Replicant

Scientists push the boundaries of genetics in a bid to outsmart a brutal killer. A shadowy team hatches a controversial plan to create a living genetic copy of the man behind a string of murders, hoping the clone will reveal his patterns and motives. Two seasoned cops join the scientists in a high stakes gamble, using the twin perspectives of hunter and hunted to map the killer's next moves. As the project moves forward, the line between man and machine blurs, ethics come under fire, and the people involved must ask how far they are willing to go in the name of justice. The premise raises questions about identity, control, and the price of defeating a monster, ethics, and responsibility.

Directed by Ringo Lam Ling-Tung, Replicant hit theaters in 2001 as a science fiction action thriller. The project sprang from original concepts by Les Weldon and Lawrence Riggins and features a lean international ensemble and Lam's compact, kinetic storytelling globally.

Box office: The film earned about 894,844 dollars worldwide, far below industry expectations and far below its 17 million budget, marking it as a notable commercial disappointment for a JCVD release and a cautionary note for mid budget genre pictures.

Replicant has limited cultural traction, mainly among fans of Jean Claude Van Damme and Ringo Lam's late era collaborations. Some viewers note the film's cold tone and brisk action while the cloning premise prompts conversations about identity, responsibility, and how far science should go, within sci fi circles and discourse.

Critical reception was mixed, with some praising Van Damme's performance and the film's stark, efficient staging, while others fault pacing and coherence. Critics note the ethics of cloning and the tension between science and law, and they debate whether the film ultimately honors its human characters for future sci fi.