Let's Get Ready to Rumble..."The Condemned 2"

The Condemned 2 (2015)

Rated R

Starring Randy Orton, Eric Roberts

Directed by Roel Reine

The Story:

Will Tanner (Orton) is a bounty hunter. When a fugitive winds up dead, Tanner winds up in court and he is lucky to not be sent to prison. However, the fugitive's brother wants revenge, and in a high stake gambling match that pits Tanner against his old crew in a fight to the death, Will has little choice but to fight, or die!

Almost a decade ago, WWE Studios released The Condemned. The premise: 10 felons are left alone on an island and fight to the death. To the winner-freedom. And it's all televised across the world and it's a ratings smash!

I'm sure one of these years when Survivor's ratings are tanking, they will employ this strategy.

WWE  continues to pave the way!

:)

Randy Orton once again gets to be the star, having already been in the 12 Rounds franchise.

I think he needs to take a crack at The Marine in order to headline all of WWEs franchises. :)

Anyway, he does a fine and believable job. Eric Roberts tags along and has some fun as the dad who is hard on his son, but would do anything to help him.

All in all, the premise is actually pretty good, and WWE Studios continues to crank out modest hits that aren't too bad at all.

Nice to help bridge the gap into the movies for the wrestlers as they wind down their in-ring and prepare for life after the squared circle.

It's worked out pretty well for a lot of them, 1 of which will be in tomorrow's review.

Final Grade: C+

You Weren't Expecting A Trilogy..."12 Rounds 3: Lockdown"

12 Rounds 3: Lockdown

Rated

Starring Dean Ambrose, Roger R. Cross, Daniel Cudmore, Lochlyn Monroe, Ty Olsson

Directed by Stephen Reynolds

The Story:

Detective Shaw (Ambrose) returns to work after recovering from a gunshot wound. On his first day back, he receives evidence that shows that his former partner and several other cops in his precinct are dirty. When the building goes into lockdown, it's Shaw all alone against a band of rogue cops out to silence him.

Dean Ambrose (Jonathan Good) takes over the 12 Rounds franchise for WWE Studios.

All things considered, that's a pretty big deal since he is following in John Cena and Randy Orton's footsteps, and both have been the top dog in the WWE at one point or another.

Ambrose is on his way, but before he gets to the top of that mountain, he's going to conquer the world of movies first.

And he actually does a pretty good job.

His persona in the ring is a little more stabilized in the movie, but not much. The other difference, whereas the other installments had the hero running to fulfill 12 different tasks or DIE!, this sequel is so named because all Shaw has in his gun to stop the bad guys are...

12 rounds!

If there is any real disservice done in this film, it's WWE Studios not bringing in any "name or face" actors who can help elevate the film.

If a hero is only as good as his villain(s), Ambrose isn't given a whole lot to work with, though they try their best to provide an "Assault on Precinct Die Hard" mashup.

For a low-budget action romp, it's not bad though, and Ambrose could easily transition to the screen ala Rowdy Roddy Piper when he decides to hang up the boots for good (or the next time he is out of commission thanks to an injury).

Final Grade: C+

Need For Speed Weekend: "Getaway"

Getaway (2013)
Rated PG-13 - Language

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Selena Gomez, Jon Voight

Directed by: Courtney Solomon

The Story:

Brent Magna (Hawke) is an ex-race car driver.  He lives in Bulgaria now with his wife.  He comes home to find she's been kidnapped and he must steal a car and follow instructions to complete several tasks if he hopes to see her alive again.  When the kid (Gomez) that owns the car tracks him down, she becomes his unwilling accomplice, putting her computer hacker skills to good use to try and save them both from their mysterious captor.  Will they succeed and save the abducted wife, or will they all wind up dead?

I couldn't put my finger on where I've seen this movie before.

Then about halfway through, it hit me: 12 Rounds.  Or 12 Rounds-Reloaded.

It's True...it's True!

:)

When you start remaking WWE Studios projects, you know you're reaching for artistic heights.

;)

However, this movie is purely speaking, a B movie that knows it, and lives it.

Heck, when the movie takes place solely in the car as they race from the cops to try and pull off the next caper, the movie is rather engaging.

Part of that would be due to the fact that they strap mini cameras all over the inside/outside of the car, so you really get some good car chase footage through the streets.

Plus, many of the stunts are very well done and keep you riveted to the screen.

What Are The Odds For An Academy Award?

It's when the dialogue focuses on the two captives that the movie is just silly.

It's a quick 90 minutes of fluff that goes down easy.

Final Grade: C+
Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could watch it again someday, no time soon, but if I was channel surfing on a slow weekend someday, I could let it ride.

WWEekend Movies: The Sequel You Demanded..."12 Rounds: Reloaded"

I hear voices in my head...

The Story:

Nick Malloy (Randy Orton) is an EMT who witnesses an accident.  He jumps into action and attempts to save the occupants of both vehicles.  He gets Heller (Brian Markinson) out of the first car, and Tommy (Ted Stevens) out of the second, but Nick cannot free Heller's wife who dies that night.  A year later, Nick gets a cryptic call from someone (pssst, it's Heller) who is unhappy with what transpired a year earlier, and he's going to make everyone pay for it.  He sets up 12 challenges for Nick, and if he survives, he lives!  If not...well, Heller is going to kill his wife, and lots of other people.

Not. That. Bad.

If you want to boil down a WWE Studios film review, you could do a lot worse than this.

I went in with the bar set very low, as I could barely remember the original 12 Rounds, other than that I saw it, and John Cena was the star.  I watched it again later just to see what I had missed.  But you already know that if you read yesterday's review!

Instead, this film is paced very nicely, and the 90 minutes literally flies by.

Is it a great movie? No, but it is competent and well executed from start to finish.

Randy Orton isn't much of an actor, but for that matter, neither are most of Vince's wrestlers.  Luckily, Randy's charisma and presence carry him through the film on his natural energy alone.  He doesn't do a bad job though, and when these guys do finally hang up their tights, Vince has created a small cottage industry for his stars to keep filming low-budget action flicks after they move on from the squared circle.

There were a few minor glitches in the film, Randy Orton falling out of the back of a car, they really need to do a better editing job to hide the stuntmen. 

The most amusing part... I had no idea that EMTs drive around the city waiting for a call, like the police?!  Maybe in large metropolitan cities, but somehow, I still doubt that.

: )

If choosing which 12 Rounds to endure again, I'd take this one over the original.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could watch it again, but won't go actively searching to add it to the library.  Maybe when WWEShop.com puts it on clearance? :)