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Castle Falls Reviews

OK standard action pic.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Jan 1, 2022

Dolph Lundgren and Scott Adkins make a fine odd couple in this meatily satisfying action film - once it gets moving.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 13, 2021

A film with a killer concept, which despite getting tripped up by exposition, delivers thrills and decent action.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 3, 2021

Outside of diehard action stans, the appeal is probably limited. But let's be honest, those are the people lining up to see a Scott Adkins/Dolph Lundgren movie.

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | Dec 3, 2021

Sporting skilled choreographed action sequences, Castle Falls offers a mildly satisfying viewing experience despite a weak and muddled storyline.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Dec 3, 2021

Castle Falls isn't as splashy or intense as other recent DTV gems ... but it's still perfectly solid work from everyone involved.

Full Review | Dec 3, 2021

Lundgren can't make the emotional beats land the way his fists do.

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | Dec 1, 2021

Typical action fare that features great chemistry between the leads and Lundgren in a role that may surprise some.

Full Review | Nov 30, 2021

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Castle Falls (2021) Review

“Castle Falls” Theatrical Poster

Director: Dolph Lundgren Cast: Scott Adkins, Dolph Lundgren, Jim E. Chandler, Dave Halls, Kim DeLonghi, Kevin Wayne, Luke Hawx, Scott Hunter, Ida Lundgren, Bill Billions Running Time: 87 min.

By Paul Bramhall

There was a moment there when it seemed like 2021 was going to manifest the incomprehensible thought of not delivering a single Scott Adkins movie. However in the closing weeks of the year the British thespian of the DTV action genre came out swinging, first with the continuous take action thriller One Shot , followed up by Castle Falls , which sees him sharing the screen with the Swedish thespian of the DTV genre, Dolph Lundgren, for the fourth time. Adkins’ lack of screen time for much of the year was of course due to the COVID-19 pandemic that the world continued to wrestle with, and Castle Falls was directly impacted when production was shut down after only one day in March 2020. It would be more than 7 months until cameras could start rolling again, with the finished product finally hitting screens in December the following year.

As well as being Adkins’s co-star, Lundgren is also in the director’s chair. After his collaboration with John Woo in 1998’s Blackjack failed to go any further than the feature length pilot, during the 00’s Lundgren took to directing himself in a number of DTV features. Kicking off with 2004’s The Defender and concluding with 2010’s Icarus , Lundgren’s directorial efforts saw him playing an eclectic selection of characters, from bible brandishing bikers ( Missionary Man ) to terrorist killing drummers ( Command Performance ). Comparatively his character in Castle Falls is much more strait-laced, playing a prison guard looking after his sick daughter, who’s played by his actual daughter Ida Lundgren (call that taking a leaf out of the Mark Dacascos playbook ). Notably she also had a role in Command Performance and hasn’t appeared in anything in-between, so I guess pops was looking to save on the budget.

The plot for Castle Falls sees 2 storylines run in parallel. Lundgren’s prison guard needs $400,000 to secure a life saving operation for his daughter, and when he learns that a gang leader has 3 million dollars stashed in an old hospital building which is due to be destroyed (by Lundgren Construction Services no less), his desperation leads to him attempting to retrieve it. In the other storyline we meet Adkins who plays a washed-up MMA fighter, who after losing his last few matches is no longer a bankable draw, and finds himself relegated to being a sparring partner. Destitute, he drives to Birmingham, Alabama (a choice bizarrely explained by his character hailing from Birmingham in the UK), where he falls into the world of day labourers. Working as part of the demolition crew preparing the old hospital for destruction, it’s Adkins who stumbles across the 3 million by accident, unaware of just how many others are after the stash.  

The others, apart from Lundgren of course, come in the form of the imprisoned gang leaders’ ruthless brother and his gang of lackeys. Played by stuntman Scott Hunter, who comes with an impressive resume having most recently worked on the likes of Red Notice and Black Widow , he not only wants to get his hands on the cash, but also wants to find out who betrayed his brother by giving up the location of the stash. Special mention should go to the pairing of Hunter and Kim DeLonghi ( The Last Son , Beyond the Law ) who plays his scarred girlfriend. The script by Andrew Knauer, who’s only other claim to fame is scripting Kim Ji-woon’s Hollywood debut The Last Stand , is equal parts clunky and cringey. In one scene DeLonghi tells Hunter “I love it when you’re selfish”, before engaging in a passionate kiss. In another she has to say the line “Sure as eggs is eggs” with a straight face, which she does an amicable job of.

Other less than stellar exchanges see Lundgren bonding with his daughter over the latest hip hop tracks, with Lundgren complaining that he can’t understand what rappers say these days, not like in the Biggie and Tupac days. It’s horrendous stuff, and as a director he fails to inject any sense of pace into proceedings, making the first half of Castle Falls a particular slog to get through. It’s at the 40-minute mark when we get a timer onscreen indicating that the explosives are rigged to go off in 90 minutes, and it finally feels like the narrative is boosted by a sense of urgency. Indeed the single biggest detriment to Castle Falls is that it’s only in the final 30 minutes when it decides to shift gear, and it feels like despite the obviously low budget and ugly digital lensing, there is actually an enjoyable movie in there somewhere.

Adkins and Lundgren have good chemistry together, and while their individual storylines see their characters come across as rather flat and uninspired, when they’re together there’s a kind of cankerous banter between the pair that’s surprisingly funny in a movie that until this point has been deadly serious. It’s a shame then that they only meet each other in the last reel, as had they shared the screen together much earlier I get the distinct feeling that Castle Falls would be much more enjoyable than it actually is. One thing Lundgren does get right is to bring in fight choreographer Tim Man to deliver on the action front. Castle Falls marks the ninth time for Man to choreograph Adkins, having first worked together on 2013’s Ninja: Shadow of a Tear , marking one of modern action cinemas most enduring relationships between performer and choreographer.

Once the final 30 minutes kicks in Lundgren wisely keeps the action beats coming, and even allows the opportunity for an Ivan Drago versus Yuri Boyka face off as the pair briefly come to blows (a fight in which my biggest takeaway was that Lundgren seemed to be wearing indestructible glasses). Most of the heavy lifting goes to Adkins as he gets into a series of scuffles with Hunter’s crew, even throwing in his trademark flying spin kick at one point. However there’s a distinct feeling that this is Adkins and Man on plug ‘n’ play fight duty, with none of the fights offering up anything we haven’t seen before, and no real ‘wow’ factor or moments of inspired choreography like we got in the pair’s collaborations under director Jesse V. Johnson. While the answer is probably an obvious one – time constraints – it still doesn’t necessarily make what’s onscreen anymore impressive.  

The soundtrack also tends to be intrusive, distracting from the action rather than complimenting it, with a choice of either throbbing distorted electric guitar riffs, or oddly composed synthesiser beats which sound like a long-lost cousin of an 80’s HK action flick. The worst offender is the decision to have a downbeat grungy metal track play over the opening fight which pits Adkins against stuntman Evan Dane Taylor (fight choreographer on the 2017 The Punisher series) in a gym. The right choice of music could have drawn attention away from the lifeless color grading the scene suffers from, and instead assisted to elevate the tension, but instead it only serves to lumber Castle Falls with a completely underwhelming opening scene. We get that Lundgren likes his rock tracks (I didn’t fall for the Biggie and Tupac conversation for a second), but here it rarely felt like the soundtrack was matching whatever scene it was being applied to.

