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Absolutes. Yes, there are so many in one’s lifetime. Death. Taxes. The fact that my beloved Cleveland Guardians will never win a World Series. That last one is probably one I will never get over, but I digress so let’s move on and talk about one absolute that is always welcome and never lets us done with the latest collaboration between martial arts/action icons Scott Adkins and Marko Zaror or what I like to call a masterclass in bone breaking, throwback style action cinema that has no equal. Just like those other absolutes I mentioned, this one is a celebrated and welcome one as two of the finest lock horns again for our entertainment.
Seriously though, if one does not love this movie then one is not a lover of all things that kick, punch, shoot, explode and make the audience sweat as if they were in that particular pic. Adkins and Zaror are so sick with their skills that after I watch a movie that has one of them or both, I feel like hitting the freestyle punching bag in my living room. The two stars have now hooked up for three films (five if you count John Wick 4 and The Killer’s Game although they do not share screen time) in which they deliver the ultimate experience in jaw dropping, must rewind action set pieces that have to be seen to be believed. The first being Undisputed 3: Redemption which features a finale throwdown that is one of the best, if not the best, western martial arts sequences ever captured on film. This is a fight scene that all fight choreographers show the next generation on how to properly choreograph, execute and shoot a fisticuffs fueled sequence that checks all the boxes.
Their second meeting was in Savage Dog from director Jesse V Johnson. Essentially this film is a more brutal and savagely stripped-down actioner that showcased a second fight that was more barbaric and visceral which separated it from their flashier predecessor. Where Undisputed 3 was a homage to the eastern fight flicks of the past, Savage Dog was more in line with something Peckinpah or Hill would do back in the 70’s. Their final beatdown in this film was just as good for different reasons and it, of course, showcased why these two men are gods among the action faithful.
We now fast forward to today and with that we have their hat trick in Diablo which hails from filmmaker Ernesto Diaz Espinoza who is a childhood friend of Zaror’s. The two have collaborated multiple times in the past similar to how Adkins has teamed with Isaac Florentine and Johnson to put out product that shows that you can do a lot with little if the team working on it behind and in front of the camera are the equivalent to Navy SEALs. Espinoza and Zaror have made some of the best Latin American martial arts films like Kiltro, Mirage Man and one of my personal favorites, Redeemer, which is Marko at his absolute lethal and most unflinching best. Both Zaror and Espinoza even managed to shoot a solid little fight film called Fist of the Condor during the pandemic which utilized the best that Latin America had to offer in action design. Now they have teamed with Adkins to deliver to the fans, one of the best action movies of 2025 in Diablo.
The film, at its roots, is an assassin laced redemption movie on steroids where Zaror has crafted his best character to date with Adkins developing a protagonist that is equal parts bad ass and sympathetic at the same time. Zaror plays El Corvo who is best described as a cross between The Terminator and something out of a James Bond film where he is an emotionless and unstoppable killing machine who is on a collision course with Adkins with showstopping results.
The plot for Diablo sees Adkins starring as Kris Chaney who is an ex-con who has just gotten out of prison and wants a little vengeance on those that put him there. He’s also made a promise to someone that was very close to him and in order to keep that promise, he’s going to have to go through hell and high water to succeed. To get what he wants, Kris kidnaps the daughter named Elisa (played by Alanna De La Rossa in a career defining performance) of a ruthless crime lord because he is the one that took everything and everyone away from him. Things get bumpy when a mysterious assassin named El Corvo (Zaror) descends on the small Latin American town as he also has beef with the bad guy for something in the past. El Corvo is essentially the Energizer Bunny as he stops at nothing to get to his targets and anyone that gets in his way is dealt with using extreme prejudice. I mean everyone. What transpires from there is Kris basically taking on the role of a modern day Ronin while fighting off hordes of gangsters and the unstoppable madman to protect the girl who means more to him then the audience knows at first.
As Kris, Adkins is playing another solid character as there is more to him than just a good right hook combined with a spinning kick. Adkins plays the part with emotion, grit and a level of intensity that eventually comes out when it has to and when it does, it’s an exclamation point on everything that he is about. Fans will be delighted to know that Adkins has really brought his A game once again in the dramatic department and when the action hits, you genuinely care for him and want nothing more than to see him succeed and be the last man standing when the dust settles. I am someone that has been with Adkins from the beginning and it is nothing short of spectacular to see how he has grown as a dramatic performer which does nothing but compliment his physical attributes. We all know what he can do with an action sequence, so all of this is just icing on the cake and confirmation that hard work does pay off and he is the best in the business today.
