Hard Target 2 is an uneven thematic sequel that doesn’t aim for originality, but it does give Scott Adkins yet another opportunity to showcase his impressive skills…
Encouraged to go all-out to win a difficult Vegas-based MMA contest match, Wes ‘The Jailor’ Baylor (Scott Adkins) unleashes a series of powerful blows and kicks that tragically take the life of his opponent. But Johnny Sutherland (Troy Honeysett) was also his friend and the match was nothing personal. Devastated by the outcome, Baylor heads away from the US and six months later he finds himself in Bangkok still haunted by the life-changing decisions he’s made and surviving by taking low-level, very off-the-books bare-knuckle fights – a cross between dodgy anger-management and self-punishment.
Fight promoter Jonah Aldridge (Prison Break‘s Robert Knepper) approaches him with a tempting offer, a ‘second chance’ and a potentially much bigger pay-day in Myanmar. It’s one last fight that would set up Baylor for life and though suspicious, Baylor decides to pursue it – it could help fulfill some old promises made to Johnny… and, after all, what does he have to lose?
As it turns out… everything. The offer is a little more complex than it appears… and Baylor finds himself far outside any wrestling ring or his comfort zone he’s known – and the jungle prey for a bunch of hunters he must defeat merely to survive…
Though invoking the title of the classic Jean Claude Van Damme / John Woo 1993 action-fest, this is a loosely-thematic sequel to Hard Target and its basic premise of human-hunting rather than having any direct connection with the original. Transplanting most of the proceedings from the more distinct New Orleans to ‘Myanmar’ – though much of the shooting was done in Thailand – means the background is a far more generic, albeit picturesque landscape in which to produce its set-pieces. And that’s essentially what we have here, a loosely-knitted story enabling the cast and crew to show off their skills. Unfortunately while there’s much to recommend if you’re here merely for the ‘action’ element, the patchwork of story and editing choices leaves the final result something of an uneven experience.
Mixed Martial Arts get a good airing but there’s also a long list of nostalgic of cliches on show to support them… the story itself echoes plenty of previous high-kicking outings, not merely the original Hard Target. Visually it includes a plethora of de rigueur slow-motion sequences, a minimalist skyscraper with a samurai statue as a sign of power, sharply cut fish-knives as a sign of sophistication and doves flying away from the tormented Baylor’s shack as if no less than John Woo had summed up their presence. Director Roel Reiné has a decent track-record (The Man with the Iron Fists 2, Black Sails) and he produces several interesting set-pieces even if the plot has to bend and break to accommodate them – but it sometimes feels like a bullet-pointed list he’s ticking off as he goes rather than being organic. The drama dictates that some unlikely and illogical choices are made: Baylor doesn’t take a cattle-prod or knife from one of his pursuers which might have evened things up a little, Mitra’s spoiled rich-girl ‘Sofia’ spends far too much time strutting, posing and power-walking during gunfire instead of hunting and local girl Ann Truong’s Tha says she knows nothing of Aldridge and yet gives entire scenes of exposition about the long-standing ‘games’ that Baylor now finds himself caught up within.
Yes, the script will win no Oscars and some of the post-production ADR is noticeably problematic. If we’re being honest, Hard Target 2 offers nothing new to the genre – in tone and budget it recalls many of the films that came out around the time of the original. But that being said, its main mission is to act as a show-reel for the talents of all concerned. From the start, Adkins considerably impressive moves are given centre-stage and attention. It does make all the difference when one can see actors actually fighting rather than blatant body-doubles that populate many a production. Adkins has proven time and time again that he’s capable of handling those up-close performances and Hard Target 2 no exception. Yes, the early ‘in-the-ring’ sequences are the result of some judicious editing – using a limited amount of extras to give the impression of bigger audiences – but the fight sequences themselves are decent enough even if the first twenty minutes or so starts to feel like am extended fight montage.
When the actual hunt commences the supporting cast make their presence known to varying degrees. Some are instantly forgettable despite assigned character-quirks. Big Bad Knepper, like many here, is playing to familiar strengths, sneering his way through proceedings, chewing the foliage and scenery. Temuera Morrison (best known for Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, Once Were Warriors and Barb Wire) makes a decent if under-developed lackey and lone vixen Rhona Mitra manages to sprinkle at least half of her sparse script with ‘come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough‘ profanity. However the eventual confrontation between her character and Adkins suffers from surprisingly stilted choreography given both their pedigrees.
As said, if you’re here for Scott and all the punches and kicks, there’s nothing wrong with Hard Target 2. It’s not as good as the original – the best bits are showcased in the trailer (below) but fans of Adkins will find much to like in what he’s given to do, albeit all very familiar – it just feels a little hindered by obvious formula boundaries and budget… and one wonders how the film might have turned out with a bit more money behind it and more imaginative choices in shooting and editing. On that note, the blu-ray and DVD ‘Special Features’ may prove as much a draw for action-fans as the main feature and they include the likes of deleted scenes, behind the scenes featurettes and commentary from Adkins, Knepper and Reiné with composer Trevor Morris, and camera operator Rolf Dekens…
7/10
Hard Target 2 is released on on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital HD by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment / Universal 1440 Entertainment on 9th September…
