2020 Must See Flix Volume 1: I AM VENGEANCE: RETALIATION, JIU-JITSU, INVINCIBLE

By: John M Jerva

Happy post Thanksgiving Day Action-Flix Fanatics! We have officially closed the book on November and with today being December 1st, you know what that means. That’s right! It’s time for a month long countdown of my Action-Flix Must See Flix for the start of the new decade- 2020! All month long, I will be posting three films at a time that I feel will rock the action genre to its core. These are the films that should pump up audiences everywhere and with the level of talent we have in the year coming up, the action industry is in good shape. It’s important to note that a lot of these films are tentatively slated for release in 2020 so if for whatever reason they don’t come out in the next 12 months then I’ll just add them to the 2021 list. Lets get it rolling shall we!

I AM VENGEANCE: RETALIATION

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS: “Former special-forces soldier John Gold is given the opportunity to bring Sean Teague – the man who betrayed his team on their final mission in Eastern Europe several years ago – to justice. Gold would cheerfully see Teague dead, but he is convinced to help transport him to a military prison to pay for his crimes. Along the way, Gold will have to fight off Teague’s team who are attempting to extract him, as well as a sniper seemingly hell-bent on killing Teague before he can be secured.”

Back in 2018, director Ross Boyask unleashed the classic indie actioner I Am Vengeance which announced former wrestling superstar Stu Bennett as a new breed of action hero with a film that was locked and loaded with equal parts fisticufs and firepower. Bennett, who has played the heavy in a few films prior such as Eliminators with Scott Adkins, struck gold as he played mercenary John Gold who literally tore up a small town to get vengrance for the murder of his friend and ally. The film also starred action legend Gary Daniels and the the two locked horns in a fantastic brawl at the end of the film to put the exclamation point on an already adrenaline pumping action-thriller.

Now Bennet is back and this time he’s bringing the action elite along with him in the form of Vinnie Jones and martial arts phenom Jean-Paul Ly in a sequel that is sure to bypass the original in carnage and mayhem. Along with Bennett, Jones and Ly, the film also features a great adrenalized cast that includes Mark Griffin who returns as Frost and new additions Jessica-Jane Stanford, Joe Egan, Josh Myers, Lee Charles, Katrina Durden, David Schaal, Greg Burridge, Bentley Kalu, Sam Benjamin, Jacob Anderton, and Law Plancel.

Trailer and release date info are still pending but hopefully we get both sooner rather than later so keep it locked an loaded here for more to come as Bennett is certainly going to bring the pain time 100 for a second go around. This filom will be Action-Flix Approved for sure! Stay tuned!

JIU-JITSU

With the remake of Kickboxer, martial arts superstar Alain Moussi has cemented himself as one of the new generation’s on screen action heroes. With the first film Kickboxer: Vengeance and its superior sequel Kickboxer: Retaliation, Moussi has brought a fierce charisma and fighting prowess that is top tier to say the least. A third sequel titled Kickboxer: Armageddon has been put on the back burner for the time being for our number two must see flick which teams Moussi up with a stellar action cast that includes Nicolas Cage, Frank Grillo, JuJu Chan and the one and only Tony Jaa. The film is called Jiu-Jitsu and it blends the best of the action, martial arts and sci-fi genres in a wild tale of elite fighters who must engage in mortal combat with an alien race for the fate of our world.

If Moussi was in the film alone, it still would be Must Watch Worthy but add in Grillo, Jaa and Cage and this film should satisfy even the most jaded of action fans. Expect mass casualties on this one!

Helmed by Kickboxer: Retaliation director Dimitri Logothetis, Jiu-Jitsu promises to be off the charts with extreme fighting that only these actors can deliver. Once again, release date and trailer info are pending but I’ve been all over this one since it was announced so you can bet that I will bring you the goods once they arrive!

INVINCIBLE

Official Synopsis: Colonel John Taylor enlists billionaire inventor Leor Teska to fund a secret black site, testing Teska’s new nano technology for military applications, developed by scientists. When one of the test subjects, Brock Cortez, escapes, Teska’s head of security, Cam Devore is given the dangerous task of tracking him down.

Alone, Johnny Strong and Marko Zaror have proven themselves time and time again in the action genre but together, these two action heavyweights are unstoppable and Invincible, which is the name of our third Must see Flick. The highly anticiapted film sees Strong hunting down Zaror in a winner take all battle royale from director Daniel Zirilli who has also brought us such high-octane action goodness like The Asian Connnection with Steven Seagal as well as Circle Of Pain, Locked Down and most recently Acceleration with Dolph Lundgren and the upcoming Hollow Point with Luke Goss.

I have stressed time and time again that Johnny Strong is the kind of bad ass anti-hero that the action genre so desperately needs and his turn in such classic flicks as Sinners And Saints and Daylight’s End is all the proof that you need. In terms of adrenalized martial arts action, Marko Zaror is top tier all the way and his death defying moves have thrilled audiences the world over in films like Undisputed 3: Redemption, Savage Dog and Alita: Battle Angel.

Just to see Strong and Zaror square off will surely be worth the price of admission alone and I cannot wait to see them go toe to toe in what will be the grudge match of the century. Add a great cast that includes Michael Pare, Sally Kirkland and Vladimir Kulich and this one has winner stamped all over it. Stay tuned for release and trailer info for this one as well.

Well there you go! Volume 1 of the best of the best that hopefully 2020 will have to offer action fanatics all over. I feel that the genre is alive and well and these films are proof positive of that. Check back soon as I will have three more elite movies to chat about for the new year coming up! Keep it locked and loaded right here as we are your destination for everyhting action!!!!