I was really exicted for Jena-Claude Van Damme to work with Tsui Hark, and their first film, Double Team, didn’t disappoint. Their follow-up, Knock-Off, wasn’t quite as outrageous as Coke machines in the Coliseum but it’s got its moments. The shipping crate scene feels like it could be longer and commentary alludes to abbreviated fight scenes, but the rickshaw race still slaps.
Knock-Off always looked like a Hong Kong movie and it still does. But now we get Hong Kong movies in 4K so this holds up. It’s handover era Hong Kong. I was there in 2011 and this 1997 production still reminds me of the streets. Colorful balloons and streamers provide vivid color.
Surround sound engages with circuits firing up, water spraying and the rumble of green explosions. The hiss of knock off shoe soles is a particularly nice touch.
New interviews with Steven E. de Souza and Moshe Diamant put Knock-Off in the context of both their careers. There’s an older de Souza interview too and both cover different ground. The decision to add animation to the new de Souza one is odd because he’s such a compelling storyteller even on Zoom. Maybe they needed to cover edits but plenty of bonus features just leave the edits in.
A Mike Leeder/Arne Venema commentary makes sense for a Tsui Hark film. They were there and can speak to piracy in Hong Kong, and the geography cheats. Leeder also got in trouble with Paul Sorvino.