At the end of the day Castle Falls succeeds in being a watchable DTV flick but nothing more, and is unlikely to be remembered a few hours after the end credits have rolled. Lundgren hasn’t been in the director’s chair since 2010, which is long enough to get rusty, especially if you were never a particularly strong director in the first place. The biggest shame here is that Lundgren and Adkins share a chemistry reminiscent of Adkins and Louis Mandylor in The Debt Collector flicks, and had Castle Falls leveraged this more, it could well have been enough to compensate for the budget constraints and generic action beats. As it is, the best part of an hour passes before we get a glimpse of what could have been, and for all but the most hardcore Dolph Lundgren and Scott Adkins fans, that may feel like a little too late. They wouldn’t be wrong.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating:  5.5/10

2 Responses to Castle Falls (2021) Review

This was filmed in Birmingham, Alabama, which I live on the outskirts of. Production was actually shut down after about a week, not a day. Adkins had posted a still of one of the set locations. The crew had been in town maybe 2 weeks prior, and were training and working on choreography at a local jui-jitsu school. I was thinking I might take a day off and run around town to see if I could spot them, but then the pandemic hit. Poor guys spent about 2-3 weeks stuck in a hotel room before being able to go home. When production finally kicked back up, I didn’t get a chance to try to hunt them down. The video clip Adkins posted then was on a roof top, and I thought it might be the old Carraway Hospital. Turns out I was right. Sigh. Dadgummit.

Well, it’s a shame that that this cast and crew were apart of the Quarantine Club and their movie turned out to be lackluster. It sounds like this should have been a buddy movie instead of 3 separate stories getting in the way of one another. Or they should have taken a page out of Nightshooters since there’s a similar plot point.

At least we have Accident Man 2 coming up.

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Castle Falls (2021)

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Castle falls.

Directed by Dolph Lundgren

Get in. Get the cash. Get out alive.

Rival gangs seek out millions of dollars hidden inside a luxury condominium that's scheduled to be demolished, but first they have to deal with the demolition prep crewman who found the loot first.

Scott Adkins Dolph Lundgren Kim DeLonghi Jim E. Chandler Kevin Wayne Scott Hunter Dave Halls Ida Lundgren Oren Hawxhurst Billy Culbertson Vas Sanchez Evan Dane Taylor Robert Berlin Bill Billions

Director Director

Dolph Lundgren

Producers Producers

Craig Baumgarten Jon Keeyes Dolph Lundgren

Writer Writer

Andrew Knauer

Editor Editor

Matthew Lorentz

Cinematography Cinematography

Frances Chen

Executive Producers Exec. Producers

Chad A. Verdi Andre Relis Scott Adkins Jordan Beckerman Kim DeLonghi Matthew Helderman Ali Jazayeri Jordan Yale Levine Luke Taylor

Composer Composer

David Rosengren

BondIt Media Capital Buffalo 8 VMI Worldwide

Releases by Date

Theatrical limited, 03 dec 2021, 17 mar 2022, 20 dec 2021, 27 jan 2022, 01 feb 2022, 07 apr 2022, 19 may 2022, 10 jan 2022, 26 may 2022, releases by country.

• Digital MA15+
• Digital 10 VOD
• Physical DVD
• Physical 16

New Zealand

• Digital 16+

South Korea

• Theatrical 15
• Physical 15
• Theatrical limited NR

89 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Todd Gaines ★★★ 11

Castle Falls is an affordable Walter Hill’s Trespass. Both Scott Adkins and Dolph Lundgren give fan pleasing performances, but the bad guys are so generic and the baddies bring nothing to the table except one baddie with a badass Alabama mullet. 

Don’t go in expecting another One Shot. Castle Falls takes its time to start cranking up the action. The action is clean when on screen, though.

I’m not doing dropkicks or backflips because I’m so hyped for you to watch  Castle Falls , but I do think most fans of Scott and Dolph will find something that makes the movie an enjoyable experience. 

Full review on Bulletproof Action

Review by Justin Decloux ★★★½

An effective down-beat drama that happens to morph during its last 30-minutes into DIE HARD in an abandoned building that's about to explode You've got Dolph acting up a storm as a Dad who can't afford his kid's medical expenses, Scott Adkins with his regular accent (which means he's at peak charisma) as a down on his luck UFC fighter, and a bunch of criminal bozos looking for a big bag of cash. It's super small scale, with only like 5-ish regular baddies present to get beat up by our frienemies, but it's got an incredibly steady hand behind the camera thanks Dolph (He should direct more!), and some excellent (if brief) fights choreographed by the all-powerful Tim Man. Solid drama, a crackerjack final act, and two of my favourite action guys beating each other up/teaming up. A great lazy Sunday delight!

Review by Filipe Furtado ★★★

This is quite a pleasant surprise as the 3 Dolph directed movies from the 00s I've seen were all flashy and overcut. Castle Falls is patient, it pretty much keep the action to its backhalf, well pitched to its characters desperate positions, the geography and action are sound, its cheap in effective ways. It is a treasure hunt movie that suggests Walter Hill Trespass, but one of the impressive things about is how the bag of money isn't treated as some big symbolic thing but an actual pratical matter for two blue collar types who can really use it (Adkins is a burn out MMA fighter living on his car, Lundgren a prison guard with a sick daughter and some…

Review by Ivica_Pusticki ★★★★ 4

Well...first things first!

CASTLE FALLS was shoot in 17 days, with a budget of $1.5 million, in the middle of pandemic...

Now...let that sink in everybody, because as it seams, despite all the odds and shortcomings, Lundgren managed to make one solid movie here! Hell, even a good indie movie! I say indie movie and not DTV, because DTV is the crap that Bruce Willis and Steven Seagal are making these days, and this is way above that, and it can't be compared. It shouldn't be compared because too much attention has been put into this by Lundgren, Adkins, and rest of the crew, just to be dismissed as another crappy DTV...

But still, I'll be honest here and say…

Review by Timelord007 ★★★ 4

Trivia. 1) This is the fourth film that Scott Adkins & Dolph Lundgren team up. The three films are "Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning", "The Expendables 2", & "Legendary".

2) Ida Sigrid Lundgren who plays Emily is the the real life daughter of Dolph Lundgren.

3) Had shot for half a day (March 18, 2020) when it was shut down by Birmingham, Alabama's public health department because of coronavirus-imposed shutdowns. Filming resumed on October 28, 2020 for 17 shooting days.

Timelord Thoughts. Mike Wade (Scott Adkins) career as a fighter is over & now he's been evicted from his apartment & is currently living in his truck working as a labourer, however good fortune shines on Mike as he stumbles upon some bags of…

Review by AndrewC ★★★ 2

With two dependable action pros like Scott Adkins and Dolph Lundgren leading the way, Castle Falls is a pretty nifty little action film which delivers most of the goods with little fuss. I'd never seen Lundgren direct any film before but I think he acquits himself well with this one since the action is done to a solid standard (though most of it is contained to the last half hour) and the film does not look particularly cheap even with the low budget. The fights are cleanly executed and he gets good performances out of both Adkins and himself, which means that Castle Falls has pretty much all of what I'd ideally like to see from a DTV actioner with two likable stars and talent behind the camera.

