Debt Collectors
review by Bobby Blakey
One of my favorite martial arts action stars is Scott Adkins who has delivered not only some big screen action with films like Doctor Strange, but also led the charge in popular franchises like Ninja and Undisputed. Through the years Scott Adkins and director Jesse V. Johnson have teamed up for some great flicks including Savage Dog and Accident Man. In 2018 they brought the action comedy The Debt Collector co-starring Louis Mandylor to the fans that was a ton of fun. Now they are all getting back together for a new chapter with the follow up, Debt Collectors also starring Vladimir Kulich, Mayling Ng, Louie Ski Carr, Charity Collins, and Marina Sirtis, but will this new chapter make any sense after the ending of the first film or will it not be a debt worth collecting?
Debt Collectors follows Debt collectors French and Sue who get to work doing what they do best – cracking skulls and breaking bones - as they chase down the various lowlifes who owe money to their boss, Tommy. They're summoned to Las Vegas to collect from a dirty casino owner, who happens to be a vicious ex-lover of Sue's. Meanwhile, a notorious drug kingpin is on the warpath to kill French and Sue to avenge his brother’s death. Facing danger from all angles, the pair will have no other choice but to fight their way out of an explosively dangerous situation.
I honestly didn’t expect them to bring another chapter to this story to life with the way they ended it, but glad they did. Adkins and Mandylor have great chemistry and offer up some fun times with their love hate relationship. While there is a ton of action that fans want I really enjoy watching these two guys interact. They get along in their own way at one point and then fight like a married couple the next. You would think this dynamic would wear thin, but thanks to some deeper moments dealing with the aftermath of the previous film and the loss of other characters it allows more humanity of them both to shine through.
The story is pretty similar on some level to the first film, but plays up more like a continuation of the film as opposed to an all new story. I loved this aspect because it made the reasoning for getting them back into action work and
allow them to not only evolve their relationship as dysfunctional friends and partners, but also set up a new direction for them. Obviously with Adkins and director Johnson teaming up again you know there is going to be plenty of action and they do not disappoint.
Much like the first film it wastes no time getting to the action and keeping it coming from beginning to end. Outside of the emotional human moment these guys have in the middle of the film they are put through the ringer once again not only fighting other but each other. Mandylor holds his own as well bringing the boxing bruiser style and kicks some major ass throughout. I love their contrasting fight styles that serves as a character trait to each of them. The toning down of the specialty kicking here fights Adkins character all the better yet still allows him to show off a wide range of other great action skills. The best part of this leads to a showdown between the two that is brutal and funny all at once that was reminiscent of the famed fight between Roddy Piper and Keith David in They Live. Not sure if this was on purpose, but either way it is a great homage to the classic moment and taken to new levels by these two.
I had a blast with this film and watching it back to back with the original made it all the better. I hope this is just the beginning of this franchise as I love watching this team together for the fights, laughs and old school action that is missing in the genre these days.
Check out Debt Collectors available now On Demand from Samuel Goldwynn Films.