Knock Off (1998)

8% of critics liked it
(39 reviews)
32% of users liked it
(10,166 ratings)

Hong Kong action genre craftsman Tsui Hark directed this martial arts tale, his second collaboration with actor Jean-Claude Van Damme after Double Team (1997). Van Damme stars as Marcus Ray, a Hong Kong fashion designer who specializes in "knock-offs," cheaply produced jeans and sneakers meant to… More Hong Kong action genre craftsman Tsui Hark directed this martial arts tale, his second collaboration with actor Jean-Claude Van Damme after Double Team (1997). Van Damme stars as Marcus Ray, a Hong Kong fashion designer who specializes in "knock-offs," cheaply produced jeans and sneakers meant to look like major-label merchandise. With his new partner Tommy Hendricks (Rob Schneider), Marcus hopes to go legit and put his shady past behind him, but Tommy is really an undercover CIA agent investigating the smuggling of mini-bombs in Marcus' products. An unwitting pawn in a scheme concocted by the KGB and Tommy's CIA superior Johanson (Paul Sorvino), Marcus must clear his name and save his company. His quest to do so becomes even more complicated when local authorities link him to a murder and a vice-president, Karen (Lela Rochon), arrives from Marcus' parent company to investigate discrepancies in his bookkeeping. Knock Off is based on a script by Steven E. de Souza, author of 48 Hrs. (1982) and Die Hard (1988). ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 31 min.
Directed By: Hark Tsui, Tsui Hark
Written By: Steven E. de Souza
Genres: Art House & International, Action & Adventure

In Theaters: Sep 4, 1998 Wide
On DVD: Dec 29, 1998
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Lisa Alspector, Chicago Reader
Though the jokey lines seem out of place, the somber tone of this 1998 action movie makes the political subtext more sincere and less grandiose than usual.
Joe Leydon, Variety
The last blast of the summer is an exuberantly cheesy action opus featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Rob Schneider as an improbable pair of gung-ho heroes.
John Haslett Cuff, Globe and Mail
The plot is as incomprehensible as the dubbing, and many of the special effects are neither special nor effective.
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
One of Van Damme's best movies ever.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
Almost worth attending for the experience of seeing how low film makers can sink in their never-ending quest to bilk the action picture audience out of a few hard-earned dollars.
Bob Graham, San Francisco Chronicle
Something of a kaleidoscopic mess of a movie, but it has its moments.
Maitland McDonagh, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Suffice it to say that it plays exceptionally badly in English.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
For hardcore Van Damme and Sparks fans only.
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Jean-Claude Van Damme and Rob Schneider star. If you need more of a review than that, go ahead and give it a rental.
Daniel Eagan, Film Journal International
Only for Van Damme's die-hard fans
Dragan Antulov, rec.arts.movies.reviews
The fact that hardly anything makes sense in the film didn't discourage Tsui Hark.
Greg Muskewitz, eFilmCritic.com
The immediate reaction after seeing this movie aims to match it with a more appropriate title modeled from the direction and acting: Jack Off.
John R. McEwen, Film Quips Online
Knock Off could not be much worse if it tried to be.
Kevin N. Laforest, Montreal Film Journal
Alternately the best and the worst action movie ever made, and it ends up being one big uneven mess.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Justin Y

Tsui Hark's Knock Off is an action film that isn't as bad as it seems.Unsurprisingly, the story is straightforward, easy to follow, and to be honest, quite stupid. The setting takes place in Hong Kong, and with Tsui Hark as a director the film… More
Tsui Hark's Knock Off is an action film that isn't as bad as it seems.Unsurprisingly, the story is straightforward, easy to follow, and to be honest, quite stupid. The setting takes place in Hong Kong, and with Tsui Hark as a director the film feels less like a Hollywood film. In this case, this is a good thing.Tsui Hark's editing and camerawork can be erratic at times and the 90 minutes whiz by because of this. The pacing is really quick and scenes come and go like there is no tomorrow. On the flip side this makes it harder for the film to have a really deep story with built up characters. It also creates plot holes.Hark's editing does help the action. The constant switching of camera shots make these scenes seem extremely fast and full of energy, which makes it really entertaining. As for the action itself, there is a moderate amount with a hilarious rickshaw scene in the beginning.The acting isn't award winning by any means. Van Damme is pretty amusing as his character is a bit wacky, but Rob Schneider is unconvincing as a CIA agent and feels out of place.By the end, Knock Off doesn't shine anywhere. It is just a mediocre action picture for Van Damme fans.
Jason O

"Knock Off" is set in Hong Kong and Jean-Claude Van Damme stars as a fashion designer who is unwillingly selling knock off clothes which easily tear. Van Damme and his sidekick (Rob Schneider) are up against enemy marketeers who are trying to cause a worldwide catastrophe by… More
"Knock Off" is set in Hong Kong and Jean-Claude Van Damme stars as a fashion designer who is unwillingly selling knock off clothes which easily tear. Van Damme and his sidekick (Rob Schneider) are up against enemy marketeers who are trying to cause a worldwide catastrophe by using tiny explosive devices in items such as jeans and toys and then shipping them all over the world. "Knock Off" definitely proved that Van Damme is a better fighter than ever and that he can still make exciting movies. This movie has the best special effects, action sequences, and even the best fighting out of all of Van Damme's movies so far, and that's saying a lot because Van Damme has made many great fighting and action movies such as "Hard Target," "Bloodsport," "Sudden Death," and many others. I didn't like the movie's plot or story that much, but the action and fighting sequences are GREAT! If you like exciting fighting movies and if you like some of the other Van Damme movies, I recommend getting "Knock Off." NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2001.
Dean M

What a Van Damme explosive action-thriller set in Hong Kong.
Aaron N

Rob Schneider, dup dee dup, dup de dup dee....
alan j

not bad..has the comedic element of rob shneider and asian locales which gives this so-so actioneer a boost..