Review: Assassination Games

Jean-Claude Van Damme (aging gracefully) stars as a top assassin who lives alone, trusts no one, and likes it that way. Scott Adkins is a former top assassin who once left the trade and tried to live a normal existence, until tragedy struck. Both men have accepted a hit on a drug dealer (Ivan Kaye) about to be released from prison. It’s really Van Damme’s contract, but Adkins uses his American contact Kevin Chapman to get him in on the gig. Van Damme is doing it simply for money, but for Adkins it’s personal. The target is the very same man who put Adkins’ wife (Bianca Bree, AKA Bianca Van Varenberg) in a coma years ago. And gang raped her before that, I might add. The two assassins seem destined for a showdown, but when dirty Interpol agents (one played by Kris Van Varenberg) attempt to screw over Adkins (because he apparently stole their money) and reveal themselves to be in cahoots with Kaye, the two rival hitmen must reluctantly team up. Meanwhile, a subplot sees cranky, stoic Van Damme reluctantly (very reluctantly) intervene when a bullying pimp a few doors down beats his hooker girlfriend (Marija Karan). He lets her stay in his apartment for a while, and she tries to get this clearly empty, tortured man to open up.

 

Let’s get one thing right out of the way, this 2011 film from director Ernie Barbarash (“They Wait”, “Hardwired”) and writer Aaron Rahsaan Thomas (a writer-producer of “CSI: NY”) is not a great action movie. If all you’re looking for is to see rising action star Scott Adkins showing off his martial arts skills against aging Belgian arse-kicker Jean-Claude Van Damme, you will be sorely disappointed by this film. Hell, even I have to admit that a film about assassins isn’t quite the best vehicle for a couple of martial arts kickers. I mean, think about that for a second. But having said that, the lack of action is really the only thing lacking in this otherwise enjoyable melodrama. I’m still a bit miffed about the lack of action (though the brief bursts are still fun, particularly the opener), and some will find it a deal-breaker, but the film scores in other areas.

I think Scott Adkins is the best martial arts actor going around today, but in this film, JCVD is the one who impresses the most. And I’m not just talking about the lack of ego in not giving himself a sex scene for a change (And the chick is a hooker, too!). He’s in pretty good physical shape (take that, Steven Seagal!), and his dry sense of humour is lots of fun here. He’s playing a very anti-social, uncommunicative kinda guy who just wants to be left the hell alone, and whilst it’s quite funny, I get the feeling JCVD could really relate to this rather lonely guy, too. He’s come a long, long way as an actor, no doubt. It’s not exactly the warmest or most engaging characterisation, but it’s not meant to be. This guy kills people for a living, he doesn’t make stuffed toy bunnies. JCVD has also seemingly used his clout (whatever he has left) to bring his kids on board here, as both Bianca Bree (Van Varenberg) and Kris Van Varenberg have roles in the film. Bianca was a producer on the film, as was her father, and that’s Kris (the better of the two mini-JCVDs) as the dirty cop who runs afoul of Adkins in the climax. Call me sick, but I kinda wanted to see daddy choke him out.

Adkins is fine in the co-lead role (a role somehow originally intended for Vinnie Jones- WHAT?!), and gets to use his natural accent for a change, but his character simply isn’t as interesting, and he seems to be somewhat aware of it. Maybe he was miffed that JCVD got to play the violin (!) here and Adkins didn’t. Still, the man should be a superstar at this point. I’m not sure why American character actor Kevin Chapman is here playing an American in the Ukraine, but he’s a solid presence.

Don’t think of this as an action film. Take this film as a revenge melodrama that just happens to star a couple of action movie icons, and you’ll hopefully get something out of it. It’s a solid film, even if I wanted more action out of it, even as a melodrama. Hey, at least it’s not the Stallone/Banderas clunker “Assassins”!

Rating: B-