Piège de métal

Castle Falls (2021) Was Worth The Wait. When Taekwondo Life Magazine spoke to Scott Adkins in June, 2020 the production of Castle Falls had come to a halt as the world shut down during the height of the Global Coronavirus Pandemic. Earlier this year production on the film resumed, and it is set to hit theaters on Friday 3, 2021. Castle Falls was worth the wait-it is very good.

The tightly scripted and efficiently directed film features Adkins and fellow martial artist and action star Dolph Lundgren. As both "down and out" men's paths cross in their quest for $3 million hidden in an abandoned hospital they find themselves having to elude a ruthless gang in search of the money. The situation is accelerated by the near imminent demolition of the hospital where the quest is underway forcing an alliance in order to survive.

While this film does not have the same humor and chemistry of Adkins' Debt Collector buddy films, it is still impressive to see these two martial arts action legends work together and play off of each other's strengths. They both do a good job individually, and together, in demonstrating their acting and action skills. This is a small film with a big heart.

As for the action; the film does not disappoint. There is plenty of action and well choreographed fighting, including the great scenes where Adkins and Lundgren face off against each other. For a 90 minute film the audience is treated to a great sampling of Scott Adkins' martial arts and Taekwondo acumen. He is one of the most fun action stars to watch, on the scene today.

Lundgren is the film's Director, and he does a very good job. The film is visually accessible, past faced, and fun to watch. I applaud Lundgren for his direct approach to the story, the action, and the fight choreography. The abandoned hospital provides a visually interesting setting for the majority of the film's action. This film balances the action and the drama for a highly watchable end product.

This was an actual modern martial arts film. -Probably the first I've seen where the fights are based on what we currently know to be the most effective and real approach to hand to hand combat.

And it wasn't overdone. -It wasn't a bunch of guys from the gym deciding to make a movie. The story came first, and the fights made sense, the skills baked into the story rather than the story being an excuse for them. That's competence, right there. Competent scripting.

As for the realism... I mean, the moves were all recognized and real MMA tactics. Nobody walks away without getting hurt. Nobody flies through the air. And no 100 pound girls bring down man bears. (The film did feature a girl, and she fought like a girl. She was a mean b****, and you wouldn't want to run into her in a dark ally, but she was a girl and the script and action dealt with her very believably.)

And best of all.., it was a solid story featuring Good Guys and Bad Guys, and some grey guys in between. But the hero was.., heroic! Damn! How often do you see that?)

It was mid-budget, nothing fancy, nothing to mark it as a Block Buster or make it stick out in the culture swirl. Sadly, it won't be remembered. It didn't look like 'money', but it was competent and engaging and satisfying. Nothing about it was stupid. (Though, I was making "Hurry Up" motions with my hands at the hero when he found the money. "Get out! Go Go Go! Stop being.., a regular guy who isn't used to this kind of world and who is taking a moment to deal with a 3 Million Dollar windfall... Okay, I get it, but still... GO!")

But seriously. Competent. Engaging. Satisfying. Nothing stupid.

Those are pretty rock solid hashtags. In today's insane media landscape? Yes.

Recommended!

Nowhere in the entire movie I saw the character of Lundgren wearing sunglasses, so how come in the poster he got one.

The plot has been done countless no of times before, none of the fights are brutal n the end a big piece of cake.

But still I enjoyed it cos of Lundgren n Adkins.

Castle Falls, an action thriller crafted in the old school 80's & 90's action style. Think of walter Hill's Trespass (1992) & Carpenter's They Live (1988) for style & setting with its abandoned building/hospital setting & two guys after some hidden loot with a gang there to hunt them & with it's blue collar construction working average-joe heroe's especially Scott Adkins. Definitely Adkins character from his outfit/wardrobe to him punching in & working as a drifter construction worker is inspired by Carpenter's Cult movie hero Nada played by Roddy Piper in They Live. Adkins is a huge fan of They Live in real life. Here the excellent Scott Adkins, who i consider to be the most underrated actor & action star working today!!!, plays an ex-MMA fighter, Mike who is down-on-his-luck & takes a job as part of a Demolition crew at a huge abandoned hospital scheduled to be demolished very soon. Adkins is such a likeable actor & here he's got his British accent which is Awesome & he steals the film of course & delivers his finest performance. Now, director & star Dolph Lundgren has used Adkins probably the best I've seen him, he's allowed to act with emotions but still does kick-ass the way he does & how we love.

Adkins discovers some bags of cash (about 3 million dollars) hidden within the hospital & comes back to get them but in that time we get more characters entering the abandoned building for that some money. The money was hidden there some time ago by drug dealing scum who want it back & also we get a struggling father who is there for that money to pay for his daughters cancer treatment. Legendary action star Dolph Lundgren is Richard, a desperate father & prison warden & fits into the role nicely & proves he's a fine actor as well as an action star. Of course Adkins' blue-collar worker & Lundgren's desperate father team-up to take out the drug dealers & keep the money & what we get is a stripped-down & old school style action thriller made on a small-budget but packs a big punch. Dolph Lundgren has given us character we really like & care about with real reasons for their actions & a huge building to play in. Films like this show that you do not need a ridiculous mega "Hollywood" budget to make a good action film. Dolph Lundgren should be very proud of his movie what he & his crew have pulled off with limited funds & restrictions.

The building is Awesome, a huge place full of floors & elevator shafts for our heroes to do action. The setting was a real location so it came with it's realistic gritty look & natural screen presence. Dolph has directed a damn good & entertaining little action thriller & i loved it's one place, contained setting & thrilling brutal fight scenes as said before, Dolph really knows how to use Adkins on screen & the two have worked together many times before (Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning, Legendary, Expendables 2) & also Dolph shows he's a decent action director that has sprinkled his movie with drama & feeling. Yes Castle Falls is a low-budget B-movie really but a damn good one & it never out stays it's welcome with it's short running time, so yeah a damn good movie in my opinion. The look is of course pretty sharp looking as filmed with modern cameras but the story, style & characters feel old school.

I grew up watching & loving the action genre & consider Van Damme my favourite action star & think that Scott Adkins is pretty much the British version in some ways but of course he's his own Awesome action star in his own kick-ass right. Adkins would make the best Punisher or Batman ever.

Dolph Lundgren and Scott Adkins make a great couple in this action film. Not only as actors, also as producers. And Dolph directing! Do not expect a movie filled with needless action and fight scenes. This movie actually has a very good plot and the dialogues are well written (and executed....). This is a great action movie with a twist and suspense until the very end. The ageing hulk is on prime form, managing his directorial duties with acting. And again an excellent acting performance from Scott Adkins. He must be one of the most underrated actors. In this movie he clearly shows that he can do more than just kick ass. You like Dolph Lundgren and Scott Adkins, do not complain. Enjoy!