Released: March 2019
Director: Jesse V. Johnson
Rated R
Run Time: 96 Minutes
Distributor: Well Go USA
Genre: Action
Cast:
Tony Jaa: Payu
Celina Jade: Xian
Iko Uwais: Jaka
Scott Adkins: Collins
Michael Jai White: Devereaux
Tiger Chen: Long Fei
Jeeja Yanin: Mook
Michael Bisping: Joey
In the arena of the independent action film, there’s a name you really should start paying attention to, if you haven’t already: Jesse V. Johnson. Basically starting out as a stuntman/coordinator, Mr. Johnson has since made a name for himself directing action movies. While some of the first movies that he’s directed really weren’t that good, he’s made a bit of a comeback in the past decade. Savage Dog, while not perfect, made me pay attention to the kind of action that he brings to the screen. After that, he teamed up with Scott Adkins again with Accident Man and The Debt Collector, both of which released in the same year, and both movies were absolutely fantastic. Most film directors will have a film that defines their career. George Lucas had Star Wars, Francis Ford Coppola had The Godfather, and Ridley Scott had Alien. For Jesse V. Johnson, that movie could very well be Triple Threat.
Triple Threat opens as a group of mercenaries attack a small compound in Indonesia to rescue their leader, Collins. During the attack, Jaka’s wife is killed and the entire camp is blown sky high. Later, two former members of the mercenary group, Payu and Long Fei, are trying to raise money through illegal fighting so they can regroup and take out Collins’ people. They team up with Jaka and try to plan their next move. Meanwhile, a billionaire’s daughter, Xian, is attempting to rid the local city of a ruthless crime syndicate when a hit is put out on here and Collins’ group takes the contract. There’s something to be said for a story that likes to keep things as simple as possible. It’s not the most original story, but it keeps things moving really quickly and doesn’t deviate. I, like many other action fans, have been waiting for this one for a long time. When it was first announced along with the cast that was going to be involved, my hype level skyrocketed. Not only was Triple Threat worth the wait, it blew my expectations right out of the water.
Let’s talk about the cast that Mr. Johnson rounded up here. Anybody who is a dedicated action/martial arts movie fan will recognize the names that Mr. Johnson brought together. Scott Adkins plays the merc leader with ruthless accuracy. Scott Adkins is probably the most well-known of indie action stars. He’s worked with everybody from Jet Li to Jackie Chan. The guy has some serious screen presence and knows how to be intimidating, which he is in this film. Michael Jai White plays Collins’ second in command and is clearly having a bit of fun playing a bad guy. Mr. White is one of the most underrated action stars that America has to offer. Not only is he an amazing martial artist, he’s a pretty damned good actor to boot. Jeeja Yanin makes an appearance as Mook, and while she doesn’t have the most screen time, she still makes an impression and I think she’s phenomenal. I don’t think Tony Jaa really needs an introduction. If you have the slightest interest in martial arts movies, you’ll already know who he is. Tony has come a very long way since Ong-Bak. Not only has he improved in terms of acting ability, he’s also developed quite the sense of humor. Most people may not know who Tiger Chen is, and for that I would suggest watching Man of Tai Chi. He’s worked on a lot of movies including training Keanu Reeves for The Matrix movies. He hasn’t done a lot, but I think he’s got real potential here. Iko Uwais is another awesome actor. He’s an expert in silat and he’s made some of the best action movies I’ve ever seen. He plays Jaka, whose wife was killed in the opening attack in the film, so he sets up a plan to get revenge. He’s a damn good actor. Celina Jade plays Xian, but she’s not just another pretty face. While her character isn’t trained in the martial arts, she’s got more than enough charm and personality to match. When it comes to ensemble casts, Triple Threat is one of the best.
Do you actually come to a movie like this for the story? No. You come to a movie like this for the action, and boy does this movie deliver. With the talent involved here, there’s no absolutely no way that you wouldn’t take advantage of that. Jesse Johnson gives each of these folks a chance to shine, whether they are playing a good or bad guy. The fight choreography is handled by none other than Tim Man, whose previous work includes Accident Man, Ninja: Shadow of a Tear, and Kill ’em All!. This guy knows how to put together a fight scene and the fights in this film are second to none. There’s not much in the way of wire-work, at least as far as I can tell, so it’s all grounded in reality. But Tim really allows each actor to take advantage of their particular style: Tony Jaa’s Muay Thai, Tiger Chen’s kung fu, Iko Uwais’ silat, Scott Adkins’ Taekwondo, and so on and so forth. There are so many fights that I could pick from that are amazing, but I’m going to pick only two: One: The fight between Tiger Chen and Iko Uwais. It’s not entirely one-sided, but man does this one hit really hard. The other one is Scott Adkins vs. Tony Jaa. This is the one that a lot of people have been wanting to see for a long time, and it doesn’t disappoint. Tony and Scott match each other blow for blow and it is one of the more spectacular fights that I’ve seen recently. I would absolutely love to see these guys take each other on again. Mr. Johnson’s approach to action is one that I find to be refreshing. He doesn’t let the camera get in the way of the action. He keeps it close enough so we can see the actors, but he keeps it back enough so that the action is easy to see. This is definitely a violent movie and Mr. Johnson brings a lot of grit and grime to the proceedings, but keeps the tone light enough so that it’s not bleak and dreary.
There are a few minor nitpicks that I have with the film, however. For one, certain actors like Ron Smoorenburg and Jeeja Yanin don’t get enough screen time, but you can only do so much with a 96 minute run time. The overall plot and story is pretty basic. It’s not bad, but it is one that we’ve seen before. The only other thing that I can really say is that when the film finally ends, you’re left wanting more, and I mean that in a good way. You get a lot of great stuff here, but you really don’t want it to end. It’s one of those action movies that you really want more of and that’s a testament to how incredible this film is. Jesse Johnson has crafted what could possibly be an iconic action film. It’s well-paced with tons of hard-hitting action and a sense of humor. When it comes to the whole East-meets-West deal, Triple Threat gets it right and then some. If you’re a big fan of action movies, Triple Threat is essentially required viewing. It’s incredible in every single way. Currently, Triple Threat is available on VOD with a DVD/Blu-Ray release following in May. Check it out. It’s definitely worth your time.
My Final Recommendation: See it. See it now. See. It. Now. 9.5/10