Avengement (2019) Review

“Avengement” Theatrical Poster

Director: Jesse V. Johnson
Cast: Scott Adkins, Craig Fairbrass, Nick Moran, Thomas Turgoose, Kierston Wareing, Louis Mandylor, Leo Gregory, Beau Fowler, Terence Maynard, Lee Charles
Running Time: 90 min.

By Paul Bramhall

In the world of DTV action movies, Scott Adkins in prison normally only means one thing – he’s back for another round of playing Boyka in the Undisputed series. That is, until now. Avengement marks the fifth collaboration between Adkins and director Jesse V. Johnson in 2 years, and sees the pair return to their Accident Man stomping ground of London, for what can best be described as some good old fashioned ultra-violence.

Since the release of Savage Dog in 2017, it seems we’ve never had to wait too long until the next Adkins and Johnson collaboration hits the screens, so Avengement is significant in that for the first time in 2 years, there’s no further collaborations on the horizon. While fans of Adkins will only have to wait a couple of months for the Ernie Barbarash directed Abduction (and then later in 2019 Ip Man 4!), Johnson’s next release is Legion Maxx, which sees him cast his lead from 2005’s Pit Fighter, Dominique Vandenberg, as the star.

Comparisons have understandably been made between Johnson and Isaac Florentine, the director that gave Adkins his breakthrough, and was responsible for some of the British stars most popular movies. For me both directors have used Adkins equally effectively, but in different ways. While Florentine’s been content to fall back on his action chops to cover up sometimes painfully flimsy stories (Close Range), Johnson has taken the riskier route of giving Adkins the actor some breathing space, a move which has no doubt alienated some of his large non-English speaking fan-base. That breathing space is particularly apparent in Avengement, in which Adkins plays the naïve brother of a local gangster who finds himself sent to prison, when a burglary he attempts at the request of his brother goes horribly wrong.

After several years in the slammer, on a visit to his ailing mother Adkins seizes the chance to escape, and soon holes himself up in the ‘members only’ pub that his brother and the other local criminals hang out in. The man who’s escaped is very different from the one that went in though – covered in scars, a set of silver dentures that’d make Richard Kiel proud, and a hair trigger temper, the only thing this convict on the run has on his mind is revenge. One aspect I enjoy about the collaborations between Johnson and Adkins, is that Johnson recognizes that Adkins strongest acting comes out when he’s angry. He may not be the guy to anchor a storyline heavy on drama, or be the latest romantic lead (I’m still trying to erase the scenes of him and JuJu Chan together in Savage Dog from my memory) , however he’s able to sell a bad temper as well as the best of them.

This is particularly apparent in Avengement, in which the most vital acting requirement from Adkins, is for him to come across as a seething ball of rage for 80 minutes, and he does so admirably. Johnson frames the story from the bar of the pub, which is as good a place to spin a yarn as any, as Adkins gradually reveals the extent of what he went through behind bars to his captive audience. His time in prison is revealed through a series of extended flashbacks, as it soon becomes clear that almost everyone on the inside wants their pound of flesh, and we get to learn how each one of those nasty facial scars was inflicted. It’s in these scenes where we’re reminded of why Adkins is on-board, as he gets to break out his action chops against a steadily escalating stream of opponents, whose only intent is to stop him breathing.

For those hoping to see something that resembles Undisputed 5 transposed to East end London, this is definitely not the right place to visit. In the hands of fight choreographers Dan Styles and Luke LaFontaine, the prison set brawls are ugly and desperate affairs, as every punch thrown could mean the difference between having a blade thrust into your side, or surviving one more day. It’s the first time for Johnson to give principle fight choreography duties to someone outside of his trusted cohorts Tim Man and Luke LaFontaine, however Styles isn’t a complete newcomer to Johnson’s tightly knit crew. He worked as a stunt coordinator on Accident Man, and has also collaborated with Adkins previously, working on the stunt team for Eliminators and Green Street 3: Never Back Down.

Adkins usually finds himself facing off against a barrage of attackers, and the action leans heavily on collateral damage, as bodies are flung through tables and heads smashed through porcelain sinks with glorious abandon. It’s during these scenes where the synergy between director and star finds its rhythm, and the distinctive stamp of a Johnson and Adkins collaboration becomes apparent. This is a story which could just as effectively have been told with a non-action star in the lead, and a non-action orientated director at the helm. However Johnson utilizes the action pedigree of Adkins to tell the story, rather than creating fight scenes for the sake of it, with every bloodied nose and broken arm used to propel the plot forward. Could the scenes have been executed using a means other than people pummelling each other? Sure, and in all likelihood that movie probably already exists, but then it wouldn’t be Avengement.

The action also displays another of Johnson’s distinctive trademarks, which have become apparent through watching the likes of Savage Dog and Triple Threat – this is a guy that likes to include at least one preposterously gory practical special effect to send a character on their way. Avengement may not contain any machetes or a grenade launcher, but it does have Adkins sitting at the bar with a double barrelled shot gun, and both times he decides to use it result in legitimate “Whoa!” moments. There’s an art to using extreme violence as a shock tactic, and as much as I enjoyed the likes of The Night Comes for Us, I did find myself becoming numb to the almost constant onslaught of gore. Here it’s used as an exclamation mark in the narrative, and all the more effective for it. I’d go so far to say that at this point, Johnson’s movie are the perfect antidote for those tired of having to suffer the sight of CGI blood.

Avengement benefits just as much from the rest of the cast, many of whom are familiar faces from Accident Man. Nick Moran plays the businessman that runs the pub, and Ross O’Hennessy (who can forget his turn as Carnage Cliff!?) is back as a corrupt sergeant, who makes life particularly hard for Adkins on the inside. The plot affords him the opportunity to have a one on one against Adkins, only this time he’s bare handed, while Adkins happens to be in reach of a hammer. Korean cinema has a lot to answer for. Louis Mandylor from The Debt Collector also clocks in as a detective investigating the escape. Craig Fairbrass is a real highlight though as the brother Adkins comes seeking answers from, and while his screen time may be limited, when he’s on it he owns it, putting in a performance consisting of pure London grit.

For the Adkins purists who cried foul at the ending of The Debt Collector, and its lack of a climatic fight scene, the finale of Avengement could well be said to have been constructed especially for you. There may only be a handful of patrons in the pub, but if you look closely enough you’ll notice some of them are established stunt performers – Mark Strange (The Twins Effect), Beau Fowler (The Take Down), and Lee Charles (Final Score) are all present and accounted for, and for good reason. Without going into spoiler territory, Adkins is left to single handedly take on everyone in a lengthy brawl that goes on for over 5 minutes, in a scene which I can safely say sets the bar for any future pub brawls committed to film. If you need a visual guide to grievous bodily harm, this is probably as close as you’ll come.

With a group of characters who range from unlikeable to downright despicable, Avengement is not going to be a movie for everyone. The streaks of black humor found in both The Debt Collector and Accident Man are all but completely absent here, so make no mistake that it’s not always a pleasant 80 minutes to sit through. What it undeniably is though, is a lean and gritty UK crime flick, sharing more DNA with the likes of Sexy Beast  or Layer Cake than the Undisputed and Ninja franchises. With its synth heavy soundtrack and unflinching commitment to violence, Avengement is a unique entry in the filmographies of both Johnson and Adkins, and is one that deserves to be seen.

PS: Stick around for a post-credits outtake.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 7.5/10