A rich man enters a dojo to convince the master who runs it to transfer it to him. His traditional style of martial arts is no longer popular, he explains to her as he steps onto the tatami in his street shoes. The teacher recommends that he leave, but, in an act of unconsciousness, the guy mocks him and invites him to hit him “like in fucking kung-fu movies.” And the two interlocutors have more than words. It is the beginning of
The Debt
, one of the four feature films that actor Scott Adkins (Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, United Kingdom, 47 years old) released in 2018 alone, all of them for the
streaming
market . Action films intended directly for rental have often been considered the elephant graveyard where old glories such as Steven Seagal, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Nicolas Cage, John Travolta or Bruce Willis ended up to link works of debatable quality and cash checks. rapid. But the romantics of those old “kung-fu movies” to which the beginning of
The Debt
alludes have also found there, thanks to Adkins, some of the best productions of this genre in recent years.
He doesn't star in movies nor does he need to: Scott Adkins signs autographs from his fans in Los Angeles in 2023. Kevin Winter/GA (The Hollywood Reporter via Getty)
His face has barely been seen on the big screen. She had a blink-and-miss-it appearance in
The Bourne Ultimatum
(2007) and two very low-key appearances in
Doctor Strange
(2016) and the comedy
Counterintelligence Agent
(2016). In a scene from
John Wick 4
(2023) he was finally able to properly demonstrate to the multiplex audience his mixed martial arts skills, even though his appearance was unrecognizable from the characterization. Meanwhile, living up to the saying that it is better to have a mouse's head than a lion's tail, Scott Adkins has forged an important career and an entire community of admirers in the low-budget field. His performance as a lethal villain in the video store sequel
Invicto 2
(2006) earned him a promotion as the absolute star of the saga, which had two more installments. He also starred in another franchise in 2012,
Universal Soldier
, in the fifth film of the series,
Judgment Day
, of which
AV Club
journalist Tom Breihan said: “It may be the best action movie ever released.” on DVD of all time.”
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Adkins has two premieres on platforms this 2024: he has a small role in
Lights Out
, starring Frank Grillo, and is the hero of the much more notable
Once More
, which in Spain can be seen upon payment through the services of Apple, Microsoft or Amazon. It is the continuation of one of his most popular titles,
One Shot: Rescue Mission
(2021) – a rare case of his film that, due to the lack of releases during the pandemic, had a small distribution in European theaters –, proposed as a single sequence shot that allows you to enjoy the choreography and acrobatics of the protagonist in all its impressive splendor, without editing cuts. Late last year, journalist Alex Ritman asked in
The Hollywood Reporter
: “Is Adkins the last true action hero?” “For many, he is not just that, but someone who has been criminally ignored by studios,” he wrote. In the article, Isaac Florentine, one of his favorite directors, pointed to him as his ideal version of Batman and James Bond.
Scott Adkins, shirtless in 'Ninja' (2009).©First Look Pictures/Courtesy Ev /Cordon Press
“There's a tendency to view martial arts actors as B-grade, along with stunt performers, second-unit crews, and behind-the-scenes performers. In Scott's case, it's a shame because he's a talented actor,” Gene Ching, former editor of the American magazine
Kung Fu Tai Chi
, defunct in 2020, and a 32nd generation disciple of China's original Shaolin Temple, tells ICON.
. “His roots are in taekwondo and karate,” Ching explains. “Almost all martial arts movie stars have done some taekwondo for kicks, but not as many have done karate. Karate gives Scott a definition and a more square, powerful and linear structure, especially in his first films. He knows how to deliver powerful punches and can also deliver spectacular high kicks. Later, like every martial arts star, he diversified his training to be able to play more roles.”
