Assassination Games (2011)

Script and financial limitations can hinder the most precious of stories. For once, Scott Adkins played a character and not himself in his movies. I didn't like that to be honest but as an actor that is what Scott needs. I mean in this movie Scott gets taken down by so many guys who in reality he could kill with his bare hands. Van Damme is stuck with the monotonous monologue affected robotic hit-man which seemed tacky. But that is due to lack of histrionic skill. Kurt Russell did it slightly better in soldier. Arnie did it really good in Terminator. But that was aided by the requirements of the character. Adkins has improved as an actor since the awful Ninja. He has some variety now in his resume. In this movie, AG, Scott plays a really vulnerable man. Quite the opposite of the invulnerable Yuri Boyka, Scott's best role so far.

The movie synopsis given here is tardy, and seems to indicate the crazed stereotypical view of Americans that everything revolves around them. There is no DEA nonsense here. It is the Interpol whose dirty cops provide cannon fodder for the lead actors while the main villain is a despicable criminal leader (played well by the actor).

This movie had a lot of positives going for it in terms of potential. It was a lot better than the DTV releases the 2 lead actors have been used to recently. Van Damme's face looks drawn and destroyed beyond the skills of the most talented makeup artistes in the world. He could go the Charles Bronson reloaded route with that face.

The key here is that while both the lead actors combined could compile the most complex and comprehensive columns of a martial arts encyclopedia, this movie has stayed away from capitalising on the copious martial arts talents possessed by Adkins and Van Damme. It was fresh and new of course, but nevertheless it just added to a long list of things this movie lacked.

While this movie is worth watching once especially if you are a JCVD/martial arts fan, it is only an average action film that didn't maximize its potential. The remote controlled machine gun was a nice touch but it is just one of the momentary shades of quality in a film that can never be anything above underrated. The crew just tried too much in the name of freshness, and as a result the final product ended up in the doldrums, neither here nor there.

Scott would do good to get some serious acting lessons as would JCVD. A lot of people, including me, cannot keep watching Kickboxer/Bloodsport/Universal Soldier/Hard Target/Undisputed 2,3 again and again.

Interestingly, JCVD's kids play roles in the film. His daughter Bianca(a super stunner) plays Adkins' wife. His son, Kristopher plays one of the villains I believe.