Scott Adkins is basically the king of the straight-to-video action world, and honestly, the man doesn't get enough credit for the sheer physical toll his movies take. When One Shot dropped back in 2021, it felt like a bit of a gimmick at first—the whole "single continuous take" thing has been done to death—but it worked because the choreography was tight and the stakes felt claustrophobic. Now, with One More Shot 2024, the stakes have shifted from a black site prison to the bustling, cold corridors of a London airport. It's a sequel that manages to double down on the technical difficulty without losing the plot, which is a rare feat in the world of low-budget action cinema.
You’ve got Jake Harris, played by Adkins, back in the thick of it. He’s escorting a high-value suspect, Amin Mansur, and everything goes sideways almost immediately. It’s a classic setup. The movie doesn't waste time with a twenty-minute prologue explaining the political nuances of international terrorism; it just throws you into the fire. If you’re watching this, you’re likely here for the tactical reloads and the bone-crunching takedowns, not a lecture on foreign policy.
The Technical Wizardry of the Long Take
The most impressive thing about One More Shot 2024 isn't just the fighting. It's the logistics. Director James Nunn and his crew had to map out an entire airport environment to make the "one-shot" conceit believable. Unlike 1917, which had a massive studio budget to hide its cuts behind every passing pillar or dark corner, this film feels rawer. You can tell they are working with what they have.
It’s stressful. You see a camera operator following Adkins through narrow hallways, and you realize someone had to clear that path, time the squibs, and ensure the stunt performers were in position at the exact microsecond required. If a gun jams or a punch misses by six inches, the whole ten-minute sequence is potentially trashed. That pressure translates to the screen. It gives the movie a frantic, breathless energy that traditional editing usually kills.
Movies like this live or die by their geography. If the audience doesn't know where the exit is or where the bad guys are coming from, the tension evaporates. Nunn uses the airport layout effectively, moving from the sterile arrivals gate to the gritty back-of-house luggage areas. It feels like a real place, which makes the violence feel a lot more grounded than your typical Hollywood blockbuster where physics is just a suggestion.
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Scott Adkins and the Physicality of Jake Harris
Adkins is a freak of nature. Most guys his age are nursing back injuries, but he’s out here doing tactical rolls and CQC (Close Quarters Combat) that looks legitimately painful. In One More Shot 2024, his character Jake Harris is exhausted. He looks beat up from the start. This isn't the shiny, untouchable hero version of action cinema. He’s bleeding, he’s sweating, and he’s clearly out of his depth as the body count rises.
The choreography is handled by Tim Man, a frequent collaborator of Adkins. They have a shorthand that is obvious. The fights in this movie are less about flashy "Van Damme" kicks and more about survival. It’s dirty. It’s knives, pens, and whatever else is lying around. There is a specific sequence in the airport's security hub that stands out for its sheer brutality. You can feel every impact.
Why the Plot Matters More Than You Think
A lot of people dismiss these films as "mindless," but One More Shot 2024 actually tries to say something about the cycle of violence and the failures of intelligence agencies. Michael Jai White shows up as Robert Jackson, and his presence adds a layer of "heavy hitter" energy to the proceedings. The dynamic between Harris and his prisoner, Mansur, is the emotional core. You’re constantly wondering if Mansur is actually a terrorist or just a pawn caught in a much larger, uglier game played by people in suits who never step foot in an airport.
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It explores the idea of "the greater good" and whether or not one life is worth the sacrifice of hundreds. It's not Shakespeare, sure. But for a movie where a guy gets hit in the head with a fire extinguisher, it’s surprisingly thoughtful. The script, written by James Nunn and Jamie Russell, keeps the dialogue sparse. This is a smart move. When you're running for your life, you don't give monologues. You bark orders and you gasp for air.
The Challenges of the 2024 Release
Releasing an action movie in 2024 is tough. The market is saturated with high-budget streaming content. However, One More Shot 2024 carved out a niche because it feels "handmade." There’s a distinct lack of obvious CGI blood or digital muzzle flashes that plague so many mid-budget films these days. When a window breaks, it looks like real glass. When a car hits something, it has weight.
There are limitations, obviously. Because of the one-take style, the pacing can occasionally feel a bit repetitive. There are only so many hallways Harris can run down before you start to want a breath of fresh air. But the film usually catches itself just in time, introducing a new threat or a change in lighting to keep the visual palette from getting stale.
Key Elements That Make the Film Stand Out
- The Sound Design: The echoes in the airport terminal are haunting. You hear footsteps way before you see the shooters.
- The Supporting Cast: Alexis Knapp and Tom Berenger bring a level of gravitas that grounds the more "action-heavy" sequences. Berenger, in particular, has that grizzled veteran vibe that he can do in his sleep.
- The Lighting: Moving from the cold blue of the terminal to the harsh oranges of the maintenance tunnels helps the viewer track the passage of "real time."
What Most People Get Wrong About One More Shot 2024
People assume this is just a retread of the first movie. It’s not. The first film was a siege movie; this is an escape movie. The psychology is different. In a siege, you're holding your ground. In an escape, you're constantly losing ground. That shift in momentum changes how the camera moves. It’s more aggressive here. It’s pushing the characters forward constantly.
Another misconception is that the "one-shot" is a gimmick to hide a bad story. Actually, the one-shot is the story. The narrative is the movement. The moment the camera stops moving, the story ends. It’s a literal representation of Harris’s predicament: if he stops moving, he dies.
Actionable Insights for Action Fans
If you're planning to dive into One More Shot 2024, there are a few things to keep in mind to get the most out of the experience.
First, watch the 2021 original One Shot first. While the sequel stands on its own, the emotional weight of Harris’s exhaustion makes way more sense if you’ve seen what he went through at the black site. You see the continuity of his injuries and his mental state.
Second, pay attention to the background. Because of the long-take format, the directors often hide details in the periphery of the frame. You can see threats developing way off in the distance while Harris is focused on something in the foreground. It’s a very immersive way to watch a film.
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Finally, look at the way the film handles its ending. It’s not a clean, "Mission Accomplished" type of finale. It leaves you with a lot of questions about the ethics of what just happened. It’s messy, just like real-world conflict.
To appreciate the technical craft, try to spot where the "hidden" cuts might be. Even though it's marketed as a single shot, there are inevitable points where the editors stitch scenes together. Finding them is like a game for cinephiles, though Nunn does a better job than most at masking them through whip-pans and lighting shifts.
How to Support Independent Action Cinema
- Buy or Rent via Official Channels: Don't just wait for it to hit a random streaming service you already pay for. Revenue from VOD (Video on Demand) platforms like Amazon or Apple is what allows directors like James Nunn to get budgets for sequels.
- Follow the Stunt Teams: Many of the performers in this film, like those from the 87Eleven ecosystem or independent UK crews, post behind-the-scenes "viz-pre" (visual pre-visualization) on social media. Seeing how the fights were choreographed in a gym versus how they look in the airport is fascinating.
- Spread the Word: Independent action lives on word of mouth. If you liked the "one-take" intensity, talk about it. It’s the only way we get more movies that prioritize practical stunts over green-screen bloat.
The film serves as a masterclass in how to use a limited budget to create maximum tension. It’s a reminder that you don’t need $200 million to make something that keeps an audience on the edge of their seat; you just need a dedicated crew, a world-class martial artist, and a very long camera cable.