Blow by blow, verse by verse
Adkins' film career began, Ching recalls, in Hong Kong. “Hong Kong action cinema has always been the reference in fight choreography. Perhaps this gave him more humility and part of his work ethic is due to his work there. It is clear that he is a hard worker, who commits thoroughly to any role he plays. He can make everything from brutal movies to ironic action comedies with equal ease,” he notes. For the expert, also in this apparent humility of Adkins we can understand why in his action films intended for domestic consumption, perhaps greater effort is recognized than in those of big names relegated to that division: “Seagal and Van Damme started filming films in Hollywood as protagonists at a time when martial arts stars had a lot of ego. "Perhaps they saw a degradation in his move to video cinema."
After several initial collaborations with figures such as Jackie Chan or Sammo Hung, Adkins caught the attention of director Isaac Florentine, later responsible for two films in the
Undefeated
saga , while also acting in British soap operas. In 2009 he was also Ryan Reynolds' stunt double in the role of Deadpool in
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
. And he was emerging as the heir to his idol Van Damme since they both acted together in
The Patrolman: Border Patrol
(2008), the first of his, so far, four collaborations. Not in vain, in addition to facing him in the fifth
Universal Soldier
, Adkins also relieved him at the helm of the late sequel
Human Target 2
(2016) and it has just been announced that he will be the bad guy in
Kickboxer: Armageddon
, the eighth installment of the saga that began. in 1989, which will once again feature the Belgian star in the cast. Veteran martial artist Donnie Yen also recruited him for
Ip Man 4: The End
(2019), the latest installment of his acclaimed saga, while in China he acquired the status of an institution thanks to his antagonistic role in
Wolf Warrior
(2015). . The sequel, for which he did not return, was the highest-grossing film in the country's history.
Scott Adkins and another action star, Dolph Lundgren, in 'Castle Falls' (2021). Courtesy Everett Collection / Cordon Press
Scott Adkins, bloodied in 'Seized' (2020).©Lions Gate/Courtesy Everett Collection / Cordon Press
Scott Adkins, doing double kicks in 'Human Target 2' (2016).Courtesy Everett Collection (©Universal/courtesy Everett / Everett Collection / Cordon Press)
But the Briton has not limited himself to participating in well-known sagas or in the shadow of more famous actors: diptychs such as
Ninja
(2009-13),
Accident Man
(2018-22) or
The Debt Collector
(2018-20) are proof of their ability and charisma to generate their own mythologies. Also of the seal that has made it stand out even in the endless
scroll
of the Netflix catalog, where
Avengement
(2019), a film that the actor points out as the favorite of his filmography, continues to find its audience five years after its release. Like many creators throughout the history of cinema, Adkins – and with him his inseparable team, such as Jesse V. Johnson, who has directed him seven times, screenwriter Stu Small or choreographer Tim Man – has found in The B series is a playground from which to make genuine proposals, passionate in their approach to action and without the restrictions in the representation of violence that the high budget sometimes requires. Author's slaps. “As a fan of Adkins, I used to want him to appear in big Hollywood movies. I take it back. The B series allows him much more creative freedom,” a follower of his wrote on the Letterboxd social network.
Two British strongmen: Scott Adkins and Jason Statham in 2012. Dave M. Benett (WireImage)
However, at a time when the influence and success of the
John Wick
saga or the
Cobra Kai
series (2018) have led to taking greater care of the staging in conventional action productions and, with it, to revaluing the artisanal , the role of specialists and authentic martial artists, Adkins could gain prominence. He, for now, is enjoying the moment that he is experiencing the genre, as a participant and also as a spectator. From his YouTube channel, in addition to sharing scenes from his films or training tips, he acts as a philanthropist of the slap in the interview series
The Art of Action
, where he has spoken with icons such as Keanu Reeves, Mark Dacascos, Tony Jaa and Steven Seagal . Also on Twitter, where he has praised the recently released new version of
By Profession: Duro
, but not without reproaching those responsible for the use of digital effects in the fights. The most attractive thing that, at the moment, the immediate future holds for him is the new
Kickboxer
and the fourth installment of
Skyline
(2010), both with no prospect of being released in theaters. “Hopefully, something important will come to him soon,” Gene Ching believes. “He has earned it.”
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