AC/AL/SV 2007 100m ENGLISH CAST: Steve Austin, Vinnie Jones, Robert Mammone, Victoria Mussett, Madeleine West, Samantha Healy, Christopher Baker, Luke Pegler & Rick Hoffman CREDITS: Director: Scott Wiper; Screenwriter: Scott Wiper/Rob Hedden; Producer: Joel Simon; Director of Photography: Ross Emery; Production Designer: Graham Walker; Editor: Derek G. Brechin; Costume Designer: Anna Borghesi; Music: Graeme Revell THE SYNOPSIS Wealthy and villainous TV entrepreneur Ian Breckel (Mammone) sets up a daring, highly-illegal, internet pay-per-view event that features a group of convicts who are plopped onto a deserted island and who must kill each other off in front of the cameras. Among them is Jack Conrad (Austin)--a strong, silent type who was taken out of a Salvadorian jail (turns out he’s a soldier whom the U.S. Government “forgot” about) and British Special Forces hooligan Ewan McStarley (Jones)--a real bad egg. The rest are men and women who are muscular, dangerous and cunning. Millions of viewers pay up and log in, all to watch the circle of “contestants” grow smaller with each passing hour. Uneasy alliances are formed and then betrayed. All Jack wants to do is survive and get home to his family. Hey, the guy has a heart! Breckel, mentally-counting all of the cash pouring in, wants the tension ratcheted up; his director, Goldman (Hoffman) begins having second thoughts about the whole thing (as are the rest of his crew)--but they’ve already passed the point of no return. McStarley busts in and wreaks havoc. It’s up to Jack to stop him and get out alive. THE CRITIQUE THE CONDEMNED is yet another variation of Richard Connell’s classic 1924 short story The Most Dangerous Game. Only this time, the WWE production is gussied up with reality-TV gestalt and ADD-based entertainment—much like any other WWE-base show or movie, come to think of it. Whatever it may be, at least THE CONDEMNED is never dull. As helmed and co-written by actor-turned-director Scott Wiper, it moves along in a clipped—albeit formulaic—fashion. The scenario (co-written by Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan screenwriter-director Rob Hedden) takes today’s reality TV nonsense—er, programming and takes it up to The Running Man heights of absurdity. In the Schwarzenegger/Van Damme/The Rock role is “Stone Cold” Steve Austin—who’s not too bad in the role. While not as photogenic and glamorous as The Rock, Austin exudes a quiet aura in regard to his character—the hero who is forced to beat people up or rip their arms out their sockets. Think of Austin’s Jack Conrad as a cross between a pumped-up Gary Cooper, Chuck Norris and Charles Bronson. Hope that paints a picture! The main baddie is played by actor Richard Mammone, who brings the right amount of sleaze and wealth-as-divine-right to his role—but lacks the hokey gravitas of a 007 villain to pull it off completely. Furthermore, he’s totally eclipsed by former English soccer player and Guy Ritchie crony Vinnie Jones—who’s always portraying the psychotic, hooligan type. The guy’s ripe for his own family-comedy vehicle. One little tidbit: Steve Austin was originally up for the Jones part, but took the lead when WWE picked up the producing tab. The rest of the photogenic cast of “contestants” are fine; at least they’re up to the task of looking like they can kick some serious ass! Tech credits across the board are decent for a production such as this one (budgeted at about $23,000,000). The HD cinematography by lenser Ross Emery (The Cave) is serviceable if a bit lifeless. However, some crisp editing keeps the movie flowing without becoming boring—and thank veteran cutter Derek Brechin (Doom/Romeo Must Die/Star Gate) for that! He’s so good that one sometimes forgets the plot holes or the illogical proceedings of it all. The Fight Coordinator is renowned martial artist & actor Richard Norton, who has worked with the likes of Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and Chuck Norris (as his double,coordinator and co-star). Lastly, location shooting in Queensland, Australia and Vancouver, Canada sell the movie. Did I like THE CONDEMNED? Ahhh, it was just O.K. The movie is a perfectly serviceable entry in action cinema. Is it trying to send a message about reality TV? I do believe that it is, much like 1987’s The Running Man (featuring Gov. Ah-nuld in the protagonist role). The message is a bit over-the-top; but is the kind of reality TV violence portrayed in THE CONDEMNED really that far off the mark? Yes and no. Killing people for sport on the internet or on TV is a very unethical—however, shows like Fear Factor and Survivor posits the notion that the contestants can and do get hurt—perhaps even seriously—on the air all of the time. When will the Powers-That-Be decide that it is time for us viewers to witness real executions and legalized snuff shows on the air or over the internet? I’m sure that they’ll pull in some strong ratings—and you can thank human nature for that. However, when it comes to reality TV, I wouldn’t know…as I never watch that crap anyway. THE BOTTOM LINE Loud, obnoxious and brainlessly-entertaining, all in one. Not a great piece of cinema, but an acceptable entry in genre cinema. There are plenty of explosions and a plethora of violent, action-packed sequences. Maybe someone’ll start a drinking game around THE CONDEMNED—where everyone drinks every time someone on screen howls, flexes or kills someone else. The players will be in for one drunk evening, that’s for sure… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_directorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_directorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screenplayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screenwriterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_directorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_production#Productionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filmmakinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_budgetinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-definition_videohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_cinematographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinematographerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_editinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_editor#Film_editorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filming_locationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_filmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_televisionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_televisionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_televisionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_filmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequence_%28film%29shapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1shapeimage_2_link_2shapeimage_2_link_3shapeimage_2_link_4shapeimage_2_link_5shapeimage_2_link_6shapeimage_2_link_7shapeimage_2_link_8shapeimage_2_link_9shapeimage_2_link_10shapeimage_2_link_11shapeimage_2_link_12shapeimage_2_link_13shapeimage_2_link_14shapeimage_2_link_15shapeimage_2_link_16shapeimage_2_link_17shapeimage_2_link_18shapeimage_2_link_19shapeimage_2_link_20shapeimage_2_link_21