K.O.

"K. O." starts off with the promise of a hard-hitting thriller but fails to fully deliver on its premise. The setup has potential, and there are a few moments of well-shot tension, but overall, the movie feels uneven and undercooked.

The biggest weakness lies in the script-it lacks nuance, relies on clichés, and doesn't offer much depth to its characters. What could have been an intense psychological or action-driven ride instead becomes a collection of generic scenes strung together with little emotional payoff. The pacing drags in places, and even the fight choreography-expected to be a highlight-is inconsistent.

Some performances do their best to elevate the material, and there are flashes of style in the cinematography, but it's not enough to save the film from mediocrity. By the end, "K. O." feels like a missed opportunity more than anything else.

Not terrible, but not memorable either.

For reasons best left to sociologists and film students of the far future, these types of action films have been out of favor recently, lost in an endless sea of DEI and similar themed product. So it is entirely possible that audiences have forgotten what a good action film feels like. A good action film feels just like this one, with a solid lead that you can relate to -- Gane does a great job -- and a director who knows enough not to waste his time, or yours. Recommended. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

A tough movie, full of adrenaline. Not too many clichés. The action catches you from the first minutes.

The fight scenes are "clean" without unnecessary effects and the camera angles are generous.

The atmosphere is realistic, notably through the bad guys' acting.

The script is nothing out of the ordinary, but not predictable either. At least until the end. It would have been a shame for the bad guys to win.

The movie reminds me a bit of Michael Jai White's movies, but here the director brings the script to another level. Some scenes shot upside down really look good.

So it's a must see if you like action movies.

I had to do a double take... is this THE Ciryl Gane from the UFC, or an actor that looks the same with the same name?

Welp, to my surprise it IS UFC fighter Ciryl Gane, and this guy can act!

The story wasn't anything revolutionary, and some of the fight scenes (mostly the ones with the knives and machetes) were a little cheesy (as was the gang's boss), and the story pretty much predictable, yet Gane's massive presence and on-point acting elevated this move to an enjoyable popcorn action flick.

The female lead was however a little annoying and way too small to be convincing fighting next to Gane.

Either way, a solid 6/10 from me.

As I have already said before, from now on, and I guess for a long time, all French action movies will be released only thru streaming platforms; not in movie theaters. This one takes place in Marseille, the French "underwolrd" city, the French place where there are the most important gangsters, kingpins in terms of drug traffic, armored truck robbers, racketters...Antoine Blossier the director was not used to action films before, he is not Julien Leclercq nor any other ones specialized in badass plots whose movies are available on streaming platforms. The result is above average, far better than the former Europacorp Luc Besson's crap factory. Good character depiction. The lead actor makes me think of Idris Elba, he has gifts in acting, not only fist fighting.