It’s been a little while since I’ve done a series like this for The Best. What I’m going to do with this series is go through the number of actors who have some of the best fight scenes. As you can imagine, this is not going to be a short series, as there is a large number of actors who do their own on-screen fighting. This is going to take a little while. My intent with this series is to not only put certain movies and fight scenes in the spotlight, but the actors as well. If you don’t have the actors, you won’t have the fights. Am I going to have any rules for this series? Not strictly speaking. I’m going to try and limit the number of fight scenes to one or two per film, unless the actor in question doesn’t have a whole lot, in which case, I can make an exception. Other than that, it’s fair game.
The first actor I’m featuring in this series of The Best Fighters is British martial arts actor Scott Adkins. An expert in Tae Kwon Do and kickboxing, Scott Adkins made a huge name for himself when he starred in Undisputed II as the angry Russian, Yuri Boyka. From there, he’s been featured in a number of low-budget direct-to-video action films as well as some pretty high-profile flicks like Doctor Strange. While I would not consider the man to be a great actor, he’s definitely got some serious screen presence and pummels the living daylights out of his opponents like it’s nobody’s business. He tends to do most of his own stunts which includes backflips, butterfly twists, and occasionally getting thrown through a wall. There’s no doubt in my mind that Scott has become a heavy-weight action star in his own right, even if most of his films are direct-to-video. Some of them are not to be missed by anybody who considers themselves an action movie buff.
Ninja II: Shadow of a Tear – Scott Adkins Vs. Tim Man
Ninja II: Shadow of a Tear is what I would call a serious throwback to the hard-hitting action films of the mid-to-late 80s. Not only is the fight choreography fast, furious and brutal, it’s also done completely without wires. This fight scene between Scott Adkins and Tim Man(also the fight choreographer) is a perfect showcase for the talent on display in the entire movie. The story is a simple revenge tale that wastes little time in getting to the good stuff. While the first film was alright, it suffered from having some pretty silly visual effects and some wire-work. Ninja II: Shadow of a Tear is the real deal, and it comes highly recommended.
Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning – Scott Adkins Vs. Andrei Arlovski(Warning: This one does get very violent, especially at the end)
While the Scott Adkins-led Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning doesn’t feature a lot of Scott’s traditional acrobatics, we get to see him in of the most brutal fight scenes I’ve seen in years. Going up against MMA legend Andrei Arlovski, Scott not only gets tackled threw a window, but gets the snot beat out of him before he unleashes his own brand of fury. Utilizing bats, weights and bowling balls, this fight against Arlovski has to be one of the most vicious and brutal fight scenes in the entire Universal Soldier franchise. It’s not the only fight, either, but it is definitely one of the best.
Undisputed III – Scott Adkins Vs. Lateef Crowder
While Undisputed II was Scott Adkins first appearance as Yuri Boyka, this is the first time that he plays the character in a lead role. There’s a reason for that, Scott is awesome as Boyka. Whenever the guy slips into a Russian accent, you know some shit’s gonna go down. Undisputed III has a lot of great fights, and a lot of them involve Scott, but this one with the Capoeira expert Lateef Crowder has to be one of the biggest highlights of the film. It’s astounding, not only because Scott has a flair for acrobatics, but his opponent is just as good. The difference in fighting styles allows for some amount of unpredictability which has one of the most satisfying conclusions to any fight that I’ve seen.
Accident Man: Scott Adkins Vs. Amy Johnston
A personal project for Scott Adkins, Accident Man is based on a comic book of the same name which debuted in Britain some years ago. Scott plays a man who is a part of a secret group of assassins. Scott’s specialty is making his assassinations look like accidents. This is actually a pretty good movie. Usually, Scott Adkins plays folks who don’t say a whole lot, but in Accident Man, his character rarely shuts up, which leads to some pretty hilarious, yet awesome moments. While the film definitely has some really awesome fight scenes, especially between him and Michael Jai White and Ray Park, it’s this fight scene with Amy Johnston’s character that really steals the show. It’s awesome, because Amy Johnston pretty much gives Scott a run for his money in this scene. It’s well-staged and it’s really awesome to see Amy Johnston give as good she gets. This fight is definitely a high-light of the film.
Special Forces: Scott Adkins Vs. Vladislavas Jacukevicius
Special Forces was one of Scott’s earlier roles as a supporting cast member. To be fair, the film itself is rather flawed and very weak in terms of the narrative and overall action. However, it’s this fight sequence between Scott and the character of Zaman that elevates what is other-wise a very ho-hum film. The fight choreography has a distinct Hong Kong flair to it and it hits pretty hard. Zaman puts up a pretty good fight, but Scott’s character ultimately triumphs. I don’t think it was intended for Scott Adkins to steal the show in Special Forces, but he did. I don’t think Special Forces was an awful film, but it’s definitely one of the weaker efforts from director Isaac Florentine.
Boyka: Undisputed – Scott Adkins Vs. Tim Man and Andreas Nguyen
In his third Undisputed film, Scott Adkins once again takes on the role of Yuri Boyka, this time on a quest for redemption after accidentally killing a man in the ring. Learning that the fighter had a wife, Boyka attempts to seek her forgiveness, but realizes that she is in the “employ” of a notorious Russian gangster. Striking a deal to free her from her debt, Boyka has to participate in another series of underground fights. Of the Undisputed films, this one is the best, I think. Not only does it have some amazing fight sequences, it also has a pretty good story and gives Boyka a shot at real redemption. Scott Adkins knocks it out of the park with this one. Of all the fights in this film, this one with the brothers is incredibly wild. Tim Man, once again, is the fight choreographer, but he also plays one of the brothers in one of the coolest fight scenes ever.
Savage Dog – Scott Adkins Vs. Cung Le
A very different kind of action film, Savage Dog forgoes any of Scott’s acrobatics for a more grounded and realistic fighting style. Scott Adkins plays Martin Tillman, a former Irish soldier on the run from the British while hiding in Vietnam. While I think that Savage Dog has issues in terms of pacing and the over-use of narration and slow-motion, there’s no denying that this film is definitely gritty, brutal and absolutely fantastic to watch. The action sequences are incredibly well-staged and the fights are vicious. The fight between Scott and former MMA champion Cung Le is awesome. While the fight’s conclusion is anti-climactic, the fight between these two is phenomenal. Cung Le’s character clearly has the upper-hand in most of the fight. It’s a hard-hitting movie, but Savage Dog is absolutely worth your time if you love action movies.
Scott Adkins is one of the best direct-to-video action stars ever. While I wouldn’t say he has the charisma of some like say…Jean-Claude Van Damme, Adkins more than holds his own. He’s taken on some of the biggest names in the industry including Jackie Chan. While he’s had some bit parts on some pretty big productions like Doctor Strange and Zero Dark Thirty, his best stuff will most likely be found on home video releases like the Undisputed sequels, Savage Dog, Hard Target 2, and Accident Man. Whenever this guy puts out a movie, I tend to pay attention. Anyone who is a fan of action films should pay attention to this guy.