Double Impact (1991) | Van Damme’s Cult Twin Martial Arts Classic | VHSSB

<p>Chosen by Gareth, Double Impact arrived in 1991 at exactly the point where Jean-Claude Van Damme was becoming one of the defining action stars of the VHS era. Directed by Sheldon Lettich and co-written by Lettich and Van Damme, the film had an estimated budget of around $15 million and was shot across Hong Kong and Southern California. Van Damme also co-produced the movie while taking on its dual leading roles, supported by Geoffrey Lewis, Alonna Shaw, Alan Scarfe, Bolo Yeung and Cory Everson. Creating two Van Dammes in the same scene required optical split-screen techniques, carefully controlled camera work and body doubles rather than the digital effects that would make the job considerably easier today.</p><p>Released in the US on 9 August 1991, Double Impact received mixed reviews but pulled in around $30 million domestically, roughly doubling its production budget. Contemporary critics were divided between those happy to accept the film as a full-strength JCVD action vehicle and those less impressed by its storytelling. Either way, its combination of martial arts, gunplay, Hong Kong locations and the wonderfully shameless selling point of “two Van Dammes for the price of one” helped make it a memorable fixture of early-&#39;90s action cinema and home-video shelves.</p><p><strong>TRAILER GUY PLOT SYNOPSIS</strong></p><p>Twenty-five years after a violent conspiracy tears a family apart, two identical brothers are about to discover each other. Chad has California smiles, martial arts moves and enough pastel clothing to frighten an entire decade. Alex has Hong Kong, black leather, cigars and the general demeanour of a man who considers conversation an unnecessary delay before punching somebody.</p><p>Now their shared past is catching up with them, and the men responsible would very much prefer the Wagner brothers stayed separated.</p><p><strong>FUN FACTS</strong></p><ul><li><p>Double Impact was inspired by Alexandre Dumas’ The Corsican Brothers, the story of twin brothers separated early in life, and the project originally carried the Corsican Brothers name.</p></li><li><p>Van Damme specifically wanted to play two contrasting characters because he believed the dual role would give audiences a chance to see more of his acting range rather than simply another variation on his action-star persona.</p></li><li><p>Of the two Wagner brothers, Van Damme said his real personality was much closer to the more easy-going Chad than the harder-edged Alex.</p></li><