B-Movie Superstar Scott Adkins Is Really Going For It In John Wick: Chapter 4
This post contains spoilers for "John Wick: Chapter 4."
The label "direct-to-video" used to be a death knell for filmmakers and movie fans alike. In the early days of home video, the term typically referred to features that weren't good enough to get theatrical distribution, causing studios to subsequently dump them onto the shelves of Blockbusters and Hollywood Videos, where — via gaudy box art, ridiculous taglines and/or highlighting the name of a slumming movie star or a legit celebrity (who would likely only have a cameo role) — they would try to entice naïve renters to check it out.
It can be exceedingly difficult for a subgenre to change a poor reputation, but everything started to change once theatrical distribution was no longer the only game in Hollywood as video, cable, and streaming services became more ubiquitous. One of the people who has been dragging the name of direct-to-video B-movies out of the gutter is the pride of England's Sutton Coldfield, Scott Adkins. Adkins' bonafides as an action star are second to none — handsomeness, charisma, rippling muscles, grace, prowess, and power are all qualities he possesses, and then some.
While Adkins' name has been well known to action fans for over 20 years, he's not been granted the opportunity to really break out in a big way for general audiences. Until now, that is: His turn as the German gangster Killa in "John Wick: Chapter 4" is such a consummate demonstration of his particular talents that the Age of Adkins may finally be upon us all.
A Hollywood second banana becomes a DTV leading man
Scott Adkins' screen career began in the early 2000s when he turned up in a number of Hong Kong martial arts films. Much like Jackie Chan did for Bruce Lee in "Enter the Dragon" back in the '70s, Adkins found himself completing the stunt ensembles for the likes of Chan and Jet Li in films like "The Medallion" and "Unleashed."
When Hollywood came calling, Adkins' status as a background player was unfortunately left intact, leading to appearances in "The Pink Panther" and "The Bourne Ultimatum" that didn't allow him to take center stage. The most insulting of these Hollywood efforts came with "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," in which Adkins portrayed Weapon XI. However, Adkins only played the character in the long shots and stunt moments, with Ryan Reynolds getting the close-ups instead.
Fortunately, the more robust world of DTV action cinema came calling, and finally gave Adkins the opportunities he deserves. After appearing with his idol Jean-Claude Van Damme in several films, Adkins was given the opportunity to star in 2012's "Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning." The film is still a high point for its franchise as well as for action cinema in general, combining elements of David Lynch, Gaspar Noe, and Michael Haneke with bone-crunching punches and lots of gunfire. Adkins, who's in every scene, carries the entire movie with panache.
Since then, Adkins has bounced between starring roles in DTV flicks and franchises (including the "Ninja" and "Undisputed" series) and smaller roles in Hollywood blockbusters (like "Doctor Strange"). When Adkins appeared in 2019's "Ip Man 4: The Finale," he claimed that star Donnie Yen requested him for the film by name, and it's a testament to both men's reputations within action cinema that Yen and Adkins appear in "John Wick: Chapter 4."
Taking a gamble
The "John Wick" features have only increased in size, budget, and reputation over the course of four films, and their popularity has fully permeated pop culture. As such, it seems Scott Adkins did not take his opportunity to be in the movie lightly; rather than appearing as yet another suave assassin in a franchise chock-full of them, Adkins (along with director Chad Stahelski) makes his character, Killa, arguably the most distinct villain Wick has ever faced.
Naysayers will probably compare Adkins' look as Killa — a large bodysuit with particularly jowly makeup and a thick accent not his own — to Colin Farrell's similar transformation in last year's "The Batman." There's ample room, however, for both performances. While Farrell's Penguin is a Noo Yawk style gangster in the style of Robert De Niro or Edward G. Robinson, Adkins and Stahelski were after a character with the vibe of Sydney Greenstreet in "Casablanca." As Adkins explains in the film's official production notes, "Killa was once a feared and revered assassin, but obviously he's let himself go."
Adkins' initial appearance in the film, grotesquely lording over his nightclub headquarters and challenging John Wick (Keanu Reeves), Caine (Donnie Yen), and Mr. Nobody (Shamier Anderson) to an incredibly tense game of cards, recalls not just "Casablanca" but similar moments in a number of James Bond and Sergio Leone films. Adkins' imposing presence and sickly gleeful demeanor make him a memorable threat before he even lifts a finger. The choice to portray Killa this way is certainly a gamble, but Adkins' skills make it work.
Killa thrilla
At first, there appears to be an extra layer of perversity to Scott Adkins' performance in "John Wick: Chapter 4" — as Killa happily perches behind his card table, it seems that perhaps the action star will not be actually performing any action in the film. Sure enough, though, all hell breaks loose and Adkins is unleashed along with it.
What makes the Killa fight especially thrilling for Adkins fans and newbies alike is the fact that Killa's unique physicality led to the martial artist developing a new fighting style for himself. As Adkins explains in the film's press kit, "We landed upon a style that's a bit of the MMA version of Mike Tyson," referring to Killa's moves being grounded in both mixed martial arts as well as boxer-like brutality.
One of the most joyously over-the-top aspects of Adkins' already out-there performance is in the way Killa seemingly refuses to die. It's no mean feat, especially given the way most characters in the "John Wick" universe seem to have nine lives and be able to function after being hit with 70 bullets. Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves have always made sure to showcase their fellow action performers in the series, a technique that allows Wick himself to feel vulnerable where he otherwise might come off as too invincible. Adkins' performance as Killa is the epitome of this approach: In every way, from his extreme personality to his resilience and skill as a fighter, the fight credibly feels like Wick may not survive this time.
Unlike Killa (RIP), Adkins himself will hopefully emerge from "John Wick: Chapter 4" victorious. Showing off his range as an actor and a fighter, he's really going for it, and it's about damn time the film industry and cinephiles at large reward him for that.