Knock Off
Encyclopedia
- For knock-off (counterfeit) products see CounterfeitCounterfeitTo counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
Knock Off is a 1998 Hong Kong action
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
thriller film directed by Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
maker Tsui Hark
Tsui Hark
Tsui Hark , born Tsui Man-kong, is a Hong Kong New Wave film director and producer. He is viewed as a major figure in the Golden Age of Hong Kong cinema .-Early life:...
, and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme
Jean-Claude Van Damme
Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg , professionally known as Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a Belgian martial artist and actor, best known for his martial arts action films, the most successful of which include Bloodsport , Kickboxer , Double Impact , Universal Soldier , Hard Target , Timecop ,...
, Lela Rochon
Lela Rochon
Lela Rochon is an American actress who is best known for her role as Robin Stokes in the movie Waiting to Exhale....
, Michael Wong
Michael Wong (actor)
Michael Fitzgerald Wong aka Wong Man-Tak is a Chinese-American and a Hong Kong based actor, director, singer and producer.He is fluent in English, but not so in Chinese, which is reflected in many of the characters he has portrayed. His most notable film is the 1998 film Beast Cops which won a...
and Rob Schneider
Rob Schneider
Robert Michael "Rob" Schneider is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and director. A stand-up comic and veteran of the NBC sketch-comedy series Saturday Night Live, Schneider has gone on to a successful career in feature films, including starring roles in the comedy films Deuce Bigalow:...
.
Plot
Marcus Ray (Jean-Claude Van DammeJean-Claude Van Damme
Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg , professionally known as Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a Belgian martial artist and actor, best known for his martial arts action films, the most successful of which include Bloodsport , Kickboxer , Double Impact , Universal Soldier , Hard Target , Timecop ,...
), a sales representative for "V SIX" jeans, and his partner, Tommy Hendricks (Rob Schneider
Rob Schneider
Robert Michael "Rob" Schneider is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and director. A stand-up comic and veteran of the NBC sketch-comedy series Saturday Night Live, Schneider has gone on to a successful career in feature films, including starring roles in the comedy films Deuce Bigalow:...
), are about to be busted for selling "knock off" jeans (a low-quality imitation of well-known products). Their American contact, Karen Leigh (Lela Rochon
Lela Rochon
Lela Rochon is an American actress who is best known for her role as Robin Stokes in the movie Waiting to Exhale....
), who is not only their employer but a CIA agent sent to find the mole in their operation, is threatening them with a jail term if they do not prove their innocence.
Meanwhile, Ray and Hendricks meet up with Harry Johannson (Paul Sorvino
Paul Sorvino
Paul Anthony Sorvino is an American actor. He often portrays authority figures on both sides of the law, and is possibly best known for his roles as Paulie Cicero, a portrayal of Paul Vario in the film Goodfellas and Sgt. Phil Cerreta on the police procedural and legal drama television series Law...
), who is a CIA agent that just happens to be a double agent for the Russian Mafia and a ringleader to the terrorists. He tells Ray that Hendricks is really a CIA agent and that they need Ray's support. Ray and Hendricks then learn that Skinny Wang (Glen Chin
Glen Chin
Glen Chin is a critically acclaimed American actor who stars in film and television.He is cast usually according to his obese weight. Such films Chin appeared in was 50 First Dates as the humorous Hawaiian cafe regular, The Underachievers , in which he famously played the Chinese man, and After...
) is involved with the knock off jeans and they seek him out; which results in the death of Wang and the pursuit of angry workers, who are loyal to Wang. Ray and Hendricks then learn that these knock off jeans are laden with nanobombs, which were developed by former KGB operatives who are in league with international terrorists that are utilizing a Russian Mafia's scheme to bring this deadly technology to the black market and extort $100,000,000.00 in monthly revenue from the world super powers. This particular order is to be shipped to the U.S.
Furthermore, we discover that the CIA headquarters, in Hong Kong, is located on Lantau Island inside a huge Buddha statue. In the end, Hong Kong is safe and so is the rest of the world.
Cast
- Jean-Claude Van DammeJean-Claude Van DammeJean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg , professionally known as Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a Belgian martial artist and actor, best known for his martial arts action films, the most successful of which include Bloodsport , Kickboxer , Double Impact , Universal Soldier , Hard Target , Timecop ,...
as Marcus Ray - Rob SchneiderRob SchneiderRobert Michael "Rob" Schneider is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and director. A stand-up comic and veteran of the NBC sketch-comedy series Saturday Night Live, Schneider has gone on to a successful career in feature films, including starring roles in the comedy films Deuce Bigalow:...
as Tommy Hendricks - Lela RochonLela RochonLela Rochon is an American actress who is best known for her role as Robin Stokes in the movie Waiting to Exhale....
as Karen Lee - Paul SorvinoPaul SorvinoPaul Anthony Sorvino is an American actor. He often portrays authority figures on both sides of the law, and is possibly best known for his roles as Paulie Cicero, a portrayal of Paul Vario in the film Goodfellas and Sgt. Phil Cerreta on the police procedural and legal drama television series Law...
as Harry Johanson - Carman Lee as Detective Ling Ho
- Moses ChanMoses ChanMoses Chan Ho is an award-winning actor from Hong Kong. Having started his career working mostly on films, Chan has gained remarkable success in recent years while concentrating on his TV acting career with Television Broadcasts Limited...
as Officer Wong - Wyman Wong as Eddie Wang
- Glen ChinGlen ChinGlen Chin is a critically acclaimed American actor who stars in film and television.He is cast usually according to his obese weight. Such films Chin appeared in was 50 First Dates as the humorous Hawaiian cafe regular, The Underachievers , in which he famously played the Chinese man, and After...
as Skinny - Michael Fitzgerald WongMichael Wong (actor)Michael Fitzgerald Wong aka Wong Man-Tak is a Chinese-American and a Hong Kong based actor, director, singer and producer.He is fluent in English, but not so in Chinese, which is reflected in many of the characters he has portrayed. His most notable film is the 1998 film Beast Cops which won a...
as Inspector Han - Leslie CheungLeslie CheungLeslie Cheung Kwok-Wing , nicknamed elder brother , was a film actor and musician from Hong Kong. Cheung was considered as "one of the founding fathers of Cantopop", and "combining a hugely successful film and music career".In 2000, Cheung was named Asian Biggest Superstar by China Central...
as mechanic (cameo) - MarsMars (actor)Mars , born Cheung Wing Fat is a Hong Kong actor, action director, stuntman and martial artist. He is one of Jackie Chan's best friends.-Early life:...
(stunts)
Trivia
Jet LiJet Li
The fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce...
was considered for the role of Inspector Han, but Li turned down the role in favor of Lethal Weapon 4
Lethal Weapon 4
Lethal Weapon 4 is a 1998 American action film directed by Richard Donner, starring Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Rene Russo, Chris Rock and Jet Li. It is the third sequel in the Lethal Weapon series of films. -Plot:...
, and was replaced by Michael Wong.
Reception
Knock Off opened in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on September 4, 1998 to critical scorn and box office indifference. It took the 4th spot bringing in $5,516,2311 at 1800 theaters, with a $3,064 average for the weekend. From there it plummeted and topped out with just $10,300,000 in US ticket sales.