Diablo Movie Review – Scott Adkins and Marko Zaror Put on a Martial Arts Clinic

Ernesto Díaz Espinoza’s Diablo kicks off the action with the mysterious Kris Chaney (Scott Adkins) kidnapping the young Elisa (Alanna De La Rossa), who is the daughter of the powerful Colombian gangster Vicente (Lucho Velasco). Kris tells Elisa that he’s only fulfilling a promise he made to her deceased mother years ago, and you can probably guess what the actual twist is here. Vicente isn’t about to let Elisa get away, though, so he puts out a bounty on Kris’ head. One man who answers the call is the unrelenting and unrepentant El Corvo (Marko Zaror), who also has his own violent history with Vicente.

Mat Sansom writes the script for Diablo, and it isn’t exactly a story bursting with too much novelty or surprise. It’s an action-centric tale told many times before in movies of the past – particularly in the ’80s and ’90s. Heck, Diablo would be the Cannon Group’s wettest dream back then, likely starring Michael Dudikoff and Jean-Claude Van Damme in the lead roles. Even though it’s predictable action fodder, Adkins’ Kris, Zaror’s El Corvo, and surprisingly Velasco’s Vicente keep the audience invested in where this story goes. 

If you have seen the trailer, you know that Adkins and Zaror face off in combat. That’s enough of a selling point alone here. They clash several times in this film, and it’s as glorious as you can imagine as these two seasoned martial artists kiss each other with their feet and fists. It’s fast and intense full-on fighting, without those sloppy cuts and cam shakes that poison modern martial arts movies. Díaz Espinoza knows exactly what the audience is here for and doesn’t hold back on the fight scenes; he makes them the backbone of the entire film with the narrative often leading to big battle sequences.

Zaror’s El Corvo is like a Terminator-meets-Anton Chigurh character who is an absolute killing machine with zero remorse. There’s a – dare I say? – Bond villain-like quality to him, because of both his look and behavior. He’s built up to be an unstoppable threat, easily establishing himself as one of the most unforgettable action movie antagonists in recent years. 

This works well in the movie, as it gives Adkins’ Kris a credible threat to face. From the get-go, it’s clear that Kris knows how to handle himself, as he roundhouse kicks groups of foes into oblivion, but how does he stop a psychopathic bad guy with equal martial arts skills and a weaponized arm? Of course everyone knows Kris will overcome El Corvo in the end, but boy, does he get his butt handed to him like a loaf of bread a few times until then. At the same time, Kris also needs to deal with Elisa, who gives him enough attitude to last a lifetime. One wonders if he would rather fight El Corvo for 24 hours straight rather than deal with a teenager’s constant scorching assessment of him.

Velasco’s Vicente is the conundrum here. Yeah, he’s a bad guy, but there’s more to his story arc than meets the eye. He truly cares for Elisa, even if he isn’t exactly winning the Homer Simpson Dad of the Year Award. It’s fun to see how Diablo utilizes Vicente, as he fuels the drama but still deserves a biblical beating for what he’s done in the past.

So, is Diablo about to clean up at the Academy Awards next year? Oh, no. But at least it doesn’t put the audience in a deep slumber like some of those cinematic sleeping pills masquerading as high art. It’s fist-pumping action to the core, and everyone involved in Diablo knows what the viewer is here for, dialling it up to the max. Honestly, don’t be surprised if this becomes your next Friday night delight.

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