reminiscent of the author's *Hudson Hawk*.

However, seeing that might require much more effort than the ordinary movie-goer is capable of, for visually, the movie is completely spoiled by its director, Tsui Hark, who had done a much more decent job on the *Once Upon a Time in China* series. In the making of, actor Michael Fitzgerald Wong says of Tsui Hark that he "loves chaos". As for Tsui Hark himself, he explains he "tried to make the camera as free as possible", so as to give the impression of a "lunatic rushing through everything". This gives you an idea of his style, which is so epileptic and full of mannerisms that the action often becomes virtually incomprehensible, and that it is sometimes hard to understand who is doing what to whom where.

Moreover, the actors obviously lack proper direction, and if Rob Schneider and Paul Sorvino have enough experience to compensate for it, a less trained actor like Van Damme, left to his own devices, becomes a caricature of himself (though, admittedly, this is partly intentional.) Moreover, since the last twenty minutes are just a mindless, uninterrupted Tsui Hark action scene, the film is very likely to leave you with a bad impression, as most of the plot is resolved by the time it begins, and all that is left is for the good guys is to shoot (or blast or crush or dissolve in acid) the bad guys.

In my opinion, *Time Cop* remains Van Damme's best movie to this date. But with a better director, *Knock Off* would not have been far behind. I just hope Hollywood will not blame de Souza for the failure.

(Hong Kong movie-buffs might be interested to know that the second-unit director on this movie was Sammo Hung and that apart from Michael Wong, there's also a small role for Jeff Joseph Wolfe, who played a sympathetic cowboy in the Dr. Wong movie set in America.)

Rating:
Summary: Van Damme is still going strong
Review: "Knock Off" is set in Hong Kong and Jean-Claude Van Damme stars as a fashion designer who is unwillingly selling knock off clothes which easily tear. Van Damme and his sidekick (Rob Schneider) are up against enemy marketeers who are trying to cause a worldwide catastrophe by using tiny explosive devices in items such as jeans and toys and then shipping them all over the world.

"Knock Off" definitely proved that Van Damme is a better fighter than ever and that he can still make exciting movies. This movie has the best special effects, action sequences, and even the best fighting out of all of Van Damme's movies so far, and that's saying a lot because Van Damme has made many great fighting and action movies such as "Hard Target," "Bloodsport," "Sudden Death," and many others. I didn't like the movie's plot or story that much, but the action and fighting sequences are GREAT! If you like exciting fighting movies and if you like some of the other Van Damme movies, I recommend getting "Knock Off."

Rating:
Summary: This is without a doubt the worst film ever!
Review: ...I actually paid eight bucks to see this in the theatres! Hey, I know Van Damme is an awful actor and frankly I don't find him that great of an action hero but at least, sometimes, he's somewhat entertaining. But when I saw this, my thoughts on van damme sunk to an all new low.

So many problems witht this movie. Let's start with the small things. It is horrribly done. The camerwork is horrendous and the special effects are extremely cheesy and pointless. Those of you who may think that Rob Schneider is going to help this film on many levels...sorry, you're wrong. He's a very funny guy and, unfortunately, he got this horrribly written part. Van Damme, he's just awful!

The worst part of this piece... is the story! WHAT THE HELL? That's what I was saying the whole time I was watching this bomb! Something about selling products that are knock offs and Van Damme is a big cheat or something. Suddenly, there is all sorts of action and baddies and it turns out that everyone that Van Damme thought he could trust...he can't. WHO CARES? So Van Damme starts runnning around town, fighting people for no reason and screaming lines like "YOU LIED TO ME!" in that horrid French accent of his.

So, to finish up, Knock Off is an awful film. Don't pick this up. Please listen to me, I'm trying to save you here. We only live once, so don't spend any of that precious time on this! Knock Off makes Batllefield Earth look FANTASTIC! Van Damme, you have got to stop making movies!

Rating:
Summary: Great action in spite of a silly plot!
Review: And cheesy special effects! But this movie held my attention throughout! Van Damme, playing a fashion tycoon's right hand man, helps the CIA track Russian terrorists who are using counterfiet goods to smuggle explosives(nano-bombs according to the script) to the US to cause a massive terrorist bomb plot. And the action comes thick and fast, including a rickshaw race, a van demolishing a supermarket and a great fight scene in a cargo ship. Van Damme displays his martial arts skills well, but this isn't his finest moment(that's reserved for SUDDEN DEATH and KICKBOXER!). Overall, well worth seeing, especially for tha cinematography.

Rating:
Summary: I have 100 reasons why this is a bad movie
Review: but suffice it to say that this movie has only one fight scene with only one kick... need I say more?

Rating:
Summary: I love him,he's so Gorgous and I'd love to meet him someday!
Review: DVD is the most beautiful person I have ever seen in my 31 years of my life and would watch any of his movie until the day I die weather I've seen if a hundred times or a billion.If I ever got the chance to meet this gentleman I'd just die because he's one of the best that ever walked the face of this earth at least that's my own opion of him.

Rating:
Summary: Green Equals Money!
Review: Green infernos wage when you mess with knock off artists. Van Damme plays the 'Most Legitimate Businessman' in this comical farce. His partner is played by Rob Schneider and they sell cheap jeans. After another businessman is killed, Van Damme must find out what the problem is. Of course he solves everything by kicking people left and right and proclaiming, 'we're not criminals, we're innocent!' Van Damme delivers another side-splitting performance that was overlooked by many mortals. But, not this one. Me!