⚔️Prisoner of War (2025) – Scott Adkins Fights His Way Through WWII Hell: Movie Review, Cast, Plot & Where to Watch

“War takes men’s souls… but in that camp, fighting was the only way to stay human.”

The battle-scarred world of Prisoner of War — formerly titled Death March — brings together WWII grit and martial arts ferocity in a way that only Scott Adkins could deliver. Directed by Louis Mandylor and written by Marc Clebanoff, the 2025 action war thriller dives into the brutality of the Battle of Bataan — not with tanks and guns, but with fists, honor, and defiance.

Premiering at the Beverly Hills Film Festival before hitting theaters and digital platforms on September 19, 2025, Prisoner of War promises both a physical and emotional clash — and for the most part, it delivers.

🎖️ The Story: Survival in the Shadows of War

Set in 1942, the film follows Wing Commander James Wright (Scott Adkins), a Royal Air Force officer shot down over the Philippines and captured by Japanese forces. He’s thrown into a POW camp under the iron rule of Lt. Col. Benjiro Ito (Peter Shinkoda), a man who sees cruelty as control.

But the camp hides a dark secret — prisoners are forced into hand-to-hand combat matches for their captors’ amusement. Wright, drawing on his Hong Kong martial arts training, becomes both the camp’s unwilling champion and a symbol of resistance.

The story then flashes forward to 1950, where Wright confronts the ghost of his past in a dojo — closing a circle of vengeance, respect, and redemption.

As Adkins’s character says at one point:

“They wanted a show. I gave them a fight for freedom.”

🥋 The Action: Adkins Unleashed

Scott Adkins once again proves why he’s one of the most underrated action stars working today. His fight scenes are brutal, balletic, and emotionally charged — the camera doesn’t cut away; it lets you feel every punch.

Director Louis Mandylor frames these duels like rituals — sweat, dirt, and blood glistening under harsh sunlight — a stark contrast to the chaos of war outside the camp walls. The choreography, grounded yet cinematic, feels like a mix between The Raid and Unbroken.

The showdown between Wright and Ito is the kind of gritty honor duel that feels earned. It’s not just man versus man — it’s fighter versus fate.

💥 Performances: Pain, Pride, and Power

• Scott Adkins gives one of his most nuanced performances to date — balancing stoic leadership with flashes of vulnerability.

• Peter Shinkoda is magnetic as Ito, portraying a conflicted villain torn between duty and obsession.

• Gabbi Garcia shines as Theresa, the compassionate nurse who risks everything to aid the prisoners.

• Donald Cerrone and Michael Copon bring grit to the supporting roles, fleshing out the camaraderie among the captives.

The emotional moments don’t always land perfectly — the script sometimes leans on familiar war tropes — but the cast’s commitment keeps the tension alive.

🌅 Themes: Honor Beyond Chains

Prisoner of War explores the price of freedom and the code of the warrior. Wright’s defiance becomes symbolic — not just of survival, but of moral resistance. The bond among prisoners, the fleeting hope, and the quiet sacrifices build a raw emotional undercurrent beneath the violence.

“They took our liberty,” Wright says in one of the film’s standout lines,“but not our will to fight.”

🎬 Technicals: Gritty and Grounded

Cinematographer Benji Bakshi gives the film a scorched, sunburnt tone that mirrors the characters’ despair. The production design recreates the POW camp with haunting authenticity — wooden cages, flickering torches, and dust-choked air that feels almost suffocating.

The score by Nathan Furst adds emotional depth, blending somber strings with tribal percussion to underscore the primal intensity of each fight.

🎥 Streaming & Release Info

• Premiere: April 2025, Beverly Hills Film Festival

• Theatrical/VOD Release: September 19, 2025 (USA, Well Go USA Entertainment)

• Home Release (UK): November 10, 2025 (Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment)

🩸 Verdict: A Brutal Yet Stirring War Fighter

⭐ Rating: 7.8/10A visceral blend of war and warrior spirit — “Prisoner of War” fights for both freedom and

soul.

Prisoner of War may not reinvent the war genre, but it fuses martial arts and wartime storytelling with unflinching conviction. It’s a film of grit, honor, and redemption — a showcase for Adkins’s physical artistry and Mandylor’s rough-edged direction.

Some pacing issues and underwritten side characters keep it from being a full knockout, but its heart and fists are in the right place.