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It’s time to lock ‘n’ load and go tactical for a third and final time as action icons Scott Adkins and Dolph Lundgren gear up as they reunite to take One Last Shot! The third entry in the action franchise from director James Nunn once again showcases all its action and chaos in one continuous take and it easily unloads and goes full auto in a climatic and epic conclusion to one of the most ambitious and satisfying action trilogy in years. Adkins doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone at this stage but that doesn’t slow him down from delivering one man army bravado and breakneck action that is his signature and calling card. Filmmaker James Nunn, who has directed all three films, shows off his tenacity and intelligence when it comes to crafting one take, continuous chaos that immerses the audience right into the heat of battle like it’s a Call of Duty video game on steroids.
After the events of the first two films, One Last Shot sees besieged and battled Navy SEAL Jake Harris (Adkins) thrust back into the heat of war when domestic terrorists threaten to detonate a nuclear dirty bomb at the State of the Union Address. To make matters worse, the final boss behind it all is none other than Elliot Carter (Steven Cree) who just happens to be Harris’ one time brother in arms and comrade who has since become disillusioned with a country that has disrespected elite operators like himself. The Joint Chiefs of Staff assemble to determine how to handle the threat but in doing so, fall right into Carter’s hands and his tier one group of loyal warriors. Carter wants the nuclear codes that each Joint Chief possesses and takes them hostage to extract the intel that he needs to assemble his masterplan. With time running out and a whole country on the line, Adm. Mulholland (Dolph Lundgren) assembles a new team of SEALS along with Harris to infiltrate the secret location that Carter has taken over. What culminates is a breathtaking and bombastic battle where Harris must deploy his skills and run a gauntlet of lethal mercenaries and traitors in order to foil Carter’s plans and save millions.
One Last Shot does the franchise proud by outdoing itself while going full-throttle with legit and elite action design that the franchise and Adkins are known for. This is without a doubt a masterclass in tactical action and chaos that big studios should respect and pay attention to when you want to know how to do this type of action right! Tim Man, one of the elite action directors and choreographers working today, hooks up again with Adkins to assemble a bevy of extreme action sequences and fans know when they see both men’s names attached, that this is going to be something truly special. Ever since first collaborating on Ninja 2, Adkins and Man have been side by side becoming a premiere tag team in blistering martial arts action as well as combat style bravado.
What can one say anymore that hasn’t been said about Scott Adkins as he is the best of the best in the business and delivers on all cylinders every time. All involved with the production want this to be the exclamation point and that it is. One Last Shot balances the explosive firepower and fisticuffs perfectly with the final forty plus minutes blasting off the screen with a relentless barrage of expertly executed sequences that combines the Gun Fu brilliance of John Wick with the emotional punch of the Has Fallen series with Gerard Butler. Adkins has found his newest franchise to satisfy his legion of hardcore fans with this one and even though Boyka is number one, LT. Jake Harris is right there in terms of bravado, and rapid-fire skills. This is epic action and what the cast and crew have managed with all three films with limited means, recourses, time and budget is special on another level. This last chapter is a grand stage with ample amounts of bullets, beatdowns and level up action!
Like I’ve said before, franchise helmer James Nunn has, without question, found his muse in action/martial arts icon Scott Adkins and the two have worked together multiple times and now they have essentially become a cohesive duo that knows how to deliver the best action possible on the screen and this is one hell of an ambitious trilogy that looks to put bigger budgeted ones that are similar in the dust. There have been countless films throughout the decades to showcase tactical action, but the One Shot franchise succeeds on all fronts as it immerses viewers with its brutal, practical and kinetic atmosphere and watching all three of these films is like you are actually running and gunning alongside the actors on film. Viewers will actually sweat as they watch this with its knife splitting tension and hyper-fierce theatrics. It’s like playing the best version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare but with bigger and badder action set pieces and stunts.
What also makes One Last Shot one hell of a viewing experience is that Nunn and Adkins surround themselves with the best that action and martial arts cinema have to offer. Even though it’s a non-action and smaller role, fellow icon Dolph Lundgren still delivers the gravitas and every time he’s on screen, he commands it with authority. It is nothing short of magical that Lundgren not only fought cancer but kicked its ass and I’ll take him in anything even if he’s just sitting behind a desk. He’s just one of those true legends that elevate the material and makes it their own. His scenes with Adkins are some of the best and his character of Mulholland has multiple layers for someone that doesn’t have a lot of screen time. He basically wants to get the bad guys any way possible which also entails sanctioning the assassination of one of their own.
