You know the drill. An assassin wants out. His boss says no. He teams up with a former target. Mayhem, predictably, ensues. Watching the trailer for Exit Protocol is like finding a VHS tape you forgot you owned from 2005—the plot is that familiar, the aesthetic that worn. Saban Films is set to debut this latest offering from director Shane Dax Taylor in select U.S. theaters and on VOD starting November 7, 2025. And if the trailer is any indication, they’re not trying to reinvent the wheel; they’re just checking if the tires still have air.
The official poster and trailer have landed, and they are exercises in cinematic déjà vu. The poster is a masterclass in generic composition: Scott Martin, looking grim and holding a pistol, stands before a backdrop of muted, destructive tones. Dolph Lundgren glowers from the side, his presence a clear nod to the 80s action pedigree they hope will lend this some credibility. The color palette—all steely blues and burnt oranges—is the same one every mid-budget actioner has used for the last fifteen years to signal “gritty” without actually having to be gritty.
Then there’s the trailer. It opens with the obligatory world-weary voiceover: “You know what happens next.” A statement that’s less a threat and more a weary admission from the marketing team. We see the hitman, Martin, in his sleek, anonymous apartment. We get the rapid-fire cuts of gunplay, car chases that look like they were shot on a closed-off industrial block for an afternoon, and the inevitable line: “They’re gonna be coming for us…” The rhythm of the editing, the choice of a synth-heavy but utterly forgettable score, the way Charlotte Kirk’s character exists primarily to be rescued—it’s all so deeply routine.
This isn’t just a movie; it’s an algorithm. Director Shane Dax Taylor and writer Chad Law are working from a well-thumbed playbook. The “one last job” trope is so entrenched it has its own fossil record. Seeing Michael Jai White, an actor with genuine physical presence, relegated to what appears to be a minor role feels like a particular waste. It reminds me of a dozen straight-to-video titles from the late 90s, the kind you’d rent because the box art promised more than the film could ever deliver. The difference now is that it’s not on a physical shelf; it’s just another tile in the endless scroll of VOD options.
Saban Films has carved out a niche for efficiently distributing these kinds of films. They have the model down to a science: recognizable action names (Lundgren, White), a derivative plot, and a simultaneous theatrical/VOD release that minimizes risk and maximizes a very specific, undemanding viewership. There’s a market for this, undoubtedly—for something to have on in the background while you fold laundry. But it does make you wonder, how many times can the same handful of actors play out the same scenario before it becomes pure cinematic white noise?
The Exit Protocol Dossier: What We Know
The Premise in Brief:
A specialized hitman who eliminates other assassins decides to retire. Naturally, his employer has other plans, forcing him to partner with a former target to survive the onslaught of killers now on his trail.
The Key Players:
Directed by Shane Dax Taylor from a script by Chad Law, Exit Protocol stars Scott Martin, Dolph Lundgren, Charlotte Kirk, Lina Maya, Stephanie Beran, and Michael Jai White.
Mark Your Calendar:
Saban Films will release Exit Protocol in select U.S. theaters and on Video On Demand platforms starting November 7, 2025.