When speaking of what Adkins can do with an action sequence, Diablo has him front and center to do what he’s been born to do. The action design displays Adkins in a new light and even gives his legions of fans a different vibe and flavor when he executes his signature moves. We’ve seen him do this many times before, but here it’s fresh and exhilarating like we are watching the star do it for the first time. That’s the greatest compliment I can give him and Zaror who has truly crafted his best martial arts battles ti fate.
Speaking of Zaror and of his character of El Corvo, Zaror slices through his scenes as one of the best villains in an action movie in quite some time. He is equal parts scary and creepy and his scenes with others are pure cringe worthy in the best way possible as you never know what’s going to happen when he’s onscreen. This lends to a feeling of unease when he steps onto the screen and just by looking at him, you know he is a force to be reckoned with and a merciless one at that and when he squares off with Adkins or any of the other stunt personal, it’s brought with blunt force trauma and an unapologetic flavor. His first true action sequence where he cuts loose is terrifying and filled with some of the most brutal imagery ever. It’s bloodshed in its purest form and a direct reminder that there is real evil out there.
As Elisa, Alanna De La Rossa is, without a doubt, the heart and soul the movie and without her, nothing would work, and the film would fall apart. De La Rossa is all action and attitude here and she has perfect chemistry with Adkins as they share the most screen time together with immaculate results. At first, Elisa comes off as a snobby and pampered teen of a crime boss but as the film progresses, her layers are stripped away until we see the true person underneath and it is this revelation that makes the film work on all levels.
Now it is the action that all of us have come to see and with that, Diablo is a true masterclass of modern-day martial arts/action cinema with Espinoza utilizing his two muses to full effect and impact. The action is in your face and amplified with stunning camera work and choreography that heightens the intensity of the plot. Both Adkins and Zaror are older since their first meeting, but you would think that no time has passed as they are brutal poetry in motion and just as fun to watch as ever. Zaror is responsible for the action design here and with a stunt team that hails from the company called Legionnaire Stunts, they give 87Eleven and Chad Stahelski a run for their money with must see to believe adrenaline that checks all the boxes for hardcore fans desperately looking for their next action fix.
This time, there is not one but two altercations between our two stars and both sequences are filled with the magic sauce that makes us realize why we love this genre and these two actors so much. Both Adkins and Zaror are true masters of extreme action, but they are different enough from each other in their execution that they complement one another, and their fights are like a story played out with brutal strokes of the paint brush and this is truly artistic action in motion. Each fight is a different beast, and Espinoza expertly uses slo-mo, tight editing and fierce sound effects for an optimal viewing experience. There is also the use of drone shots that give the action sequences a grand scope and visuals that highlight the chaos and when the camera sweeps back and forth with each and every blow, we feel and see everything the way it should be.
Overall, Diablo is an indie actioner that works because of the talent involved. It has moments of heart to go along with the violence and both Scott Adkins and Marko Zaror prove yet again that when it comes to this type of film, there are no equals. Director Ernesto Diaz Espinoza is an action filmmaker that needs more recognition, and he clearly has an eye for what makes organized mayhem look good on screen. Alanna De La Rossa turns in a career making performance and she has thrown her hat into the ring as a strong contender for next generation star.
Both Adkins and Zaror are turned loose to do what they do best and there is more than enough action, violence and flawlessly crafted sequences to fill two movies. There is a reason why these men are stars (or icons as I have now ordained them) and they have taken what they have learned over the decades and have excelled to a whole new level. I could nitpick about negatives as I’m sure some reviewers will do but why do that when what we have come for is triumphantly laid out in front of us. There is nobody better in action cinema today and Diablo is a film that you will want to watch over and over again. I know I will.
VERDICT: 4 OUT OF 5 STARS
Diablo is essential action cinema viewing with two of today’s best of the best in Scott Adkins & Marko Zaror tearing up the screen with some of the fiercest action design ever captured on film. A true masterclass in how to do it right.
DIABLO will be released In Theaters, On Digital and On Demand on June 13th, 2025.
