Diablo: A Violent Action Showcase Featuring Two of the Best

While the American and British DTV (direct to video) circuits have been providing the scene with some much-needed juice, Chilean Filmmaker Ernesto Diaz Espinoza has been cultivating a regional action market in Chile since the release of 2005’s Kiltro. While to some, these two may be kicking it in the relative unknown, those who have been involved in the action scene would have noticed the immense talent of one Marko Zaror. The formidable actor’s incredible athleticism, paired with creative fight design and loads of charisma, make him one of the most exciting stars in the genre today, and it was Espinoza who best realized this with Kiltro, Mandrill (2008), and Redeemer (2014). These films took full advantage of Zaror’s ability as his size, charisma, and style all make themselves known across their Chilean efforts. Now, in 2025, Zaror has crossed over to Hollywood with standout roles in John Wick: Chapter Four, The Killers Game, and Fight or Flight. But it is his return to the Chilean market, alongside frequent collaborator Scott Adkins, where Zaror has found his greatest success.

The filmmakers’ frequent collaborations with Marko Zaror have reached the pinnacle with Diablo, an intense and violent action film starring two of the best the genre has to offer, and it is the can’t-miss action event of the year! Not only is Diablo Adkin’s best film since Avengement, it is also a fantastic showcase of Chilean action cinema and what it can offer as Espinoza and Zaror collaborate on their best film to date. Espinoza’s love of genre cinema is on display throughout, featuring homages and stylish flourishes that harken back to the work of icons such as James Cameron (the T1 mirror shot comes to mind). All of this is further supported by a winning child performance and a fantastic Carpenter esc score, also making for one of the more complete action experiences of the year.

Espinoza’s latest follows Kris (Adkins), an ex-convict who finds himself pitted against old and new foes to save Elisa (De La Rosa) from her gangster father, Vincente (Lucho Velasco), whom he suspects of having murdered her mother. Entangled in this affair is El Corvo (Zaror), an unhinged psychopath on a mission to locate Elisa, with sinister plans upon her capture. The film’s simplistic narrative structure allows for the action and character dynamics to shine. The relationship between Adkins’ Kris and De La Rosa’s Elisa delivers an unexpected charm that would help fill the gaps between the action, even if those moments at times felt a little trite.

Meanwhile, Adkins’ American accent has also vastly improved; long gone are the days of 2009’s Ninja and its follow up, 2014’s Ninja: Shadow of a Tear, as he is not only excellent in the action, but shines during the film’s more emotional moments as well. However, Diablo truly finds itself through Zaror’s El Corve. His psychopathic rampage is accompanied by a wild performance fusing Anton Chigurh and The Terminator with a manic, muted charisma. Accompanying the aforementioned performances is Espinoza’s best direction to date, as he can finally unite his weirdo tendencies with a narrative that embraces it, the pseudo-saw trap in the finale is quite the jaw dropper, but is nothing when compared to Marko’s wacky look and gleeful carnage.

So, at the end of the day, there is only one question left to ask. Have you given yourself a gift this week? If not, check out Diablo ASAP.

*still courtesy of Ágora Films*

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Brad Simon

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