Scorpion is a French kickboxer, and you don't get a name like that unless you are a seriously tough monsieur. Indeed, within the first ten minutes you've seen him destroy his marginally-legit boxing club's star fighter, destroy some unfortunate young muggers, then self-destruct in and out of prison. It's after this promising, visceral kick-off that Scorpion turns into a tough croque monsieur, all stale cheese and ham, with some extra cheese on top. This film was never going to be believable, but it could have at least tried. By the time Scorpion enters the under-underground world of Parisian pugilism, you will have already lowered your expectations from Man Bites Dog to Dobermann to a Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle; some half-decent fights but no more. [Mack McDonald]
Released 24 September