Where
to begin! Action scribe Steven E. DeSouza (Die Hard) has rapidly gone downhill
since he created the highly profitable Bruce Willis franchise. Since those days,
he's gone on to write one worthless action picture after another, only to be rewarded
with his dismal directorial debut Street Fighter. With Knock Off, Mr. DeSouza
has reached an all time low. I should point out, however, that this mess of a
movie isn't all his fault. A good portion of the blame should rightfully go to
Hong Kong action director Tsui Hark, who also made Double Team, another ludicrous
Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle.
This
time it's Van Damme Vs. the Russian Mafia. Along for the ride are Rob Schneider,
as Van Damme's wise cracking buddy, and Paul Sorvino as the head of the CIA. These
two performers provide the only source of energy in this limp excuse for an action
film. Lela Rochon, a true beauty, is completely wasted.
Unfortunately,
what this thriller really lacks, is thrills. The so-called action sequences it
does offer are clumsily executed and offer no sparks at all. Knock Off brings
to mind Black Dog, another ill-conceived, actionless picture from earlier this
year. Knock Off isn't only the worst film of Van Damme's less than stellar career,
it's one of the worst films ever made.
