Director James Nunn and leading man Scott Adkins reteam once again to bring their one take action trilogy to a close. Following on from One Shot (2021) and One More Shot (2024), One Last Shot has Adkins return apparently for the last time as Navy Seal Jake Harris, once again thrown into the thick of battle without hardly getting a chance to catch his breath.
Taking place shortly after the last film, Jake isn’t exactly in fighting shape. The toll of the last two missions are clearly showing their mark, which is no surprise because in terms of the series’ timeline, they have taken place over a few days for Jake, even though years have passed for the audience. Painfully limping and with multiple bruises, Jake is once again asked to go into the fray.
It turns out after the events of the last movie, where the plot to detonate a dirty bomb at the State of the Union address, was just a smokescreen so that the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Deputy Director of the National Security Agency Elena Torres (Hannah Ware) would be taken to a secure location.
Disgruntled former Navy Seal Elliot Carver (Steven Cree) now has everyone exactly where he wants them, with it becoming clear that he was also behind the attacks in the last two films, with his endgame being to use the biometric data of all the Chiefs of Staff so he can access and control the United States’ nuclear defense system.
Unfortunately for him, Torres manages to escape and is hiding somewhere on the grounds of Carter’s “secure location”. An FBI Hostage Rescue Team is brought in to not only rescue Torres but the rest of the hostages. Admiral Mulholland (Dolph Lundgren) has other matters he wanted taken care of however, with him coercing Jake into joining the rescue team on their mission, but instead of rescuing the hostages, he wants Jake to make sure Carter is dead. Jake is somewhat conflicted as he and Carter were (once) friends, but at the same time recognizes how dangerous he has become so begrudgingly agrees.
James Nunn has certainly made up for the somewhat disappointing Wildcat (2025). Earlier in the year he gave us the crowd pleasing Hungry (2026) which focused on a man eating hippo and now he’s back in full on action mode for One Last Shot.
Like the first two films in the series, Nunn shoots the entire film in what is seemingly one, long, continuous take. Similarly to the first two entries, smart editing techniques are employed to make scene transitions seamless, although keen eyed viewers will have fun looking for the joins.
Nunn does take his time building to the action this time, with the first 20 minutes or so building the tension as Adkins’ Jake, and the team he’s been attached to, sneaking about the tunnels of where the hostages are being held. Adding to this is that this time, Jake may not be up to the task, with the events of the previous movies taking their toll on him, not only physically but mentally. On more than one occasion Nunn closes in on the trembling hands of Adkins.
When the action does come, it is extremely well done. The first skirmish is slightly reminiscent of The Rock (1996), with Ray Fearon’s rescue team leader trying to talk down the terrorists, who like in The Rock are all in an elevated position. Like The Rock, it also goes tits up with the majority of the rescue team being massacred, leaving it to Adkins’ to save the day.
What I particularly liked about this action scene is that it includes one of the team members accidentally standing on a pressure plate connected to a bomb. As the chaos kicks off, his team mate tries to defuse the bomb as he returns fire. It just gave the action a heightened level of jeopardy.
Like the last two, the production of One Last Shot is quite an undertaking, especially with a DTV budget. It isn’t perfect, with the odd imperfection being caught on camera. For the most part, these are a non issue, as director of photography Joseph R. Fitzgerald’s camera work is so fluid and frenetic that you will be focusing on the action rather than looking for mistakes in the background.
The only other problem, if you could even call it one, is that it is blatantly obvious that the entirety of the film was shot in the UK rather than the U.S. where the story takes place. For the most part, the production can cover this, as whenever the action takes place indoors, it doesn’t really matter. It is only when we venture outside that it becomes apparent. This isn’t exactly a deal breaker, as the previous two films were also shot in the UK, but they did see to cover it up better.
Nunn includes a fair mixture of gunplay and fight scenes, with the shooting style adding a level of grit. Action directors Dan Styles and Tim Man both return from the previous entries, once again proving to be two of the best in the business. Even outside the One Shot series, both have worked numerous times with Nunn and Adkins.
The fight choreography is less flashy than other Tim Man and Scott Adkins collaborations, partly due to how the film is shot, but also down to the type of action film One Last Shot is. That isn’t to say that Adkins and his fellow performances don’t get a chance to show off their moves, just that the fights favor a more grounded style of choreography. I do use the word grounded somewhat loosely, as some suspension of disbelief has to be included when you see the punishment Adkins puts himself and others through.
The standout fight scene for me is Adkins’ second face off against his old pal Kane Kosugi. Unlike their bout in Ninja: Shadow of a Tear (2013), their fight is more desperate, with them throwing each other down stairs, smashing into walls and using whatever comes available as a weapon. Adding to the frenzy is that Adkins also has to deal with several of Kosugi’s fellow terrorists at the same time.
Whilst Kosugi is more of a physical threat, the real threat to Adkin’s character is the films main villain Carter, played by Steven Cree. The fact that the two characters are friends makes this third entry feel more personal, giving it an emotional edge over the last two films in the series. What is more interesting, as violent as Carter is, Cree doesn’t play him as an out and out villain. He genuinely seems glad to see Jake when he shows up, hoping that he will somehow come round to his way of thinking.
Maybe I was taken by Cree’s performance because he hails from Scotland, actually coming from a town not too far from where I am right now. I’ve seen him in countless movies and shows throughout the years, but he was given considerably more screen time here. Obviously, Cree isn’t an action star, so I wasn’t expecting an extended fight scene between him and Adkins. However, he does considerably well when he finally gets involved in the action.
Hannah Ware additionally does well as Torres, who rather than being a simple damsel in distress actually holds her own during the firefights, even saving Adkins more than once. Then there’s action legend Dolph Lundgren, whose appearance could be classed more as an extended cameo. While he doesn’t get involved in any of the action, Lundgren still cuts an incredibly imposing figure and is suitably believable as the man in charge.
One Last Shot gives you exactly what you would expect from the series, with Adkins and company all bringing their A game. I wouldn’t necessarily say it is the best of the three, with the original still being my favorite, but this is exciting genre fare and one that should please most action fans.
Plot: 3.5/5
Acting: 4/5
Action: 4/5
Overall: 3.8/5