2021 Releases Ranked

Review by deMicha ★★★

Das Castle High Hospital soll gesprengt werden, doch in ihm befinden sich noch 3 Millionen Dollar eines Gangsters. Drei Parteien, der Ex-Boxer Mike, Gefängniswärter Shea und eine Skrupellose Bande, wollen das Geld. In 90 Minuten fliegt alles in die Luft.

US-Amerikanischer Actionfilm aus dem Jahr 2021, mit Scott Adkins und Dolph Lundgren. Letztgenannter übernahm auch die Regie. Das gesehene hat viel besser funktioniert, als ich im Vorfeld gedacht habe. Am Anfang werden erst mal die Charaktere, und ihre Beweggründe, eingeführt. Dann geht es ab ins Hospital, und da geht die Action los. Das natürlich alles im kleinen Rahmen gehalten, aber trotzdem sieht alles soweit wertig aus. Die Charaktere sind typisch, genau so die Handlung. Aber man verlangt von so einer Art von Film auch nicht soviel. Das was geboten wird hat mich unterhalten. Die knapp 90 Minuten Laufzeit gingen für mich flott vorbei.

Review by Justin LaLiberty ★★★

basically a 2021 riff on Walter Hill's Trespass, which means that it's as concerned with mounting medical costs, shifty law enforcement and gentrification as it is with criminals fighting each other over misplaced loot; none of this is to say it's bad - this is routinely *fine* and it's clear that Adkins and Lundgren are having fun (with Lundgren cheekily naming the film's construction company after himself) but both are capable of better

Review by Goin2theMoovies ★★½

Castle Falls is a fairly decent, direct-to-video, action thriller directed by Dolph Lundgren and starring Scott Adkins and Dolph himself.

The film is a fairly simple action plot, although it does take its time to try and build as much of a story as it can. The meat and potatoes of the film is stuck in one location and have to fight through the bad guys to order to get out.

The action is good, the villains are easy to hate and you have Scott Adkins and Dolph Lundgren teaming up to kick some ass. Sounds like a win in my book.

Review by HKFanatic ★★★

I've watched my fair share of Direct-to-Video action movies and not many of them take place in the fairly realistic, blue-collar world of "Castle Falls," which focuses on a band of hard-luck characters just trying to pay medical bills or keep a roof over their head. Director/star Dolph Lundgren lets this gritty milieu add texture to his routine 'Die Hard in a ______' movie without veering into exploitation.

There's a bit of a disconnect because Scott Adkins doesn't usually play a character who takes this many punches (I mean, I just watched him single-handedly stop a terrorist insurgency in "One Shot"), but this movie falls under the category of 'would have made for a solid Blockbuster Video rental a decade ago.' I like that genre.

Review by Jordan Beaumont Anderson ★★★

Tightly paced, spatially coherent, frequently brutal, schmaltzy and short; the most you can hope from a dtv-budget actioner set in a gutted hospital.

This Lundgren kid has chops.

Review by Brandon Streussnig

Really dug this. I’m the easiest sell in the world because Scott and Dolph are two of my very favorite actors and their chemistry really drives this slight but effective Trespass riff. Takes a bit to get going but it’s rock solid. 

Dolph’s growth as a director is exciting. I haven’t seen all six, Command Performance is high on my watchlist, but he seems more comfortable than he’s ever been behind the camera here. Some unexpected choices, some clever cuts, it’s good. 

It’s far from the best thing either’s done and I imagine the pandemic kneecapped any chance of this being a bit larger in scale but if you’re a DTV action head, it’s well worth it. Comparable to…

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Castle Falls Movie

Who's Involved:

Scott Adkins, Kim DeLonghi, Dolph Lundgren, Kevin Wayne, Scott Hunter, Luke Hawx, Jim E. Chandler

Release Date:

Friday, December 3, 2021 Limited

Plot: What's the story about?

After decades of neglect, Castle Heights Hospital, this symbol of the city's segregated past has been packed with dynamite and is ready to be demolished. No one knows that a gang leader, now in prison, hid the 3 million dollars in cash he stole from his rivals inside the abandoned building. Now, three desperate parties want the money - a blue collared ex-fighter (Adkins) who finds it while working as part of the demolition crew, a prison guard (Lundgren) willing to do anything to pay for his daughter's cancer treatment and a ruthless gang who claim to be the rightful owners. The demolition charges are set, everyone clears out and the Castle is set to fall in 90 minutes. The clock is ticking. Who will find the cash and: will they get out alive?

3.00 / 5 stars ( 1 users)

Poll: Will you see Castle Falls?

Who stars in Castle Falls: Cast List

Scott Adkins

The Killer's Game, One More Shot  

Dolph Lundgren

Come Out Fighting, Minions: The Rise of Gru  

Kevin Wayne

Malum  

Jim E. Chandler

Scott Hunter

Kim DeLonghi

Cult Killer, The Flood  

Who's making Castle Falls: Crew List

A look at the Castle Falls behind-the-scenes crew and production team. The film's director Dolph Lundgren last directed Wanted Man and Command Performance .

Screenwriters

Shout! Factory

Production Companies

Watch castle falls trailers & videos.

Official Trailer

Production: what we know about castle falls, filming timeline.

• 2021 - October : The film was set to Completed  status.

Castle Falls Release Date: When was the film released?

Castle Falls was a Limited release in 2021 on Friday, December 3, 2021 . There were 26 other movies released on the same date, including The End Of Us , Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dune . As a Limited release, Castle Falls will only be shown in select movie theaters across major markets. Please check Fandango and Atom Tickets to see if the film is playing in your area.

Q&A Asked about Castle Falls

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• Fri., Nov. 5, 2021
• added photos to the photos gallery
• set the MPAA rating to NR
• added a running time of 90 minutes
• added action as a genre
• added Official Trailer to movie trailers & videos
• added a poster to the photo gallery
• added Shout! Factory as a distributor
• changed the US film release date from TBA to December 3, 2021
• set film release to Limited
• added thriller as a genre

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Movie Review – Castle Falls (2021)

January 10, 2022 by admin

Castle Falls , 2021.

Directed by Dolph Lundgren. Starring Scott Adkins, Dolph Lundgren, Jim E. Chandler, Kim DeLonghi, Scott Hunter, Kevin Wayne.

Three million dollars in cash hidden in a building due to be demolished becomes the focal point of a desperate father, a skint construction worker and a gang of ruthless criminals.

Action star team-ups can often produce mixed results but when one of those stars is the director you can usually expect a little more than the typical beefcake face-off. Castle Falls stars Scott Adkins ( Avengement / Ninja: Shadow of a Tear ) and Dolph Lundgren ( Universal Soldier / Red Scorpion ), who also directs, and surprisingly it isn’t just two brick outhouses belting seven shades out of each other for 90 minutes.

