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[tab title="Movie Review"]
Twice the Jean-Claude Van Damme means twice the amount of nut-crushing splits AND twice the pairs of buttcheeks flapping about. Be mindful, though, because these two Van Dammes will kick your ass while they try to get along with each other. Double Impact, being one of the better (used loosely, folks) action flicks of his career (even if it isn’t as celebrated as it should be), is finally out on blu-ray.
Except now this unheralded action flick gets its own spotlight to shine beneath. Once again, Lionsgate KILLS it with a fine-looking transfer AND several hours’ worth of previously unseen (and NEW) supplemental material. Van Damme fans are in for a treat with this high-flying NEW release.
Teaming up again with Chong Li and actor Philip Chan, Van Damme plays two characters (not for the last time) as twins Alex and Chad are separated at birth after the murder of their parents. Chad was sent to France and then Los Angeles and has been raised by his family’s bodyguard (Geoffrey Lewis) who failed them years ago. His twin brother Alex lived a life of poverty row in Hong Kong. He’s a bit of a hustler, somehow getting cars and wine smuggled into China. The two couldn’t be more dissimilar. {googleads}
Yet, once they are reunited (in a fairly hilarious scene), they realize that two Van Dammes are better than one and work together (occasionally bumping heads) to role SNAKE EYES against the criminal overlord who killed their family and stole their birthright.
The action flick is all kinds of dimwitted fun. Of course, playing two roles allows for Van Damme to not be all that serious and, relishing in the roles, he presents Alex as wisecracking and ass-kicking and, as Chad, he gets to be a bit more goofy. Van Damme is young enough to pull off the nonsense and delivers two memorable performances throughout Double Impact. 
Okay, so it isn’t Cyborg, but Double Impact, especially with the amount of attention that it receives here from Lionsgate’s MVD Rewind Collection imprint, is definitely worthy of the fuss. Poorly received by critics when it was originally released, this film is definitely worth checking out thanks to the attention and the effort that this release is given. It may not leave you breathless, but the fun of the flick now carries over into the special features.
Rolling doubles just got a whole lot more fun. Double Impact, written and directed by Sheldon Lettich (Lionheart, Bloodsport) and co-produced by Michael Douglas (Wall Street) is now on blu-ray thanks to the MVD Rewind Collection.
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[tab title="Blu-ray Review"]
Blu-ray Details:
Home Video Distributor: MVD Visual
Available on Blu-ray - May 28, 2019
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Audio: English: LPCM 2.0; Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single disc
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A
The newly transferred High Definition Blu-ray (and Standard Definition DVD) presentation of Double Impact is on point. While it takes place mainly in and around big cities, this 1080p transfer captures crisp details in clothing and in locations that are textured and fine. Loaded with juicy details, this is an atmospheric release that doesn’t shy away from the sunlight. It has dark layers, yes, and those shadows are well-defined and crisp but the new transfer does not disappoint. The brand new 1.85:1 HD master is detailed and looks better than ever. Some shots, due to the era of the day, are fuzzier than others but the image is reasonably well defined with crisp contrasts and solid textures. Colors are solid, with reds being a standout. Blacks are, too. Surprisingly, there's enough fine detail on display to make this seem revelatory. The era-ready color palette looks terrific, too. The disc comes with the original 2.0 Stereo Audio (Uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray) and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio tracks.
Supplements:
Commentary:
- None
Special Features:
Included with this release is a 2 hour long retrospective newly minted for this release. It features a comprehensive making of the film featuring interviews with star and co-writer Jean-Claude Van Damme, director and co-writer Sheldon Lettich, producer Ashok Amritraj, co-star Cory Everson-Donia, co-star and fight coordinator Peter Malota and “Chad” and “Alex” photo doubles Jeff Rector & Jerry Rector. A collectible mini-poster is also included.
- The Making of Double Impact: Part 1 (53 mins)
- The Making of Double Impact: Part 2 (59 mins)
- Double Impact: Deleted / Extended Scenes (54 mins)
- Double Impact: Anatomy of a Scene (with Director Sheldon Lettich) (8 mins)
- Original Theatrical Trailer
- Collectible Mini-Poster
Blu-ray Rating:
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[tab title="Film Details"]
MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime: 110 mins
Director: Sheldon Lettich
Writer: Jean-Claude Van Damme; Sheldon Lettich
Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Geoffrey Lewis, Alonna Shaw
Genre: Action
Tagline: One packs a punch One packs a Piece together they deliver.
Memorable Movie Quote: "Chad, he's your brother. Look at him! For Christ's sake, look at him! Just take a look at him! He's your twin brother!"
Theatrical Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Official Site:
Release Date: August 9, 1991
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: May 28, 2019
Synopsis: TV star Mary Page Keller (Pretty Little Liars) appears alongside Andrew Stevens (10 to Midnight, The Fury) as a couple terrorised by an age-old curse in this much-underrated late-80s offering from director Richard Friedman.
Keller plays Kate Christopher, a singer who moves into an old colonial mansion with her son and psychologist boyfriend David (Stevens). But when they make a strange and gruesome discovery in the boarded-up attic, it soon becomes clear that the mansion carries with it a dark and blood-stained past – and one that is about to terrorise them in the present.
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