DOUBLE IMPACT

US, 1991, 105 minutes, Colour.
Jean- Claude Van Damme, Geoffrey Lewis.
Directed by Sheldon Letich.

Double Impact features Belgian martial arts champion Jean-Claude? van Damme. Van Damme made an impact in the late '80s with such films as Kick Boxer, Cyborg, Lionheart, Death Warrant. His next film is much bigger budget and more upmarket with Hollywood but mainly Hong Kong settings.

Van Damme is not only the star, he plays twin brothers. (He was also executive producer, co-writer of the screenplay with the director Sheldon Lettich as well as the originator of the story and the choreographer of the fights.)

The plot is familiar material - two babies separated at birth, growing up separately but meeting in order to avenge the deaths of their parents. The villains are English and Chinese. Van Damme makes a good attempt at differentiating the twins. Jeffrey Lewis is always reliable and is here as the mentor of the twins.

The film shows crime and violence in Hong Kong, martial arts battles, shoot-outs and explosions - the expected ingredients for this kind of action thriller.

1. Entertaining thriller? Crime? Hong Kong?

2. The Hong Kong settings, past and present, the vivid portrayal of the city, the hub, the islands?

3. Special effects and stunts? The choreography of the fights?

4. The work of Jean- Claude Van Damme - producer, writer, star, martial arts expert?

5. The prologue: Hong Kong, the opening of the Victoria tunnel, pomp and ceremony, the return home, the couple and their children, the pursuit and their brutal deaths? Frank and his injury? The glimpse of the villain? Rescuing the child? The nurse taking the child to the orphanage?

6. 25 years later: Hollywood, aerobics and glamour, Frank and his company, Chad and his training the women? His martial arts skills? The photos from Hong Kong, Frank and Chad going - in pink shorts with people's comments!

7. Alex, the encounter with Chad, Anne? The bar? People mistaking the twins? Chad and his Hollywood style? Alex and smuggling? The confrontation of the two? The information about their parents? The decision to collaborate?

8. Chad and his being taken in, bashed? Alex and the getting of revenge? The Chinese boss and the proposal for the smuggling? The group sabotaging and ruining the cargo? Anne and he spying in the firm, the lesbian bodyguard and her suspicions? Her searching Anne? Forcing Anne to contact the twins and so reveal the hideaway?

9. The hideaway, their staying there, preparing for the confrontation? Chad and his going to the city to rescue Anne, the violence and the chase? Alex and his drinking, jealousy, imagining the relationship? The confrontation between the two brothers?

10. The background of the villains: money deals, loans, smuggling, drugs? The Chinese boss and the triads? The gangs and thugs? The main thug and his fighting? The English businessman and his place in Hong Kong? The club, the bombs and the confrontation between the bosses and the twins?

11. The final set-up, the taking of Anne and Frank, torture on the boat? The twins going to the rescue? Tracking in the boat, the fights - the deaths of the principal villains including the woman? The chasing of the Chinese to the top of the crane - and his death? The crushing of Griffith?

12. The happy ending - atmosphere of crime, brutality, revenge, justice?

13. The popularity of the hero? This kind of action thriller? The popular plot, ingredients? The violent solutions to the problems?