Which, if we’re honest, is probably why we fancied watching it in the first place because there are few things finer in life than sticking on a ‘brainless’ action movie we don’t have to think about while we park ourselves on the sofa with no intention of moving. And if that is your particular wont then there are plenty of bargain bin titles starring Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson or Billy Blanks readily available to satisfy that particular craving, but Castle Falls is a little more than that, mixing together crime thriller, tearful family melodrama, gun-toting action and – yes – a bit of martial arts (because why wouldn’t you when you have Scott Adkins and former European Karate champion Dolph Lundgren on the same set?). Does it hit every stylistic beat in the best way possible? No, but it does try very hard.

Adkins plays Mike, an MMA fighter whose promoter has lost confidence in him and, now penniless, is forced to move out of his digs. Picking up some work on a building site where a former hospital is being dismantled before being demolished in front of local dignitaries, Mike discovers $3 million in cash stuffed inside three bags and stashed inside a cupboard, roughly around the time that prison guard Ericson (Lundgren) has struck up a deal with a convict in his charge to recover $3 million that belongs to an incarcerated kingpin whose brother on the outside might be searching for. Ericson is a good man, but his beloved daughter has cancer and their insurance does not cover the cost of her treatment, so $3 million would come in very handy but with the detonation charges set to go off in 90 minutes, a skint Mike and a desperate Ericson need to team up to escape the ruthless criminal gang pursuing them before it all comes crashing down.

With similarities to Walter Hill’s early ‘90s caper Trespass , Castle Falls is a lot more laidback than you would expect, especially during the first act when all of the character establishment is taking place and the pace does feel a little slow. However, once Mike discovers the loot and we’re into act two the pace picks up, even if the script doesn’t quite keep up with it. Dolph Lundgren’s direction is a lot more fluid than you would expect given his previous efforts behind the camera, where quick cuts and fast action were the order of the day, as here he lets the camera take in what is happening on the screen, allowing the fight scenes to be seen in all their glory without needing to create a false sense of momentum by constantly cutting and changing angles.

And how are those fight scenes? Well, as you would expect, Scott Adkins is on top form despite playing a character who is supposed to be past his best, punching, kicking and throwing like he was taking on the final level boss in a video game. As a character Mike has a little more to him than Adkins’s typical screen personas, and Adkins himself has hugely improved as a dramatic actor over the past few years – his role in the excellent Avengement proving he was more than just hired muscle – with this probably being his best performance so far. Despite Mike and Ericson having to team up, the two do initially clash and we get an all-to-brief dust-up between the two, with Adkins’s age and flexibility going up against Lundgren’s size and strength for a couple of minutes of body slamming that is the most fun scene in the whole movie.

But there is a gang of goons after them, led by the bloodthirsty Deacon Glass (stuntman Scott Hunter) and his psychotic girlfriend Kat (Kim DeLonghi), who is the most interesting character of the bunch thanks to her facial scar and her history as a stripper that gets alluded to. Glass himself is a fairly bland villain, portrayed by somebody who is a better stuntman than he is an actor, but him and his cohorts are dastardly enough to make you want bad things to happen to them, and by the time the final act rolls around the action has been ramped up to quite intense levels thanks to the various plot threads coming together, Lundgren’s layered direction and some gnarly violence. Unfortunately, the acting from some of the cast and the dialogue itself is base-level and reflects the low budget nature of the production, most of which could be ignored if the finale – i.e. the inevitable blowing up of the hospital building – was any good but somebody clearly forgot to put fifty pence in the meter and what we get for all of our loyalty is an embarrassing CGI demolition scene that looks like a cut-scene from a PS2 game circa 2002; there aren’t even any CGI flames, despite the amount of explosives that keep getting mentioned throughout, so a CGI dust cloud projected behind a smiling Mayor is what we get for our trouble.

So, slow first act and unintentionally hilarious ending aside, Castle Falls is a solid action/crime thriller with a bit of heart, two strong leads and good intentions. It might not be the action film you go to throw on in a post-pub frenzy of adrenaline and alcohol-induced bravado but it is one you could show to the non-action movie fan in your life as it has an engrossing and occasionally emotional story to go along with the testosterone, making Castle Falls a pleasantly enjoyable – or even an enjoyably pleasant – surprise, despite its budgetary shortcomings.

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★

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'Castle Falls' Review: Dolph Lundgren's flick is simple and all slambang action

A decade later, Dolph Lundgren , after swaggering as an Expendable, a DC character, and an aged Ivan Drago , has gone to being behind the lens with 'Castle Falls' and keeping things simple helps his case. The VoD flick has two main characters with relatable backstories. The plot is simple, and what he does is throw in some high-octane action that makes for a breezy watch. Castle Falls Hospital is about to be razed to the ground, but a gang leader's pulled quite the move by stashing millions of dollars before being sent behind bars.

What follows is a multi-pronged search with a finders keepers mantra and that sets the tone for the remainder of the movie . Lundgren's Richard Ericson is a prison warden in dire need of cash to pay for his ailing daughter Emila, played by Ida Lundgren. Scott Adkins, after being beaten to submission as an MMA sparring partner is trying to make ends meet. It's hard labor for the man who oozed potential and was touted to be the next big thing in the MMA circuit before eventually being a desperate-for-dollars survivor.

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The duo's chemistry bodes well for the movie. Those who expect some Drago vs Boyka moves get their bit of fix, but the movie also explores that message of the depths of depravity a man can sink to when he sees that much green. That said, the villains are deadly, but their persona is reduced to trigger-happy thugs who don't necessarily qualify as baddies. But they're a threat and they pretty much pose to be at times. The dialogues are clunky, but hey, it's got two stars, so that can be excused.

'Castle Falls' is a decent low-budget action affair. It's that sort of movie Lundgren's made to perhaps finetune his skills behind the camera. It's not a bad start although you can't really harp too much praise. It's not mindless with screenwriter Andrew Knauer putting in some thought into establishing the key characters. The tone is dark, almost dull grey, and that blends well with the action. Adkins delivers as Wade. His screen presence is equaled to what Lundgren receives. In all, this one's no-nonsense and is a straightforward and standard-issue guns-blazing action movie.

'Castle Falls' is available on VoD.

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Action fans know Dolph Lundgren well from hits like Rocky IV , the Universal Soldier franchise, and The Expendables movies, However, aside from portraying larger-than-life heroes and villains in front of the camera, he's also become a prolific director, as well. His newest action film, Castle Falls , teams him up once again with fellow action star Scott Adkins , in a high-stakes battle with a criminal gang for some stashed bags of money.

Adkins plays Mika Wade, a former MMA fighter working a brief gig in an old hospital scheduled for demolition, only to stumble across hidden duffel bags containing $3 million. He's not the only one interested in the money though, with a group of criminals arriving to retrieve it on behalf of their jailed boss, along with corrections officer Richard Ericson (Lundgren) getting wind of the money and hoping to make off with it to save his dying daughter. With the building set to be demolished in ninety minutes, it's a race against the clock for Wade and Ericson to dodge the gang and escape with the loot.

