One Shot

I had no expectations to this 2021 action thriller from writer Jamie Russell and director James Nunn. I hadn't even heard about the movie prior to watching it. However, I saw that the movie had Scott Adkins in the lead role, and with it being a movie I hadn't already seen, of course I opted to sit down and watch "One Shot".

And while the storyline and plot in "One Shot" was essentially very simple and didn't have all that much going on in it, then "One Shot" was actually still a rather enjoyable movie. Why? Well, the sheer amount of action in the movie, and the way that the action scenes were filmed. It totally worked in favor of the movie, and made me feel like I was right there in the action.

"One Shot" had two actors that I was familiar with, and that was Scott Adkins and Ryan Philippe. But I will say that they had gotten together a good cast ensemble for the movie, and the actors and actresses were putting on good performances to bring the movie to life on the screen.

"One Shot" certainly was entertaining and enjoyable, I will say that. However, this is hardly a movie that warrants more than a single viewing, as there simply isn't enough material and contents to the storyline to support multiple viewings.

My rating of "One Shot" lands on a six out of ten stars.

An adrenaline-fuelled & macho-flavoured B-movie action fare that delivers exactly what the package advertised, One Shot is a competently crafted genre romp that packs a simple plot and executes it with skill & flair. And despite the gung-ho attitude & 'Murica crap, it manages to be a tense & thrilling affair, thanks to its no-nonsense action & fluid camerawork.

Directed by James Nunn, the story unfolds in real time with the camera capturing the events and following our characters around in a way that gives it the appearance of being shot in a single unbroken take. It sure is a gimmick but it does add to the immediacy of the chaos and keeps us invested in the proceedings while also heightening the tension & suspense at times.

The camera manoeuvres through the spaces in slick & smooth fashion and the neat editing deftly masks the various scene breaks. The drama & performances are serviceable at best but Scott Adkins plays his part with conviction. However, the film loses momentum and begins to go downhill after that big explosion, not to mention that the ending feels a tad drawn out as well.

Overall, One Shot does what it set out to do and does it in style. It is a surprisingly well made example of its genre that's quite aware of its strengths & limitations, and gets ample mileage out of its straightforward premise. Scoring high on action, violence & body counts, this is one solid actioner that plays out like a video game and offers an entertainment that's at least satisfying if not wholly rewarding.

Then this action packed movie is quite watchable; at least I didn't give up in the middle of it and cursed loudly as I used to do when watched a lousy B-movie soiled my day. This movie is actually quite good, the only thing that's not right is the numbers of the terrorists who appeared in a mid-sized truck, and how they got on the island in the middle of nowhere without transportation. The Seal team and the CIA lady needed chopper to get to the island, how these terrorists got on the island without even alerted the terrorist detainees black site? If you could put your logic, IQ and, well, the basic elementary math aside, then it's a quite exciting combat movie. Scott Adkins did a great job as usual, and I like him a lot, his acting has become better and better.

For the B movie - this is the good one. Nice realistic gun and fist fights, amazing cameraman and choreography work, good CGI. No wokism or PC BS. Predictable and enjoyable action. Minus for 200 people in one truck and some cheese. Rare find in modern agendas-ruled cinema.

6.5/10; About this film, Scott Adkins shines as usual. This man is a legit on screen action presence and acts well. He sells the character of the Navy SEAL team leader. And the fights are amazing too, starting with extended shootouts to close quarter pistol fights and hand to hand fights. The action is directed well. It is really tense and well choreographed.

The supporting cast is ok. Ashley Greene is good. Ryan Phillip looked bored. Others were just fine. The story is your generic good guys rescuing prisoner from bad guys. And the script is mediocre. Many scenes in the film would have made an impact had the characters been fleshed out and the script a better one. The one take becomes a bit strenuous at times too.

Overall it's a fine movie. Without Adkins and the cool fights, it would have been a boring mess. Do give it a watch.