It’s all led to this and with the finale comes the final boss. Steven Cree, best known for the hit series Outlander, brings a reserved but threatening tone to the role of Elliot Carter. Carter can best be compared to Ed Harris’ role in The Rock as he wants to shed light on the elite operators of the military that are, in his eyes, disrespected. It’s all about the man standing next to you with Carter and he’ll do anything to bring respect to his men on others of the same cloth even if it means total devastation. Having Carter as a one time comrade and brother in arms to Jake only enhances the emotional weight of the situation.
All three films in this tier one franchise have had their share of emotional elements to go along with the ballistic action but here it’s even more elevated. Adkins plays Harris as a man who has done more than his fair share and simply wants to go home to his family. Each movie has highlighted a pivotal and emotional scene where Harris talks to his wife via Facetime and even though they’re short exchanges, they speak volumes. It is here where Adkins showcases Harris as a fighting machine that is also human and vulnerable too. He bleeds, he shows weakness and he bends but, of course, he never breaks and puts the weight of the world on his broad shoulders with one last attempt to diffuse an immensely volatile situation.
On the action front, we get ample scenes of bullet slicing firefights along with a Ninja 2 rematch as martial arts icon Kane Kosugi (son of Ninja icon Sho Kosugi) stars as Lee who is Carter’s right-hand man. I’m happy to report that Kosugi is in a lot of the movie and he not only takes on Adkins once, but he also battles him a second time with blistering fight design staged by Tim Man. The second fight is truly a sight to behold as it takes place on several flights of stairs and not only involves Harris and Lee waging war but also seeing Harris gun down other enemy combatants at the same time with his side arm. It’s the perfect fusion of firepower and fisticuffs as the continuous take mayhem unfolds and the camera swoops in an out and captures all the Gun Fu inspired action design with flawless detail. These are simply two action icons going for broke and damaging their bodies to deliver for the fans and they leave it all on the screen with some of the best close-quarters action design ever. Kosugi even accidentally broke Adkins’ rib during the first fight which is a true testament to just how real world tough these men are.
The climax is like watching a video game on overdrive as Harris makes a last-ditch effort to stop Carter and the rest of his men that are still standing. Once again, Nunn goes for broke and throws caution to the wind with a rapid-fire sequence utilizing ATV’s that plays like a tactical version of Fast and Furious. It’s one of the best action set pieces of the trilogy and a pulsating peddle to the metal sequence that will leave the audience drenched in sweat. It’s spectacular to see how each installment plays of the previous one while going bigger and badder at the same time. We’ve all seen Adkins utilize his signature skills but here he gets to let loose with something different for crowd pleasing results.
Overall, One Last Shot is the culmination of blood, sweat and tears from a cast and crew that delivers a tactically efficient love letter to the masses. Scott Adkins is elite and an icon for a reason and here he implements all of his skills, both physical and dramatic, for a hard hitting send off to another great character that he will long be known for just like a certain most complete fighter. The tactical action is both immersive and kinetic and the hand-to-hand fight sequences are executed to brutal perfection with actors that know how to execute with the desired results. The continuous shot trope is a strength for the franchise that enhances the viewing experience and drops the audience right into the heat of battle. The supporting cast is all game and seeing Adkins take on Kosugi again is a chest thumping, rip roaring good time with Tim Man throwing everything and the kitchen sink into the adrenaline sequences. To put it simply, One Last Shot is a non-stop, one take chef’s kiss of hyper-fierce action and adrenaline with the best of the best firing on all cylinders!
VERDICT: 4.5 Out of 5 Stars
ONE LAST SHOT is Now Available on DVD & Digital!
Check Out My Exclusive Interview with Action/Martial Arts Legends Scott Adkins & Kane Kosugi on the Ultimate Adkins Action Podcast!
Check Out My Video Review of One Last Shot and Exclusive Interview with Franchise Director James Nunn & Final Boss Steven Cree on the Ultimate Adkins Podcast!
Check Out the Action-Flix Exclusive Clip from One Last Shot!