RELATED: Dolph Lundgren Almost Played Leatherface In Texas Chainsaw Massacre

We speak to Dolph Lundgren on the making of Castle Falls , the challenges that came with shooting the movie during the COVID-19 pandemic (which included a shutdown on the first day of production), and his return as Gunner Jensen in The Expendables 4 . Plus check out an exclusive clip from  Castle Falls below!

Screen Rant: How did Castle Falls come about? 

Dolph Lundgren: There was this other project Scott and I were supposed to do together that fell through, and I was looking for another script, and this one came across my desk. It was a two-hander, but Ericson was more of a bad guy, and Scott's character was also an MMA fighter. So, we tweaked the script and found a way to make Ericson kind of sympathetic, but still put them up against each other, because I thought it was interesting that you have two main leads, and they push from opposite sides, then they're on the same side. Then there was this ticking clock element to the building and the money and all of that going on. I thought, "Yeah, I can make this film for a small budget and direct it", so that's how I made the decision to get into it.

You were also unfortunately impacted by the pandemic early on, and had to shut down on the first day. How did that affect  Castle Falls in terms of having to come back months later to start again?

Dolph Lundgren: Yeah, that was tough. It was very disappointing when we shut down, but then in those seven months, I had more time to prepare. I was able to talk to the actors and work on the script and other aspects of the film, and when I came back, even though we only had 17 days and COVID tests, I was very prepared, and I think it was better for the film, so it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

You've made several movies with Scott Adkins, and you've also done fight scenes together before. What's the process like of doing a fight scene with Scott Adkins after you've worked together so much?

Dolph Lundgren: Well, Scott brought in the fight choreographer [Tim Man], but he couldn't come into America from Europe because of COVID. But he designed the fights, and we pretty much stuck to his design, which was fairly realistic, not too many crazy moves or backflips. Scott and I did own our fighting, and it was tough. I was dealing with an injury at the time, too, I ripped my upper bicep tendon in my left arm, so I had to work with that. It's challenging to work with Scott, too, because he's fast and really good.

Castle Falls also takes place primarily in an old hospital scheduled for demolition. How did you select the location for the movie? 

Dolph Lundgren: That was really difficult, because we needed something we could shoot in, and had the look of a building that was about to be demolished, but that wasn't too bad or too unhealthy, or too far away from the city. We were looking at various options, and in the original script, it was an apartment building, but then we found this hospital that looked kind of perfect. So, I adjusted the script that it was a hospital that was part of segregation in the south because it was. So, it had some history that I tried to weave into the story, and it was a tough location, and there were some high and dangerous parts of it, so we had to be very serious about safety. But, on the whole, I think it was a good location, and we were there for seventy-five percent of the shoot, so it was easy in that respect.

Other than the challenges of the pandemic and working with Scott Adkins again, what really stood out to you about the making of Castle Falls ?

Dolph Lundgren: I think I was just determined to make it work and push through, despite all the problems and the difficulties that we had. Also, since we got shut down, we had to claim insurance, so there were financial difficulties. The hardest thing was really just sticking to my vision for the movie despite all of the hardships, and I think it'd be difficult to come up with a more problematic shoot than we had, so I feel pretty confident moving forward as a director. I survived this one, so I'm sure I could survive the next.

You also have The Expendables 4 coming up in 2022, which will include new cast members like Tony Jaa and Iko Uwais as the villain . What's it been like returning to the role of Gunner Jensen and working with a lot of the original cast?

Dolph Lundgren: Well, it's a lot of fun to come back with people you've worked with many times. Sly [Stallone] and I have made five movies now, and it was great seeing Randy Couture back, and 50 Cent and Megan Fox coming aboard. It's fun to play that character again, and he's a little insane. There's something special each time because it's old school, kick-ass fights and firearms, and vehicles, and The Expendables isn't as heavy on visual effects, so it makes it special.

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Castle Falls is available in theaters, digital, and On Demand on December 3.

Castle Falls (2021)

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Castle Falls (2021)

After more than a decade since 2010’s “Icarus”, action legend Dolph Lundgren takes up the director’s mantle in this race-against-time action thriller, starring alongside British action superstar, Scott Adkins.

“castle falls” is one of lundgren’s more grounded roles, the sort of role his partner in crime, scott adkins, seems right at home with given his recent works such as “ avengement ” and “ the debt collector” films ., with this dynamic duo of action cinema paired together, the clock is set and expectations are high, but can this duet deliver the action entertainment goods with dolph in the driving seat follow on to find out…, “castle falls” releases in us theaters, as well as via video on demand today; december 3 rd , 2021 courtesy of shout studios..

Scott Adkins stars as Mike Wade, an MMA fighter – whose shoulder injury effectively ended his career – now finds himself down on his luck. Dolph Lundgren plays prison guard Richard Ericson whose daughter’s cancer threatens to advance but he needs money to afford the extortionate treatment costs.

Stunt veteran, Scott Hunter, plays Deacon Glass who assembles a team of henchmen that includes his girlfriend Kat, played by Kim DeLonghi, to search the derelict ‘Castle Heights’ hospital for his brother’s 3-million dollar stash hidden in the building.

After decades’ of neglect, Castle Heights hospital is ready to be demolished. No one knows that a gang leader, now in prison, hid 3 million dollars in cash he stole from his rivals inside the abandoned building.

Now, three desperate parties want the money – a blue collared ex-fighter, Mike Wade, who finds it while working as part of the demolition crew, prison guard Richard Ericson who’s willing to do anything to pay for his daughter’s cancer treatment, and a ruthless gang led by Deacon Glass, who claim to be the rightful owners.

The demolition charges are set, everyone clears out and Castle Heights is set to fall in 90 minutes flat. The clock is ticking…but who will take the cash and get out alive?

Good, on-demand entertainment knows it’s worth dispensing with too much over-reaching to keep things simple, yet effective.

Tim Man Back on the Fight Choreography…

The film’s emotional drama bookends the action courtesy of Tim Man (“ Ninja II: Shadow of a Tear “, “ Accident Man “), packed with ample displays of competently-shot Adkins/Lundgren action scenery.

It opens with a tete-a-tete matchup between Adkins and actor/stunt performer Evan Dane Taylor, and whilst we’ve seen this sort of thing before, it does give a little bit of heartbreaking dramatic moment where Adkins’ character comes to the painful realization that maybe he’s too old for the fight game.

Good Dose of Character Development…

From there, the pace slows somewhat for much scene setting and character establishment which takes up much of the film’s first half.

The emotional component is set up with some subtext of bloating healthcare costs and political opportunism – the crippling cost of Ericson’s daughters’ cancer treatments is another of the film’s heartbreaking moments giving us a potential career best performance from Lundgren as a distraught father.

If you feel the slow set up runs the risk of losing viewer attention, fear not! The build up is cleverly broken up into mini-chapters with title cards, giving us just enough backstory as we learn more about the characters’ motivations and what drives them.

Ericson’s story is compelling, and while Mike’s story sees him as beleaguered and hoping to get lucky, the push behind his character escalates when tragedy strikes at the hands of the gun-wielding henchmen.

A Bigger Dose of Fists, Kicks & Ballistics!

