Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday | A Bigger, Better and More Bonkers Sequel
Hitman’s Holiday is far more action packed, stylish and wittier than the first. Delivering an incredibly fun and bonkers experience that action movie fans and martial arts fans will adore.
Bigger, bolder and far better than the first, Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday is everything fans could have wanted, and so much more. The action is far more thrilling and engaging, the comedy is much wittier and the characters are pure bonkers, making Accident Man 2 and absolute joy and pleasure to watch.
Mike Fallon (Scott Adkins), aka. The Accident Man, is back, but this time Fallon is on a deadly mission to protect the ungrateful son of an infamous Mafia boss, in order to save his friends life. However, the only thing that stands in his way, is an onslaught of the worlds deadliest assassins.
Courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films
Before I get too deep into this review, it has to be put on record that I am a huge Scott Adkins fan, so if I end up gushing over his films or even Adkins himself, you know why. His films are dreadfully underated, especially in the action genre, and he is an action star that deserves much more recognition and praise than what he receives.
But anyway on to the review. Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday is jam packed full of phenomenal action scenes. The choreography was phenomenal, the cinematography was pristine and the physicality of all the actors was of course exceptional. The camera was used brilliantly during the action. The camera moved with the action, feeling fast and snappy that only accentuated each hit, making the action much more immersive and engaging. As an action movie fan, its so hard not to love this movie.
Courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films
This film is non stop and moves by at a very quick pace, which only adds to the films fun and frenetic energy. Perhaps this is helped by its short run time, but for my fellow action fans out there, you are not gonna want this experience to end.
The characters are more over the top and simply more ridiculous than the first. Lets do a quick head count shall we. We have Freya Du Preeze (Zara Phythian), aka The Angel of Death, a highly skilled assassin comparable to the likes of James Bond and John Wick (of course, because every assassin film needs one). We also get introduced to Yendi (Faisal Mohammed), The Vampire and yes, you guessed it, he loves the taste of blood. Next up, we have Silas (Peter Lee Thomas) the San Fransisco Strangler, an ex model who has an odd taste for strangling. Then we are introduced to the most insane of them all, Poco The Clown (Beau Fowler), a clown who is invulnerable to any sort of pain. And finally we are introduced to a Shinobi esque warrior Oyumi (Andy Long). These characters are all insane, hilarious and downright ridiculous, but it makes Accident Man 2 so much more fun and entertaining.
Courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films
Outside of the action, Mike Fallon’s character gets far more development, allowing him to open up, make friends and deal with the guilt he feels after everything that happened in the first flick. By no means is Accident Man 2 a deep character study, but its not trying to be. The film attempts to add more layers to it and it genuinly works.
The biggest surprise was the films comedy and wit. The first Accident Man isn’t necessarily that funny, but Accident Man 2 is downright hilarious, landing every joke and insult brilliantly.
All in all, Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday is a joyous thrill ride, presenting phenomenal action scenes, hilarious comedy and over the top comedy. The film flies by and is incredibly short, which does work in the films favour, even if you are an action fan like myself and are just clambering for so much more.
Olly Dyche is a British film critic and self proclaimed professional nerd. As a member of the International Film Society Critics, Olly has had much experience as a film critic and journalist. His passion for film has inspired him to do what he does best. That being, staying anti-social, watching any and every movie and TV show he can, as well as giving his "professional" opinions whether you ask for it or not. With his Cineworld Unlimited card (input cheeky plug here) you will most likely find Olly at his local Cineworld cinema, chomping down on some sweet (yeah, that's right sweet over salted baby) popcorn whilst soaking in the glorious visuals of the latest big screen release, most likely, a horror, comic book or Disney movie.
Back in 2014, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 opened into theaters with a mixed reception from critics and audiences and has been deemed as the least desirable of the Spidey movies. In the film, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) must face off against another villain who has been given the name Electro. Moreover, our brave hero uncovers some bizarre mysteries surrounding his parents.
Many fans of the series view the film as an overcrowded mess, but I think it might be the most entertaining of all the Spidey films, until No Way Home arrived, and here are five reasons why that remains true.
Andrew Garfield
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 [Credit: Sony Pictures]
First and foremost, Garfield is always a delight to have in the Spidey outfit. His charisma and witty banter is almost what makes the film truly great. I have always said that he was the best Spider-Man and this movie proves it with his ability to elevate any scene from dull slog to a comedic venture.
Spidey, in this particular movie, embodies the hero in the original comics with his incessant need to make a fast-talking quip to one of his enemies. There is nothing better than a comic-book character sticking true to his essence and spirit of its source material.
