Taglines: Conscience has no place in the heart of an assassin.
The Replacement Killers movie storyline. During an orchestrated drug bust at a marine loading dock, Detective Stan Zedkov (Michael Rooker) kills Triad lieutenant Peter Wei (Yau-Gene Chan). Looking to exact revenge for his son’s death, crime boss Terence Wei (Kenneth Tsang) sends for professional assassin John Lee (Chow Yun-fat). Paying off an old debt, Lee has already killed two targets for Wei, and the crime boss tells him that this third and final job will settle the obligation.
However, Lee’s conscience prevents him from completing his final assignment: to murder Zedkov’s seven-year-old son Stevie (Andrew J. Marton) before the detective’s eyes. Realizing that his actions will result in retaliation against his mother and sister, Lee prepares to return to China, enlisting the help of old friend Alan Chan, a monk in a local Buddhist temple, to make arrangements to have his family moved to a secure location. Infuriated by Lee’s disobedience, Wei orders his head lieutenant, Michael Kogan (Jürgen Prochnow), to lead the hunt for Lee, and has his people in China begin the search for Lee’s family.
No longer able to use the Triad network to get out of the country, Lee searches for alternative means outside Wei’s sphere of influence, and looks to skilled forger Meg Coburn (Mira Sorvino) for a new passport. Before she can finish the job, Wei’s men storm her office, destroying the computerized tools of her trade in the ensuing shootout. Lee escapes; Coburn is picked up by the police, unsuccessfully interrogated by Zedkov, and released as bait so the detective can see who comes after her. Meanwhile, Wei hires skilled out-of-town replacement killers to take over the hunt for Lee and the Zedkov contract.
Lee finds Coburn when she returns to her destroyed office. Having been made aware that the Triads are involved, Coburn wants out, but Lee forces her to finish her original task of creating a forged passport. Traveling with Coburn, with the two replacement killers, Ryker (Til Schweiger) and Collins (Danny Trejo), in pursuit, Lee gets pictures from a photo booth and phones Alan, who offers the use of his passport.
When Lee arrives at the temple, he discovers that Alan has been tortured to the point of death. Alan tells Lee that his family was moved to Canton—but he told his torturers they were in Shanghai.[4] Lee has little more than 24 hours before his family is found. The monk gives Lee his passport before dying in his arms.
The Replacement Killers is a 1998 American action film directed by Antoine Fuqua in his feature film directorial debut, and starring Chow Yun-fat, Mira Sorvino, Michael Rooker and Kenneth Tsang. The film was released in the United States on February 6, 1998. The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by Ken Sanzel. Veteran action director John Woo co-produced and choreographed the action sequences. The film is set in modern-day Los Angeles and follows an emotionally disillusioned assassin who is forced to settle a violent vendetta for a ruthless crime boss. The film marks the American acting debut for Chow, as his previous film credits included Hong Kong action cinema only.
The film was a co-production between the motion picture studios of Columbia Pictures, Brillstein-Grey Entertainment, and WCG Entertainment Productions. Theatrically, it was commercially distributed by Columbia Pictures, while the Sony Pictures Entertainment division released the film in the video rental market. The Replacement Killers explores assassination, violence and the influence of triads in modern society.[4] The film score was orchestrated by Harry Gregson-Williams; the soundtrack was released by the Varèse Sarabande music label on March 10, 1998.
The Replacement Killers premiered in theaters nationwide in the United States on February 6, 1998 grossing $19,204,929 in domestic ticket receipts. The film was screened at 1,936 theaters during its widest release in cinemas. Taking into account its $30 million budget costs, the film was considered a disappointing box office flop. The film’s critical response did not fare better either. Preceding its initial screening to the public, it was generally met with mixed to negative reviews. The widescreen DVD edition of the film featured scene selections, a featurette, and interviews among other highlights, and was released in the United States on July 1, 1998.
The Replacement Killers (1998)
Directed by: Antoine Fuqua
Starring: Chow Yun-fat, Mira Sorvino, Michael Rooker, Jürgen Prochnow, Til Schweiger, Danny Trejo, Carlos Gómez, Frank Medrano, Patrick Kilpatrick, Sydney Coberly
Screenplay by: Ken Sanzel
Production Design by: Naomi Shohan
Cinematography by: Peter Lyons Collister
Film Editing by: Jay Cassidy
Costume Design by: Arianne Phillips
Set Decoration by: Evette Knight
Art Direction by: David Lazan
Music by: Harry Gregson-Williams
MPAA Rating: R for strong violence and for language.
Distributed by: Columbia Pictures
Release Date: February 6, 1998
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