With the emotional content established and the three parties gathered at the condemned Castle Heights, it’s all fists, kicks and ballistics from here on in, with Tim Man ’s intricate choreography kicking up the action pace into high gear.

The ticking clock that appears intermittently reminds us of the impending explosive deadline adding some nail-biting tension.

Big Hitters Dolph Lundgren & Scott Adkins Collide

Wade and Ericson are at first on opposing sides delaying the goals and escape plans. This leads to the inevitable Adkins/Lundgren beatdown we’ve really been waiting for, a mix of no-nonsense, street-style combat and some martial action.

Though at times his age shows, Lundgren moves like a warrior not to be messed with and still has the towering presence we first saw, with jaws dropped, in “ Rocky IV”.

Adkins’ more grounded fight choreography, sans his acrobatic tricking, are suited to his character of an aging fighter, but still shows off enough speed and agility, probably indicative of a burned-out fighter who has finally found something worth fighting for.

Scott Adkins brings his Trademark High-Energy Fight Gusto to the Table

More action comes thick and fast as Adkins takes on co-star/stunt performer Jean-Claude Leuyer, who plays one of Deacon’s henchmen in one scene, and later on, in an intense rooftop fight with Deacon Glass.

Scott Hunter is clearly a skilled martial artist and provides Adkins with an equal matchup in a tense fight packed with lots of technically rich MMA.

This is possibly the film’s longest fight and with the two so equally matched – though Glass certainly seems more determined – at one point you’re really not sure who will be victorious. This unpredictable feel adds to the bookended edgy action feel and emotional drama that leads to an ultimately surprising, yet satisfying finish.

“Castle Falls” is a simple, story-driven action thriller that wears its heart on the sleeve of its gritty setting.

Andrew Knauer’s script not only wants you to know who the good guys are but also to follow their journey and effectively be the cheering section in their corner at the finale. This effectively lifts it above your average action flick. It is well-paced and though leaves you aching for the action to kick in sooner during the first half, when it finally does, there is plenty to enjoy.

The film is clearly low budget and offers nothing remarkably new, what it delivers is solid entertainment, thrilling action and with the almost real-time setting against a ticking clock, some nail-biting tension broken up with some comic moments.

The performances from both Adkins and Lundgren are applaudable, packed with emotion, while providing enough bone-crunching beatdowns, and shoot-outs to keep action fans happy.

Favourite Quotes

• “Tell me where the f***ing money is and I’ll hold your hand when you die.” – Kat
• “I’ve had 41 professional fights and I can count on one hand the number of people who recognized me.” – Mike Wade
• “I don’t think you understand how plans work.” – Ericson  

• This is Dolph Lundgren’s first film as director in over 10 years. The last film he helmed was “Icarus” in which he also starred as a hitman leading a double life.
• Scott Adkins and Dolph Lundgren have previously shared the screen on the films “Legendary”, “ Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning “, and “The Expendables 2”.
• Ericson’s daughter, Emily is played by Dolph’s real life daughter, Ida.
• Filming was shut down in March 2020 due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, and resumed in October the same year.
• The film contains an Easter Egg – pay close attention to the name of the construction company.
• During his fight with Scott Adkins, Dolph Lundgren tore a tendon in his bicep.
• Scott Hunter who plays Deacon Glass is a 10-year stunt veteran performing stunts on a host of action films and television shows as well as films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC movies. He has doubled for the likes of Chris Pratt, Chris Hemsworth, Gerard Butler, and David Harbour.
• Kim DeLonghi who plays Kat is also credited as the film’s executive producer. She runs her own production company ‘K Productions’. She has also appeared in “Beyond The Law” with Steven Seagal and the late DMX.
• Evan Dane Taylor who plays Mike Wade’s sparring partner in the film’s opening, is also a stunt performer, and has featured on Netflix-Marvel productions “ Daredevil “, “Jessica Jones”, and “The Punisher”, as well as on feature action films including “ John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum “. He is trained in Taekwondo , Muay Thai , Filipino martial arts, and is proficient in a variety of bladed weapons.

Castle Falls – movie poster

Film Rating: 7/10

“castle falls” releases in us theaters, as well as via digital on demand today; december 3 rd , 2021 courtesy of shout studio, and is also available on december 28 th on dvd and blu-ray via amazon, excited to see “castle falls” what are your favorite movies starring dolph lundgren, and scott adkins would you like to see them paired up on screen again; what would be their ultimate movie vehicle let us know in the comments below; like, share and join in the conversation on facebook and follow us on twitter & instagram ., don’t get trapped in “falling castles” escape into the kingdom of fu , and check out our interview with the action icon himself, dolph lundgren discussing his work with sylvester stallone on “rocky iv”, as well as “castle falls”, don’t forget to explore our explosive top 5’s , top 10’s , detonate your martial arts magic in kfk wear and subscribe for more holy smokin’ fu on youtube .

Interview with Dolph Lundgren

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Tags: action film action thriller Castle Falls Dolph Lundgren Evan Dane Taylor fighting Jean-Claude Leuyer Kim DeLonghi kung fu martial arts MMA movie review scott adkins Scott Hunter Shout Factory Tim Man

Ever since he first saw the great Bruce Lee in Enter The Dragon on the big screen whilst living in Iran, Ramon has been fascinated with martial arts, and at age 6 attended classes in Kan Zen Ryu Karate under Sensei Reza Pirasteh. When he moved to the UK, martial arts came calling in his early teens in the shape of the mysterious art of Ki Aikido which he studied for five years. Since then he has practiced Feng Shou Kung Fu, Lee Style Tai Chi, Taekwondo, Kickboxing before returning to Aikido, studying under Sensei Michael Narey. As well as Bruce Lee, Ramon is a big fan of martial arts actors Jackie Chan, Cynthia Rothrock, Jeff Wincott, Richard Norton and Tadashi Yamashita to name a few. Ramon is an aspiring writer and when he is not honing his craft he likes to go out running, hiking and is still trying to count to ten in Japanese.

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Lundgren directs the great Scott Adkins and himself well in his scramble-filled cats-and-mice thriller.

Mike Wade ( Scott Adkins ) thought he could make it in Mixed Martial Arts, he really did. He couldn’t. With his career definitively over, Mike and his pride have to figure out what to do with themselves. A temporary gig on the crew tearing down Birmingham, Alabama’s infamous Castle Heights hospital is better than nothing—it even leads to a friendship with fellow crew member George (Vas Sanchez, Cobra Kai seasons one and two). But Mike’s still lost in himself, still processing the fact that his dream is capital letters DONE. And then, on the last day of demolition, mere hours before the explosives are set to go off, Mike finds a $100 bill. A $100 bill that leads to a cool three million in cash, hidden in a wall.

Ericson ( Dolph Lundgren , who directs) is a relatively decent prison guard on a ledge. His daughter Emily (Ida Lundgren) is dying from a rare form of blood cancer. It is treatable, but American insurance being American insurance, his co-pay costs more than his house. On the verge of breaking, Ericson gets a lifeline. Before being imprisoned Lando (Eric Gray) stole a fortune from would-be arch-crime lord Damien Glass (Robert Berlin). Glass wants Lando dead. If Ericson helps protect Lando from Glass, he’ll get a share of the loot: three million dollars, hidden in Castle Heights hospital. Ericson, desperate, accepts.

