By Matthew Essary (Twitter: @WheelsCritic)
When looking at the current state of mid to low-budget action films, it’s obvious that Scott Adkins is the king of that particular mountain. The British martial artist has claimed that title by not only being an elite-level screen fighter but also by taking roles that allow him the opportunity to turn in nuanced performances as an actor. His commitment to being a well-rounded performer has not always been showcased well but unquestionably the strongest films of Adkins’ career are the ones that focused as much on character and story as they do on action. His latest effort, CASTLE FALLS, is one that takes this approach and, at a glance, has all the elements that should add up to it being a strong entry in his filmography. It has a script from a writer, Andrew Knauer, (THE LAST STAND), who has experience with adding character and thoughtfulness to action tropes. And, most notably, the film is directed by a certifiable action legend in Dolph Lundgren (UNIVERSAL SOLDIER), a skilled martial artist himself, who understands how action on screen is best presented. Yet, the end result is a film that is not entirely successful.
The plot of CASTLE FALLS finds Adkins as a washed-up MMA fighter, named Mike Walsh, who takes a job working on a construction crew that has been tasked with prepping an abandoned hospital for demolition in a few days’ time. On the final day, hours before the building is set to be brought down with explosives, Mike discovers three large duffel bags stuffed with cash hidden in the upper floors. He quickly re-stashes it and makes plans to return for the money when the building is unoccupied in the time leading up to the detonation. What he doesn’t realize is that he’s not the only one coming for the money. The incarcerated criminal who hid it there in the first place has tipped off a security guard, “Ericson” played by Lundgren, about the hidden cash in exchange for protection from the man it was stolen from who is also locked up at the same local prison facility. Ericson desperately needs the money to help pay for a life-saving medical procedure for his cancer-stricken daughter. As Mike and Ericson both make a dash for the hidden loot, they discover that a small group of armed criminals has also descended upon the building in an effort to take the money back for its rightful owner before the entire location is reduced to rubble.
CASTLE FALLS was an unfortunate victim of the shutdowns that occurred in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The film had been filming for just a single day when everything was shut down for safety concerns. Production did not resume for more than six months. While it’s not known exactly how the safety measures that were set up to allow filming to start back up affected the movie, it is noticeable just how devoid of people most of the scenes are. There are only a few instances where more than four people appear on screen at any given time. The majority of the film’s runtime involves our leads and a very small group of antagonists moving through the large, dilapidated building trying to find or avoid each other which simply feels like a necessary compromise to get production rolling again.
Limitations like that won’t necessarily cause a film to falter but there is a sense of hesitancy about CASTLE FALLS. For example, when the action does kick in- it’s well filmed by Lundgren. He understands that the audience for these types of films want to be able to see the movements and skill of the performers unobstructed by needless effects and editing. The choreography by Tim Man (NINJA 2: SHADOW OF A TEAR) is, of course, on point. It’s performed competently by the cast as well… but it never seems to go as fast and or as frantic as the story or cast would indicate it should. There is not a single moment of “bad” action in the film but, except for an excellent fight scene that opens the film where Mike squares off against a younger MMA fighter (played by Evan Dane Taylor, fight coordinator on Netflix’s PUNISHER series), the action just never reaches beyond “good” into the “great” territory occupied by the upper echelon of Adkins’ films- which leaves it feeling a little restrained and dissatisfying.
The action doesn’t have to be perfect though if everything else about the film is engaging. Unfortunately, CASTLE FALLS is a mixed bag here as well. Lundgren shows none of the stylistic ticks (odd color grading, unnecessary slo-mo, or needlessly flashy editing) that plagued a lot of his earlier directorial efforts. Here, he trusts his eye and his cast and turns in his best-looking, most professional looking project to date. The film also gives him and Adkins a chance to show their dramatic chops. They both have moments where they get to really shine as actors. Adkins is charming while palling around in the early parts of the film with a fellow construction worker (an effortlessly likable Vas Sanchez, COBRA-KAI) and more serious and somber as the film ramps up the stakes and the tension. Lundgren also shines playing opposite his real-life daughter Ida. He is full of fatherly warmth in these early moments with her and they provide solid motivation for his actions later in the story. There is also a scene where he has a breakdown after speaking with his insurance company about his daughter’s treatment cost which is some of the finest acting of Dolph’s entire career. As he has gotten older and lost some of the physicality that defined him as a performer, Lundgren has pivoted into being a surprisingly strong character actor and he brings his all to the role of Ericson. The part clearly meant a lot to him. When Adkins and Lundgren eventually meet up and, of course, team up- they have an easy-going chemistry as well that isn’t showcased nearly enough and will leave fans of the two hoping for another pairing down the road where that fun aspect is played up more prominently.
The antagonists and the script of CASTLE FALLS are really its weakest links. The criminals led by veteran stunt performer Scott Hunter (DEN OF THIEVES), are not particularly memorable. Except for a few fleeting moments of over-the-top villainy from Kim DeLonghi (THE HANDMAIDEN’S TALE), they are very generic fodder for the heroes to dispatch and when the cast is so small in such a large, nondescript space it’s up to the performers to fill the screen with their presence and the villains here never quite pull that off. Again, it’s not “bad” work it just feels sparse and a bit too restrained. The script also takes too long to set up the film’s main conflict and has subplots involving the prison and a double-cross that could have been trimmed down significantly, or completely removed without harming the overall structure of the story.
The film, despite its numerous issues, should please fans of both Scott Adkins and Dolph Lundgren. It’s a competent action tale from the beloved pair that, while never overachieving, doesn’t fall apart under the weight of its flaws either. To sum it up, the foundation of it all is shaky but everything’s still standing. So, CASTLE FALLS passes inspection… but just barely. (3/5)
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