Electro
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 [Credit: Sony Pictures]
Despite what many people say about the villains, Jamie Foxx as the supercharged baddie Electro proves to be a formidable opponent for the web-head, with his omnipotent powers and overly-powered nature. More than that, Max Dillon is depicted as a quiet, shy loner who is invisible to other people. He is essentially a nobody, until he falls into a vat of electrically-charged eels and becomes the sinister villain Electro.
To better understand a villain, you must understand their plight and Electro’s plight is that of a rags-to-riches success story and the visual effects are certainly something to marvel at.
Action Sequences
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 [Credit: Sony Pictures]
This article wouldn’t be complete if I decided not to talk about the exhilarating action that embodied the film. Whether we see Spidey chasing down a truck with Oscorp’s product or a massive fight inside a grid that seems like a colossal feat for any Marvel film, the film can take a lot of pride in its action sequences.
One can also never forget the massive and iconic battle sequence between Electro and Spidey in Time Square that seems impossible to be made.
Green Goblin
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 [Credit: Sony Pictures]
While he remains a secondary villain, Dane Dehaan’s Green Goblin is still noteworthy. Dehaan portrays Harry Osborne who is left with his dead father Norman’s life work and stumbles upon a Goblin serum that enhances his speed, strength, and intelligence.
His little spat with Spider-Man is certainly befitting for the dark, moody tone of the film and entertaining for plenty of comic fans with zippy action and certified intensity. In the end, he is also responsible for the death of Spidey’s girlfriend Gwen Stacy.
Gwen Stacy Death
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 [Credit: Sony Pictures]
Speaking of Gwen Stacy, this is the only Spidey film that features his love interest dying. As he battles the Green Goblin, Spidey attempts to hold on to Stacy, literally, by a thread in the clocktower. However, when the thread snaps, Spidey is able to snag her in mid-air but the whiplash of the fall snaps her neck, killing her.
What might be the saddest moment in any Spider-Man film, was brought to life in this extraordinary scene that silenced an entire generation of Spider-Man fans.
Peacock is one of the streamers that has yet to break through in terms of their original content getting recognized for awards contention. One such series that might change that fate for the streaming service is Those About to Die and it’s starting to build out its cast. According to Variety, 2-time Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs, The Father) is the first to join the drama series which comes from Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow). Saving Private Ryan screenwriter Robert Rodat will script the series.
Hopkins will play the character known as Emperor Vespasian in the series which is set in the world of gladiatorial battle. It will be an ensemble drama following many different Roman characters that will set forth for violent affairs in the arena among other complexities such as political power and corruption so expect a starry cast for this Peacock drama. Hopkins’ character is described as “despised by the Patricians jockeying for position in the Empire and looking to supplant his heirs to the throne the first chance they get. Vespasian became the Roman emperor after a ten-year civil war. We expect to get more casting news soon as the show will begin filming in Rome in March.
Anthony Hopkins is coming off a terrific performance in James Gray’s Armageddon Time in 2022 after winning his second Academy Award for his role in The Father the year prior. He’ll next voice a character in Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon for Netflix and also will star in British drama One Life alongside Helena Bonham Carter and Jonathan Pryce. Emmerich is coming off directing the sci-fi disaster film, Moonfall in 2022.
The Planet of the Apes trilogy headlined by Andy Serkis from the 2010s can be argued as one of the best trilogies of all-time. The technological advances made from motion capture helped actors completely transform into the apes with their interactions with human characters making the story rawer and more emotional. Now, 20th Century Studios will jump back into the world of apes with their latest, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.Deadline reports that William H. Macy (Shameless, Fargo) will round out the cast for the newest chapter of the franchise.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes takes place many years after the conclusion of War for the Planet of the Apes being led by an entirely new cast that includes Owen Teague, Freya Allan and Peter Macon. Details are currently unknown on whether Macy will be playing a human character or an ape. The film series has grossed almost $2 billion dollars for the studio so it’s no surprise that they’re aiming to make more Apes fims.
Macy is coming off his biggest role ever in Showtime’s series, Shameless for which he played Frank Gallagher and was nominated for 6 Emmy Awards for his performance over 11 seasons. Macy is also a former Oscar-nominee for his lead role in the Coen Brothers classic, Fargo. Since then, he’s amassed tons of parts including most recently in Hulu’s The Dropout and a guest spot on the ABC sitcom, The Conners. Macy will next appear in the film, Maybe I Do with Emma Roberts, Diane Keaton, Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon.