Sometimes there’s just a piece of trash you like. Dunno why, but to me, Day of Reckoning seems to stand out as kind of a gem. And the term “gem” is used loosely, to include the fake polished plastic ones that teenagers wear which come out of factories somewhere you’ve never heard of and melt in disappointingly low summer temperatures.
Following a terrible home invasion, John (Scott Adkins) awakes from his crowbar-induced coma and launches upon a path of bloodshed to avenge the loss of his wife and child. It’s not that simple however, as he slowly unravels a black network of fear, corruption, and murder, ultimately revealing a hateful design of madness, retribution, and worst of all: revolution.
There’s some pounding action scenes here – nobody’s cranium is safe. The tradesman (Andrei Arlovski) does a fantastic job as a lethal human punchbag. When the fights begin, they’re satisfying as shit, with various interesting ideas (as well as actors) thrown about everywhere. There’s actually a functional script which plods along as well, at least with the grating rhythm of a pulp novel.
Moreover is the sleek and smooth direction. Unlike most fight flicks, composition and balance are treated with surprising grace and fairness. Care is made to explore the passage of time, slowing and fast forwarding as required to reach a maximum impact. And it’s also told as a personal crisis as well as a vision of political terror and upheaval, balancing the two out not so badly.
My nitpicks are that Adkins is so out of place. As a fighter, he’s more than capable, yet his lacking acting performance (and unbelievable British accent) feels somewhat miscasted. Van Damme hardly gets the airtime he deserves, and the suspense generated between each scene is unnecessarily long-winded and tiresome, with the gently brooding soundtrack failing to solve the film’s questionable stretch across thriller, crime and martial arts.
Even if you’re a horror buff or whatnot, this is worth a view nonetheless. The oppressive atmosphere, refreshingly linear plotline and furious wholesale destruction deserve a single watch. It might not exactly be the greatest detective mystery in the world, but you don’t have to be if half of the story is punching someone in the face.
6/10
Possession Media 