Only two months into 2026 and we already have our second Scott Adkins film of the year. After his supporting role in The Rip (2026), Adkins is back as the lead for the action thriller Reckless.
Marking the feature length directorial debut of Elliott Montello, Reckless has Adkins playing the not too bright Devon, who we are introduced to in the midst of an armed robbery. As is usually the case, things don’t exactly go according to plan with Devon finding himself behind bars for the next five years.
Upon his release, Devon decides to track down his old partners in crime for his share of the loot, only to find out that his old “friends” aren’t exactly keen to see his return. Finding himself with an unlikely partner in the shape of accountant Kimber (Nicole Deon), who has found herself at the wrong place at the wrong time. After causing an almighty commotion, the two of them find themselves in the crosshairs of local crime boss Trent (Vinnie Jones), with Trent sending an assortment of hitmen and thugs after the two.
Sharing the same irreverent humor as Adkins’ earlier Accident Man (2018), Reckless is a quirky crime thriller in the mold of early Guy Ritchie films, with the odd bit of martial arts mayhem sprinkled on top.
The tonal similarity to Accident Man isn’t surprising considering both involve regular Adkins collaborator Stu Small. Co-written by Small and the film’s producer Matthew Robert Kelly, who also gets a story credit, Reckless is filled with the same type of hilarious dialogue and crazy situations that made Accident Man such a standout.
Like Small’s scripts for both Accident Man films as well as Avengement (2019), Reckless is extremely British in terms of its dialogue and humor, and all the better for it. I’m not knocking Adkins’ U.S. based features, as he has appeared in some classics, but it’s always an added pleasure to see him back on home turf.
Considering this is his feature debut, Montello does a good job of keeping the momentum going. There is never a dull moment in Reckless, with Adkin’s Devon finding himself in one deadly situation after another, with it nerve being clear who he can trust. Some suitably garish on screen animations give the film a slightly different flavor from other Adkins features, matching the comedic tone of the on screen action.
Speaking of action, those expecting the level of action of recent Adkins movies such as Diablo (2025) or Prisoner of War (2025) may come away disappointed. That’s not to say there isn’t action involved, just that it’s not as jam packed with it as those mentioned.
However, the action we do get is superbly crafted, with fantastic fight choreography from action veteran Jude Poyer. Having worked on an assortment of action classics, most recently on the likes of Mayhem! (2023) and Havoc (2025), Poyer brings a fluidity to his fight choreography that brings the best out of his performers. The camera work actually highlights the choreography rather than obscuring it, making each of the film’s fight scenes a standout.
The most notable of these are Adkin’s face offs with a deranged Mark Strange, with Strange being better utilized here than he was the last time he went up against Adkins in Jesse V. Johnson’s Avengement.
I was surprised that the last of Adkins’ battles with Strange wasn’t kept for the finale, with the film’s final action scene, if you can call it that, being considerably small in comparison. It is slightly anti-climactic considering the several fight scenes we have been given up until now, to end the film with more of a whimper than a bang. It is more surprising when I noticed that one of Jones’ henchmen during the finale was played by notable stuntman/actor Gordon Alexander. I expected him and Adkins to have a small scuffle at the very least. Perhaps Alexander was too busy, as he also had a hand in choreographing the action.
The lack of an end fight scene is a minor quibble, and whilst the lack of a real action scene is disappointing, the conclusion still manages to be satisfying, typing up the majority of the plot’s loose ends.
Having less of a focus on fight scenes also allows Adkins to excel in the non action parts, with Devon being one of his more memorable characters. This is mainly down to how gullible he ultimately is, being way too trusting to be a career criminal. Adkins is hilarious throughout, with him and Nicole Deon’s Kimber making for an entertaining bickering couple.
Vinnie Jones isn’t asked to do much other than be Vinnie Jones, but he still manages to be great fun as the film’s main villain, getting some memorable dialogue throughout the course of the film. The most memorable scene is an exchange between him and his wife Brianna (Sarina Taylor), where it looks like for all his bluster, he’s not in “charge” as much as he would like people to think.
I must admit, I had a little chuckle at the appearance of Dean Gaffney as Jones’ right hand man. To most UK viewers, they will probably know Gaffney best for his portrayal of the dimwitted Robbie Jackson in soap opera Eastenders. It’s quite comical seeing Gaffney trying to act like a tough guy, however I think this is clearly intentional.
My only other minor quibble with the film was the choice of music, but this is more down to personal taste. The score by Jonathan Bartz is fine, but some of the songs included throughout the film, with one in particular, started to grate on my nerves.
One major stumbling block for Reckless is currently how it has been released. At the moment, it is only available in the UK as a SKY Premier, seriously limiting its availability. Whilst it is great that it has been released, it would have been nice to see this either go the VOD route or be released physically. Hopefully it will be treated better when it finds its way Stateside.
Unsurprisingly, Adkins has multiple films either in pre or post production this year, with the hotly anticipated One Last Shot finding him collaborating once again with director James Nunn to bring an end to that franchise. There’s also Skyline: Warpath, where he will be reteaming with his Triple Threat (2019) co-star Iko Uwais for what will now be the fourth entry in one of the most unexpected franchises to emerge from Hollywood.
Plot: 4/5
Acting: 4/5
Action: 3.5/5
Overall: 3.8/5