One Last Shot brings Scott Adkins back as Navy SEAL Jake Harris for another mission built around the concept that made this franchise stand out in the first place: a continuous-shot action movie where tactical movement, gunfights, and hand-to-hand combat unfold with barely any room to breathe.
James Nunn’s third entry follows 2021’s One Shot and 2024’s One More Shot, once again putting Harris inside a heavily fortified compound where a terrorist operation threatens America’s missile defense system. The story is familiar territory, but with this franchise, the real attraction has never been the plot. It is watching Adkins and an elite stunt team work through an entire action sequence as if the camera simply refuses to look away.
Harris is once again played by Scott Adkins, and this time the character is exhausted rather than eager for another mission. After everything he has survived, Harris wants to get home to his family, but Admiral Mulholland, played by Dolph Lundgren, has other plans. A rogue former SEAL named Carter, played by Steven Cree, has taken control of the operation, forcing Harris back into the field because of their complicated history. Lundgren brings the expected military authority to Mulholland, while Cree gives Carter enough presence to make the confrontation personal rather than simply another target on Harris’ list.
There is also a bigger story happening behind the scenes, and this is where it becomes impossible not to look at Scott Adkins’ career differently. It is honestly strange to see an action star who once had fans waiting impatiently for every new release now moving toward the kind of C-level action movies that followed Dolph Lundgren’s career path.
Ten years ago, a new Scott Adkins movie felt like an event for martial arts fans because nobody knew exactly what kind of fight he would deliver next. Now, you increasingly know what to expect, and unfortunately, those expectations are not as high as they used to be.
Director James Nunn understands exactly what Adkins fans want, however, and he has built this franchise around that strength. His previous work includes One Shot, One More Shot, and Hungry, all films that demonstrate his interest in contained, tactical action. Working with fight choreographer Tim Man, Nunn creates extended sequences that allow Adkins to demonstrate what he does best rather than burying him beneath rapid editing.
The stunt work is the real reason to watch. Adkins and Kane Kosugi deliver several impressive fights, including an excellent Escrima-versus-hatchet encounter that develops into BJJ grappling. There are also shootouts, close-quarters combat, an ATV chase filmed as a oner, and the obligatory sprint onto a moving boat. The camera stays close enough to make the physicality readable while maintaining the continuous-shot illusion, and the choreography has enough variety to keep the action from feeling like one extended hallway fight.
The first half takes its time, following the team as they stealthily approach and breach the compound, but once the action explodes, Nunn rarely wastes an opportunity. The movie understands its purpose and delivers the combat that its audience came for.
For tactical-action fans and devoted Adkins followers, One Last Shot still provides enough firepower, hand-to-hand combat, and stunt work to make it worthwhile. But it is also difficult to ignore the bigger picture. Scott Adkins remains one of the best physical performers in the genre, yet the films surrounding him no longer carry the same excitement they once did.
If you loved One Shot and One More Shot, this is another familiar dose of the formula. If you are discovering Adkins today, though, it may leave you wondering why a performer with his abilities is increasingly being asked to operate at this level.
