Directed By: Ben Ramsey
Written By: Michael Andrews
Cinematography: Roy H. Wagner
Editor: Dean Goodhill
CAST: Michael Jai White, Eamonn Walker, Nona Gaye, Dante Basco, Kimbo Slice, Julian Sands, Francis CapraA typical straight to Home Video movie that seems to partially a remake of LIONHEART mixed With a episode of KUNG-FU only with a minority cast and more brutal violence.
The film is violent but thankfully when bones are broken many times they don’t protrude like a Steven Seagal film. While the film is brutal at times, you never worry about the hero who always seems to be in control no matter what the situation. No one really seems to put up a challenge for him even when he is outnumbered which hurts the film. Sure it makes the hero a total Bad ass but there is a lack of tension. You never worry about him you know almost exactly what is going to happen.
One of the strengths of the film is the villian played by Eammon Walker his character has many good one-liners and a certain demented philosophy that makes him a memorable screen villain the problem is that it is a shame someone with so much talent is reduced to working in this film. When you know he is capable of so much better.
Though they are predictable the fight scenes are memorable.
Michael Jai White is a good leading man he has slimmed down some of his muscle but still looks solid and still makes a viable leading man he could be a superhero.
This film was directed by Ben Ramsey unfortunately not written by him which you can tell because it lacks his dark sense of humor. Though the film does contain the line from all his productions “I’m From Pittsburgh, You know what that means”
With this film what you see is what you get the film is rather simple. You know what you are getting into in terms of quality when you watch a straight to home video or now DVD Movie they will be low budget not the best quality of movies but this is one of the better ones. It’s not a classic but it will entice you for two hours.
I hope this is the first in a series of films about this character so we learn more about him in future installments. This film keeps most of his past a secret.
The film is about a man who gets released from prison and works his way up a street fighting circuit with his eyes on defeating the top fighter to get close to his boos the villain.
While the film has Excessive violence it doesn’t have excessive sex or nudity. Even tough it plys like a modern update of a black exploitation film of the 70’s though not as much a time capsule of the times it does have a social message. but no sex and more hand to hand combat action instead of weapons plus this film has better actors.
A Good Rental
GRADE: C+
