Starring Scott Adkins, Avengement is one of those old-school action movies. It features a lot of ferocious fights something that’s not surprising since a large part of the story takes place inside a prison. And in case you were wondering, yes, Avengement is a real word and it means exactly what you think it means. The story is as simple as they come but also very effective. A perfect movie to watch if you just want to turn your brain off and be entertained.
I have to say I wasn’t the greatest Scott Adkins fan but he’s growing on me. And he seems to be growing as an actor. Long gone are the days of Boyka, this is a new and much cooler Scott. Apart from him we also have dependable Craig Fairbrass who’s a must if you’re making a British crime movie. Although I think that Thomas Turgoose stole the show here as Tune. You might remember him from Eden Lake, a much more serious and even disturbing movie.
When you think of fun British crime movies you think of Guy Ritchie movies like Snatch or Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. They have a special vibe and very specific banter that separates them from all the other generic action movies. Avengement also features a depressingly realistic main story about a man taking advantage of people in need. It’s something that happens every day not just in Britain but all over the world.
Cain Burgess has been in prison for a long time and he has the scars to prove that. He was just about to visit his dying mother in a hospital when he found it he was too late. Three guards are enough to escort a prisoner back to his cell but Cain is not an ordinary prisoner. He overpowers them and heads straight for a secret bar because he has a score to settle. He’s looking for avengement…
Streamlined for entertainment, this is a movie where not five minutes go by before we get a fight. The production values are solid and the same goes for the cinematography. The fights were excellently choreographed and the final bar fight was even nominated for the 2020’s Taurus World Stunt Award for Best Fight. I mean, they’re good for this type of a movie so don’t go expecting The Raid: Redemption or something like that. This is a B movie that punches way above its weight.
Finally, if you’re looking for movies like Avengement first check out Accident Man also starring Scot Adkins. Then you can move on to Xtreme and The Night Comes For Us. Finally, if you’re looking for some real gritty prison fighting action you can always rewatch Brawl in Cell Block 99.
Director: Jesse V. Johnson
Writers: Stu Small, Jesse V. Johnson
Cast: Scott Adkins, Craig Fairbrass, Thomas Turgoose, Nick Moran, Kierston Wareing, Mark Strange
Fun Facts: The prison scenes were filmed at Canterbury Prison in Kent. The prison is not operational since 2014 and it stood in for the very real and notorious HM Prison Belmarsh.
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IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8836988/