Deacon Glass (Scott Hunter, stunts on Avengers: Endgame ) is Damien’s brother. Where Damien is pretentious, Deacon is pragmatic. He’s in the game for money, money, sadism, and money. When Damien figures out that Ericson might be a lead to his money, he tasks Deacon with retrieving his ill-gotten gains. Deacon pays lip service to his expected fraternal duty, rounds up a goon squad, and promptly decides to snag the prize for himself and his equally malignant beloved Kat (Kim DeLonghi).

Everyone wants the cash, and they’ve got a strict deadline. At five PM, the charges detonate. None of the players are equipped to stop that. At five PM, the castle falls, whether Mike, Ericson, Deacon, and his crew are clear or not.

Castle Falls is a pretty good movie. It’s hampered by some choppy editing, and a fondness for tangents, particularly early on. It’s bolstered by longtime Adkins-collaborator Tim Man ( Ninja: Shadow of a Tear )’s excellent fight choreography, cinematographer Frances Chen’s clean capture of the action, and Lundgren’s solid, thoughtful direction. He does strong work as Ericson and gives Adkins and Hunter to flesh out Mike and Deacon. He also does some impressive tonal balancing— Castle Falls is warm in its character work and delightfully vicious in its violence. Lundgren directs both Castle Falls ‘ drama and its action well and keeps the picture coherent despite their differences in feel.

There are hiccups as the players take the stage, particularly with some odd scene transitions and a few narrative tangents—primarily related to Ericson’s story—that, while well-performed, trip up the momentum Lundgren spends the first act building. Keeping the focus either strictly on Ericson or working him into the tangents (i.e. having him witness and intervene in the attempt on Lando’s life rather than the assassination attempt, Damien’s reaction to its failure, and Ericson striking a deal with Lando all playing out separately) would help his story run a bit more smoothly.

What does work in Ericson’s story works quite well—Lundgren’s been doing neat work as an actor in his late middle age, whether as a gleefully homicidal supersoldier/preacher or as one of the ocean’s great kings . Ericson’s not as grandiose a turn, but Lundgren brings a welcome sweetness to his scenes with his daughter (played by his real-life daughter) and solid vulnerability and doubts to his scenes in both Castle Falls ‘ build-up and its central cat-and-mouse battle.

Lundgren directs both Castle Falls’ drama and its action well and keeps the picture coherent despite their differences in feel.

Mike’s story by contrast, minus an awkwardly-placed early flashback dream, is clearly told and builds elegantly to the moment where Mike finds the money. Where Adkins’ last character, One Shot ‘s Lieutenant Harris, was a man on a mission getting steadily more and more rundown, Mike is a man without a purpose. He’s not just struggling to find financial footing as a member of the working homeless, he’s in a rough place mentally. Fighting was his life, the thing he built everything around. And he failed at it, completely. Mike spends a significant chunk of Castle Falls grappling with that fact—and that goes about as well as the grappling in his matches went. It’s strong, internal work from Adkins.

He, Lundgren, and Man carry Mike’s struggles into the way he fights. He’s got some real skill, and that in conjunction with adrenaline and gumption can go a long way. But Mike’s not Lieutenant Harris, a highly-trained Navy SEAL on a mission. Nor is he Yuri Boyka, the Most Complete Fighter in the World . He’s a washed-up martial artist whose limits are decidedly closer to Earth. When Mike fights, it’s more luck and split-second creativity than his mastery of martial arts that let him come out on top of armed and murderous goons. The thrill comes from the way Adkins plays Mike brushing up against his limits, from the second-to-second scramble. And, on one occasion, from creative use of a disused garbage chute.

Once everyone’s gathered at Castle Heights and the clock is ticking to its demolition, Castle Falls kicks into thrill-power mode quite satisfyingly. Mike and Ericson bounce back and forth between allies and enemies, while Deacon’s snarling grows more and more vicious as the money slips further away and the explosion ticks ever closer. Hunter plays Deacon well—he’s cruel and mercenary, but not without humanity. And he’s full-on terrific during a moment where shock overrides Deacon’s scheming and general wickedness.

Castle Falls ‘ action is a treat. Man’s choreography takes full advantage of the characters’ differing skill levels to build fight scenes that are as much about escape and survival as they are overcoming a deadly foe. He uses the crumbling hospital and its detritus well too—Adkins gets a great window jump aided by a firehose, and there’s a killer visual gag involving the discarded packing materials for the soon-to-detonate explosives that have everyone on a timeline. Lundgren and Chen frame and capture the fights cleanly, giving the players space to work and be seen.

The shaky parts of Castle Falls ‘ setup do hurt it, but there’s a lot to dig here. Adkins does really fine work as Mike, the man lost at the end of his dream who’s an okay-at-best fighter up against armed and kill-happy jackals. Lundgren plays Ericson’s love-driven desperation with skill. Its action is strong, its drama well-played. It’s a good movie, solidly good.

Castle Falls is now playing in select theaters and available on digital.

Castle Falls Trailer:

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Friday, December 3, 2021

'castle falls' (2021) movie review.

In reality, this isn’t top-level Adkins; he’s as compelling to watch as ever, but as a whole  Castle Falls  is mid-tier at best. It’s better than some—as much as I adore the man,  Max Cloud   is not good. But while it’s solid and sturdy and largely accomplishes what it sets out to do, it never hit’s the highs of films like  Ninja 2 ,  Avengement , or  One Shot , among others, which rank with the best modern action movies. 

Like many works of this ilk, this belongs to a very specific stripe of action film. One that was so predominant in earlier eras but doesn’t get made much anymore, but that has found a niche on the straight-to-streaming market. It fits well with Adkins’ canon and should satisfy extant fans. 

However, how much enjoyment you find here definitely depends on your particular proclivities and your feelings on that type of movie. Thus, the appeal is limited to die hard action stans. But let’s be honest here, those are the people who see a Scott Adkins / Dolph Lundgren movie and immediately add it to their watchlist.

[Related Reading: 'One Shot' Movie Review]

A simple enough premise, the script by Andrew Knauer ( The Last Stand ) makes things incredibly convoluted. There are rival prison gangs, we see Mike’s life unravel until he moves to a new town, in addition to his daughter’s illness, Ericson gets dead-wife story that’s both ill-defined and painfully generic. And until they’re described as a paramilitary group fairly late in the game, Kat and Deacon’s crew seems like run-of-the-mill drug dealers. There’s no real reason for them to be more than that, they function exactly the same either way, though it’s easy to imagine a version of this screenplay where they’re some kind of extremist militia, but that got trimmed for time.

Castle Falls  is, unsurprisingly, best when it sticks with Mike. His story is bland and familiar, but at least the film spends time with him, and Adkins imbues the character with every-man pathos and a warm heart that keeps him engaging and compelling enough. Make no mistake, it’s a thin role, but Adkins does what he can with it. And, of course, when he’s involved is also where the action peaks. 

