‘Double Impact’ 4K UHD Review (MVD Rewind)
Stars: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Geoffrey Lewis, Bolo Yeung, Alonna Shaw, Corinna Everson, Julie Strain | Written by Sheldon Lettich, Jean-Claude Van Damme | Directed by Sheldon Lettich
In the ’80s and ’90s, “The Muscles from Brussels” Jean-Claude Van Damme was one of Hollywood’s most bankable action stars. If his name was on the marquee, audiences showed up. His films weren’t about delivering world-changing messages – they were pure escapism, designed to let you forget your worries for 90 minutes and enjoy a barrage of perfectly timed kicks.
The MVD Rewind Collection has been delivering some fantastic 4K/Blu-ray releases of late, including Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Knock Off. Now it’s time for the next Van Damme classic to get the premium treatment. This time, it’s Double Impact. Let’s dive in and see what this latest Blu-ray release has to offer.
Van Damme leaps into the dual roles of Chad and Alex Wagner, twin brothers who were separated after their parents’ brutal murder. Years later, the two couldn’t be more different: Chad is a slick Beverly Hills fitness instructor, while Alex is a rough and tumble smuggler on the gritty streets of Hong Kong. But when fate throws them together again, Chad and Alex discover that there’s one thing they have in common: they’re both fighting machines! Determined to enact revenge on their parents’ killers, the martial-arts experts kick, chop and shoot all the way to an electrifying final showdown aboard a gargantuan freighter in Hong Kong harbor.
It’s interesting to note that Double Impact was the first of four films – and one TV series – in which Jean-Claude Van Damme pulled double duty. He would go on to play multiple roles in Timecop, Maximum Risk and Replicant, as well as the tongue-in-cheek series Jean-Claude Van Johnson. Of them all, Double Impact is arguably the strongest showcase of the gimmick. It may not be the very best film of Van Damme’s career, but it’s a slick, entertaining action thriller that keeps the pace high and the stakes higher: the kind of crowd-pleaser that still delivers edge-of-your-seat thrills.
MVD have transferred Double Impact to 4K UHD in 2160p and HD in 1080p, presented in 1.85:1 aspect ratio. This new director-approved 4K restoration brings new life to this film. Not to disparage previous releases, but this one blows every other release out of the water. This 2-disc set features a 4K and a Blu-ray disc – and MVD didn’t just throw a newly restored film on this and leave it. No! They added tons of bonus features on this “super deluxe” release, including:
DISC 1: DOUBLE IMPACT 4K – SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Director Approved 2025 4K Scan & Restoration (2160p – 16-Bit Scan of the Original Camera Negative) of the movie presented in 1.85: 1 Aspect Ratio in HDR
- Audio: LPCM 5.1 Surround, LPCM 2.0 Stereo
- Optional English SDH Subtitles, Spanish Subtitles, French Subtitles
- Collectible Double Impact “4K LaserVision” Mini-Poster
- Reversible Cover Art
- Limited Edition Slipcover (First Pressing Only)
DISC 2: DOUBLE IMPACT BLU-RAY – SPECIAL FEATURES:
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the main feature in 1.85:1 aspect ratio
- English 2.0 Stereo Sound (LPCM), Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0
- Optional English SDH Subtitles, Spanish Subtitles, French Subtitles
- The Making of Double Impact: Part 1 (HD, 53 mins) + The Making of Double Impact: Part 2 (59 mins) [A two part feature length retrospective documentary about the 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]
- Double Impact: Deleted / Extended Scenes (SD, 54 mins)
- Double Impact: Anatomy of a Scene [with Director Sheldon Lettich] (HD, 8 mins)
- Double Impact: 1991 Behind the Scenes Featurette [Rarely seen legacy featurette from 1991 featuring interviews with Jean-Claude Van Damme, Moshe Diamant and Charles Layton] (6:58, SD)
- Double Impact: B-Roll Selections [Raw, behind the scenes footage from the set] (8:05, SD)
- Double Impact: Film Clips [Five full frame clips from the film for use in TV promos](4:52, SD)
- Cast & Crew Interview Clips [1991 EPK interview clips featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Moshe Diamant and Charles Layton] (6:21, SD)
- Double Impact MVD Rewind Collection Promo (:24, HD)
- Original Theatrical Trailer (1:40, SD)
As you can see, MVD Rewind Collection went above and beyond here. With documentaries, featurettes, interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and so much more, there is plenty of video to keep viewers entertained for quite a while. But perhaps my favourite is all the artwork. I love the reversible slipcover and the mini-poster. Those are always so cool!
***** 5/5
If you’re a fan of Jean-Claude Van Damme or action-packed martial arts cinema, I highly recommend adding this 4k release to your collection. Head over to Amazon and pick up your copy today.
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