Assassination Games - Giochi di morte

A small handful of better than average action sequences highlight an otherwise generic and trite tale of two assassins with different tactics and end goals searching for whomever set them up. Van Damme fans would be much better off watching JCVD for a good latter- day Damme flick. As he performance in here is good, but the movie is mundanely average at best. There's also a prostitute sub-plot that's admittedly pretty awful. As the movie wore on I found myself less and less interested in a film hat I couldn't help but believe I saw before in minor variations in the past. And better, in all honesty.

My Grade: C-

Script and financial limitations can hinder the most precious of stories. For once, Scott Adkins played a character and not himself in his movies. I didn't like that to be honest but as an actor that is what Scott needs. I mean in this movie Scott gets taken down by so many guys who in reality he could kill with his bare hands. Van Damme is stuck with the monotonous monologue affected robotic hit-man which seemed tacky. But that is due to lack of histrionic skill. Kurt Russell did it slightly better in soldier. Arnie did it really good in Terminator. But that was aided by the requirements of the character. Adkins has improved as an actor since the awful Ninja. He has some variety now in his resume. In this movie, AG, Scott plays a really vulnerable man. Quite the opposite of the invulnerable Yuri Boyka, Scott's best role so far.

The movie synopsis given here is tardy, and seems to indicate the crazed stereotypical view of Americans that everything revolves around them. There is no DEA nonsense here. It is the Interpol whose dirty cops provide cannon fodder for the lead actors while the main villain is a despicable criminal leader (played well by the actor).

This movie had a lot of positives going for it in terms of potential. It was a lot better than the DTV releases the 2 lead actors have been used to recently. Van Damme's face looks drawn and destroyed beyond the skills of the most talented makeup artistes in the world. He could go the Charles Bronson reloaded route with that face.

The key here is that while both the lead actors combined could compile the most complex and comprehensive columns of a martial arts encyclopedia, this movie has stayed away from capitalising on the copious martial arts talents possessed by Adkins and Van Damme. It was fresh and new of course, but nevertheless it just added to a long list of things this movie lacked.

While this movie is worth watching once especially if you are a JCVD/martial arts fan, it is only an average action film that didn't maximize its potential. The remote controlled machine gun was a nice touch but it is just one of the momentary shades of quality in a film that can never be anything above underrated. The crew just tried too much in the name of freshness, and as a result the final product ended up in the doldrums, neither here nor there.

Scott would do good to get some serious acting lessons as would JCVD. A lot of people, including me, cannot keep watching Kickboxer/Bloodsport/Universal Soldier/Hard Target/Undisputed 2,3 again and again.

Interestingly, JCVD's kids play roles in the film. His daughter Bianca(a super stunner) plays Adkins' wife. His son, Kristopher plays one of the villains I believe.

Well if you have been a fan of Van Damme since the start, like me, your favourite movie are probably gonna be Bloodsport, Lionheart and Kickboxer, the movies he got a big role from. A lot of other Van Damme production caught my eyes, Double Impact, Replicant, and Time Cop where some good strong movies in the actor gender combining action and plots. If you are a fan of John Woo and gun fights, Hard target was maybe more your think.

Then after that Van Damme did a lot of direct to DVD movies with minimal martial arts and more action parts with guns and all, some where pretty good, some where not, depending. But The Sheppard, one of his last movies was actually very strong having him with the very well balanced Scott Adkins that can fit any roles. And i loved it. So i was looking for this one a lot since it was the first true van damme movie in a LOOOONG TIME. Lets say i was please and yet disappointed a bit. For example i loved the story, all characters played well, it was a very cool movie, but at the same time i was expecting a bit more with a movie staring BOTH Van Damme and Adkins(Boyka from Undisputed) I dunno... maybe i was expecting the big martial arts blockbuster when this movie actually not even aim for that... But well... Lets just say this movie works well for what it tried to be.... an action movie with a strong plot and a dark feeling, with SOME martial Arts. Now i can wait to see The Eagle Path since i have been waiting for it for a long time.

I full admit I watched this movie for two reasons. First of all, the last thing I saw Van Damme in was JCVD, and I have to say that I was more than a bit surprised by the weight and depth of his performance. Second, I'm a fan of Scott Adkins ever since the last two Undisputed and Ninja films where he showed that westerners could screen fight just as well as anyone in martial arts flicks. How does all of that translate to this movie? Read on.

Assassination Games probably isn't what you expect. It's not a knock down, drag out action movie. In fact the action sequences, while well done, aren't very plentiful. I actually think this may be a good thing. I'm starting to think that if Van Damme would take himself more seriously and stop doing all of the hacky crap he did in the 80s and 90s that he could very well be a well respected actor who just happens to know action movies. While I grew up with movies like Bloodsport and Kickboxer, watching someone mature and actually convey an actual sense of a character is quite rewarding. Here's to hoping that the man can stick with movies that have substance rather than just being some guy who can kick stuff and do the splits.

Caught this at a theater near by and I have to say that I did enjoy this. It wasn't great or even "really good" but it was better than most of JCVD's other dtv movies(excluding US3 and Replicant)...and better than some of his later theatrical movies(Street Fighter,Double Team,Knock Off, Unisol:The Return). I think putting it on the same level as Wake of Death is pretty fair. I actually may have liked this a little more since it didn't feature the dopey MTV edits that WOD had. The acting was pretty solid all around for the most part. JC's son, Kris' character(Schell) was extremely pointless in my opinion...not to mention he sucked in it. Felt like he was reading his lines the entire movie. I really liked JC and Adkin's chemistry together. They played off each other really well but I was left wanting to see more of them sharing the screen. There were a few aspects I didn't care for but I don't want to spoil anything. Production wise, the movie looks pretty good considering the budget. It's well directed and shot. Good music score too. However, I actually feel like it would have made for a better at home experience than a theatrical one. The sepia tone actually looked a little blurred on the big screen during some of the wide shots...and I did find myself craving a little color. Close ups looked good though. All in all, it was a pretty good movie. This gives me hope for The Butcher. If Ernie Barbarash had a little more money to work with, he'd do a hell of a job. 3/5