11-30-2022, 11:31 PM
(This post was last modified: 11-30-2022, 11:36 PM by Drunk Monk.)
This is a Scott Adkins vehicle based on some Brit comic book I think. It’s like a UK poor man’s John Wick. Instead of the posh continental, the assassins group at a pub and instead of classy international hitpeople in tailored suits, it’s more common blokes in casual wear.
Adkins is a leather clad biker assassin who makes his hits look like accidents. This is his creation story and a pivotal moment when his squad must hunt him down. It has its tongue planted firmly in cheek in that crass Brit way - plenty of f bombs, dry black humor, and brit sass. It’s got bollocks. Sanguineous. And a sword fight. Yay.
It has a caricature comic book style with cartoonish characters and narration by Adkins. He stacks the deck with some top notch fighters: Michael Jai White (who I hardly recognized), Amy Johnston (in a meaty role for her), Roger Yuan (sorely underused) and our buddy Ray Park (in a fun role for him). When this crew mixes it up with Scott, there’s some fine high kicking choreo.
I enjoyed the sense of humor and the solid fight scenes. It vaccinates between expanding pools of blood and kinetic combat with over a dozen moves per single shot - filmed with good shaky cam - swirling cinematography that accentuates the action instead of obscuring it. The fight pieces are the centerpieces.
It’s a good role for Adkins, who is a machine when it comes to turning out good fight scenes - he’s so productive that I’m way behind on his work. It’s solid B films, a cut above grindhouse and his choreo is always superb ultravi with skilled stunt people.
D00M recommended.
Adkins is a leather clad biker assassin who makes his hits look like accidents. This is his creation story and a pivotal moment when his squad must hunt him down. It has its tongue planted firmly in cheek in that crass Brit way - plenty of f bombs, dry black humor, and brit sass. It’s got bollocks. Sanguineous. And a sword fight. Yay.
It has a caricature comic book style with cartoonish characters and narration by Adkins. He stacks the deck with some top notch fighters: Michael Jai White (who I hardly recognized), Amy Johnston (in a meaty role for her), Roger Yuan (sorely underused) and our buddy Ray Park (in a fun role for him). When this crew mixes it up with Scott, there’s some fine high kicking choreo.
I enjoyed the sense of humor and the solid fight scenes. It vaccinates between expanding pools of blood and kinetic combat with over a dozen moves per single shot - filmed with good shaky cam - swirling cinematography that accentuates the action instead of obscuring it. The fight pieces are the centerpieces.
It’s a good role for Adkins, who is a machine when it comes to turning out good fight scenes - he’s so productive that I’m way behind on his work. It’s solid B films, a cut above grindhouse and his choreo is always superb ultravi with skilled stunt people.
D00M recommended.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse