Luc Besson has been churning out the action for years in the director’s seat, but also even more in just the storis in films including Taken, The Transporter and From Paris With Love. Now he is teaming up with Swimming with Sharks director George Huang who also co-wrote the film Weekend in Tapei. The film stars Fast and Furious alumni Luke Evans and Sung Kang along with Gwei Lun-mei and Wyatt Yang, but could it bring the expected action or will it fail to find the right gear?

 

Weekend in Taipei follows DEA agent John Lawlor on a deep undercover assignment in Taipei, was doing everything right… until he fell in love with his informant, beautiful Josephine “Joey” Kwang, one of the Asian underworld’s best transport drivers. Compromised and cover blown, John was forced to flee. Now, years later, John is back in Taipei for the weekend. But is he here to finish the job? Or to win back Joey’s love?

 

To be honest I didn’t know much ab out this film but knowing how a lot of these straight to home release films are didn’t have high hopes. While there is nothing here we haven’t seen in some manner before but was pleasantly surprised by what it had to offer in the action department. The story is simple with little mystery or twists, but also not trying to bring any. Sure, the story tries to lead you into a surprise reveal, but you will easily know it all quickly. Thankfully that is not what carries this film it’s the action.

 

There is plenty of action throughout and to my delight were well choreographed and executed. Instead of the usual throwaway fights they went all in to deliver some martial arts genre level action that had a John Wick feel even if not on that level. Evens does a great job carrying these