[Related Reading: 'Avengement' Movie Review]

Castle Falls  does a great deal of shifting and shimmying in setting up the pieces when a more direct approach would have been vastly superior. Instead of getting down to business, we see scenes of Mike bonding with his hard-luck coworker at their hardscrabble construction job. Or we watch one of Deacon’s men follow Ericson around, hoping he leads them to the missing money. There’s simply nothing unique enough here to interest the audience, and by the time the film gets to the point—where the three strands come together in the hospital, clash and come to blows over the money, and have a ticking clock to get out before the building implodes—it’s 50  plus minutes in. 

When the action finally kicks in, as with the rest of the movie, it’s best when it features Adkins. Obviously he’s one of the best movie martial artists currently working, which is on full display. Let’s be real, this is the primary reason to watch  Castle Falls  and its chief source of appeal. Lundgren populates his movie with a strong squad of stunt performers and knows enough sit back and let them go to work. When the Swedish star gets in on the fisticuffs himself, he also comports himself well enough, though any time he has to run or move quickly from one place to another, it’s a bit rough. I’ve said it before, but Lundgren moves like a 64-year-old who has put his body through the ringer making decades of action movies. I feel it in my knees when he tries to sprint.

[Related Reading: 'Triple Threat' Movie Review]

To say “it is what it is,” is a cheap, lazy way to describe a movie, but  Castle Falls  is exactly what it looks like it’s going to be. For good and for ill. This is a cheap, DTV action movie with dubious acting, pacing issues, a few logistical headscratchers, and obvious budgetary constraints, that hangs its hat on its star and the fighting chops he brings to the party. It doesn’t particularly stand out, and it’s not a movie that’ll ever be heralded as an action classic. But it does precisely the job it sets out to do, generally delivers the goods, and should more than satisfy Adkins fans and devotees of this style of action. Outside of that niche, there’s limited allure, but if you’re reading this site, and you’ve made it this far into  this  review, I’m willing to bet  Castle Falls  will appeal to you.  [Grade: C+]

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Ouija Castle Review: A Gothic Horror that Fails to Haunt

Ouija Castle , directed by Louisa Warren and penned by Jasmine Ebony Thomas , arrives on the horror scene with a premise that tantalizes but ultimately falls short of its potential. The film, which centers around the dark aftermath of Princess Thalia’s banishment by her power-hungry mother, Queen Velma, attempts to weave a tale of supernatural intrigue and royal betrayal. However, it struggles to maintain a coherent narrative, and the chilling atmosphere it aspires to achieve remains frustratingly out of reach.

The story begins with a promising setup. After the death of King Eldric, the once-prosperous kingdom falls into disarray as Queen Velma, played with a measure of steely resolve by Danielle Scott, seizes control. Fearing that her daughter, Princess Thalia ( Mya Brown ), might pose a threat to her newly acquired throne, Velma casts a powerful spell, plunging Thalia into a perpetual sleep. The film’s central conflict arises when this dark act unwittingly triggers a series of supernatural events that threaten to destroy the very kingdom Velma fought so hard to control.

Good Atmosphere, Weak Characters

The plot weaves together various characters who each play a role in the unfolding drama. Chrissie Wunna’ s Lia is a sympathetic figure, a servant loyal to the princess and determined to save her from her cursed fate. Sophie Rankin as Sofia, Velma’s enigmatic advisor, offers a performance that hovers between cold calculation and barely concealed fear, hinting at the consequences of dabbling in dark magic. Lila Lasso’s Delia, someone with her own mysterious motives, adds another layer of complexity, though her character ultimately feels underdeveloped. Finally, there’s Zazid, portrayed by Danielle Scott , who, while integral to the plot’s progression, never quite evolves beyond her role as Velma’s obedient enforcer.

To its credit, Ouija Castle does have moments where its potential shines through. The gothic aesthetic, though unevenly executed, occasionally manages to evoke a sense of dread and foreboding. The castle itself, with its labyrinthine corridors and shadowed corners, serves as an effective setting for a tale of haunted royalty. Warren’s direction hints at an understanding of horror’s visual language, with certain scenes—particularly those involving Thalia’s enchanted slumber—exuding a genuinely eerie atmosphere. The concept of a royal court beset by malevolent spirits is compelling, offering a unique twist on the haunted house trope.

The performances, though inconsistent, have their moments as well. Mya Brown as Princess Thalia, though she spends much of the film in a state of enchanted slumber, conveys a quiet vulnerability that makes her plight sympathetic. Danielle Scott’s portrayal of Queen Velma, while lacking in emotional depth, captures the ruthless ambition of a woman driven to secure her power at any cost. There is an underlying tension in her interactions with Sofia, played by Sophie Rankin, suggesting a more complex relationship that the script, unfortunately, never fully explores.

Storytelling that Misses the Mark

However, these moments of promise are overshadowed by the film’s numerous shortcomings. The most glaring issue is the disjointed narrative, which struggles to maintain a coherent flow from one scene to the next. The film’s pacing is erratic, with long stretches of monotonous dialogue interspersed with sudden bursts of supernatural action that feel more confusing than thrilling. Warren’s direction, while competent in certain scenes, fails to unify the disparate elements of the story into a compelling whole.

The script by Thomas is equally problematic. The dialogue is often stilted, with characters delivering lines that feel out of place or overly expository. The central conflict—the battle between Thalia’s loyalists and Velma’s forces—is underdeveloped, with key plot points either glossed over or explained in frustratingly vague terms. The motivations of certain characters, particularly Delia and Zazid, are murky at best, leaving the audience to wonder why they behave the way they do.

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of Ouija Castle is its wasted potential. The film’s premise, which blends elements of gothic horror with political intrigue, is rich with possibilities. Yet, it consistently fails to capitalize on these opportunities, opting instead for cheap scares and cliched plot twists. The supernatural elements, which should have been the film’s main draw, are poorly executed, with special effects that range from passable to downright laughable. The titular Ouija board , which one would expect to play a central role in the story, is relegated to a minor plot device, appearing only sporadically and with little impact on the overall narrative.

The film’s climax, which should have been a crescendo of tension and horror, falls flat due to a lack of emotional investment in the characters. By the time the final confrontation between Thalia’s supporters and Velma’s forces arrives, the audience is left feeling more exhausted than exhilarated. The resolution, while tying up the main plot threads, fails to deliver a satisfying conclusion, leaving several questions unanswered and key character arcs incomplete.

Ouija Castle is a film that aspires to greatness but falls far short of the mark. Its intriguing premise and moments of atmospheric tension are overshadowed by a muddled narrative, underdeveloped characters, and missed opportunities. While there are glimpses of a better film lurking beneath the surface, they are ultimately lost in a sea of mediocrity. For fans of gothic horror, Ouija Castle may offer a few fleeting moments of enjoyment, but for most viewers, it will likely prove to be a frustrating and forgettable experience.

• Acting - 6.5/10 6.5/10
• Cinematography/Visual Effects - 7/10 7/10
• Plot/Screenplay - 5/10 5/10
• Setting/Theme - 5/10 5/10
• Watchability - 4/10 4/10
• Rewatchability - 2/10 2/10

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