After blasting its way toward viewers in January2024, the gritty action thrillerOne More Shotwas recently added toNetflixfor a new audience to enjoy. Written and directed by James Nunn, the intensely immersive sequel to the 2021 movieOne Shotcontinues to follow Jake Harris (Scott Adkins),an elite Navy SEAL, as he is tasked with escorting a ruthless terrorist to Washington, D.C. for interrogation. Bombarded from every direction as they hit the road, Jake must storm through an ultra-violent maelstrom of murder and mayhem.
AlthoughOne Shotdrew mild to negative reviews from fans and critics for its stilted dialogue and drawn-out exposition, many felt the riveting action scene was strong enough to warrant watching. In addition to rectifying the poor dialogue,One More Shotis superior to its predecessor for one badass reason:Michael Jai White. The bona fide action star replaces Ryan Phillippe, reminding viewers why he is not only a premiere American action movie star but also that he and Adkins have tremendous onscreen chemistry. Here’s howOne More Shothits its target better than its predecessor.
What Is One More Shot About?
Conceived as a direct sequel to the 2021 British action thrillerOne Shot, One More Shotbegins in Poland 12 hours after the fall of an underground torture chamber for terrorists. Jake Harris, the surviving Navy SEAL from the first film, is given a sensitive mission to escort a dangerous terrorist named Amin Mansur (Waleed Elgadi) to Washington, D.C., and conduct an interrogation. Similar to the original movie saddled with wooden dialog and an over-explained plot,One More Shotis designed to appear as ifthe film is shot in a single take, a laBirdmanor1917.
As Harris transports Mansur, he is met with hyper-violent resistance at every turn. A heavily armed group of mercenaries have been hired to take Harris out and prevent him from delivering Mansur to Washington. Meanwhile, Harris also contends with a ticking clock scenario when the terrorists plant a dirty bomb somewhere in D.C. that is timed to detonate as the President gives a States of the Union Address. Harris shoots, stabs, and batters his way through a morass of militaristic baddies, finally meeting his match in the movie’s climactic showdown.
Who Does Michael Jai White Play in One More Shot?
One More Shothits the bullseye dead center when Harris faces Robert Jackson, played by the inimitable Michael Jai White. Jackson is a highly skilled and deadly mercenary hired to eliminate Harris before he delivers Mansur to Washington. Even before the violent showdown with Harris that marks the movie’s high point, Jackson is undeniably unnerving thanks to White’s performance. He leads the other mercenaries with a strict command, mounting sadistic fear as the character is destined to confront Harris.
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Although White has minimal screen time,One More Shotflies past its predecessor during the ferocious showdown between Harris and Jackson.The two face off in the loading area of an airport tarmac, where a brutal one-on-one fistfight ensues. Adkins and White are incredibly adept at performingtheir own martial arts and physical stuntsthat, combined with unbroken editing techniques, result in a relentless and realistic clash for the ages. The visceral fight sequence lasts over two minutes and never cuts away from the breathless action. Perhaps best of all, it reminds viewers of the screen chemistry between Adkins and White that dates back decades.
Scott Adkins vs. Michael Jai White
One More Shotmarks the fifth time Scott Adkins and Michael Jai White have shared the screen. The two underrated action stars first faced off inUndisputed 2: The Last Man Standingin 2006 and have kept a close personal and professional relationship ever since. Whitesat down with ScreenRantto promoteOne More Shotand spoke of his respect for Adkins and the pleasure of reuniting with him.
In addition to attending various martial arts shows and conventions together,Adkins and White fought each otherin such movies asMetal Hurlant Chronicles(2012),Accident Man(2018),Triple Threat(2019), and now inOne More Shot. With such invaluable experience choreographing and executing fight scenes in the past, it’s no surprise to see White elevate the material above its predecessor.
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Not to besmirch Ryan Phillippe’s action movie bona fides, but one of the problems with the originalOne Shotis how it lacked a worthy match for Adkins' gritty physical performance. Phillippe has proven he can handle action material with projects likeShooter,but Adkins and White bring another level of authenticity that can’t be denied. Phillippe is arguably the better overall actor, but forOne More Shot, White is better suited to give Adkins all he can take.
Given their collaborative history, the anticipation of Adkins and White fighting again increases fan enthusiasm. Albeit brief, the results do not disappoint. As such, anyone considering loading upOne More Shotshould feel confident that the movie hits the mark better than the first.One More Shotmay even fare well enough on Netflix to merit another sequel.
