Plantiana Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

Suman Roberson It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

Sameer Callahan It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

vincentlynch-moonoi There was a time -- oh, around 1991-1997 -- when Wesley Snipes was one of my very favorite actors. But then he began to get typecast -- his own doing -- into martial arts-related films. He forgot that acting was about...acting. And my esteem for him dwindled...as it seemed to do for pretty much everyone. And this movie is a good example of Snipes not having to act. What he did have to do here was box, and one of the highlights of the film (yes, there are some) is that the boxing was reasonably realistic (and I say that as a person who watches a fair amount of boxing). In fact, I kept wondering how many of those "thrown punches" actually landed at least a glancing blow. The cameraman did a great job filming the boxing scenes. But, as good as the boxing appeared, I still go to a movie to watch acting...and there wasn't much of that here. So, for me, what was the point? The story is okay. A Mike Tyson-like boxer who goes to prison and fights the prison favorite. Ving Rhames actually does the better acting here, and does fine with the boxing, too.Peter Falk has a role as a con who is involved in the gambling side of boxing in the pen; it was meant to be gritty, but comes off as cliché-ish. I always enjoyed seeing Jon Seda on screen, and never quite understood why his big screen acting didn't catch on more.If you wanna watch 2 guys pretend they are boxing, then this is a good film for you. If you wanna watch some good acting, look elsewhere. Okay for a viewing...once.

Leofwine_draca A prison drama mixed with ROCKY is the basic premise of this unusual but entertaining little movie, brought to us by Walter Hill, a director with a track record of making "man's man" type films. It's as tough as you'd imagine, set within a men's prison inhabited by grizzled veterans (Wes Studi and a delightfully foul-mouthed Peter Falk), hard-ass guards (the underrated Michael Rooker) and various other familiar faces such as Jon Seda and Fisher Stevens.However, this is merely the backdrop. The thrust of the film lies within the world of boxing, and the story carefully pits two very different fighters against each other. An action film this isn't; it's all about the gradual build-up to a single bout, a win-all/lose-all fight to the finish that means the world for both of the participants. Of the pair, Ving Rhames bags the larger-than-life character, a man who turns out to be little more than a glorified thug; Wesley Snipes gets to be solemn and proud, a real departure from his usual tough guy routines, and he makes the film. I won't spoil the outcome, needless to say it pays off nicely.

kiran-parry Tells the story of a heavyweight champion boxer who ends up in prison for murder.In the end he fights another great boxer and faces a tough challenge.This film was delivered very well and should force its viewers to view this entertaining piece of well done action.This film is done with an outstanding bit of action.This film is emotional in parts and as a very delivered storyline that should entertain most of its audience.This is by no means a masterpiece or flawless but it does have entertaining parts to keep this film a well delivered boxing film. This is reccomendable and is something you should check out its nothing like brilliance but the film is balanced and is viewable and is just well delivered.This film isn't appalling or anywhere near but I wouldn't say this film is exceptional either.Overall I recommend it.

PWNYCNY What a great movie! In this movie there are no good guys or bad guys, just different shades of bad guys. Nobody in this movie is good. Cynicism abounds. Move over Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed. Here comes Monroe Hutchens and George Chambers, and they're tougher, meaner and better actors then anything Balboa and Company could deliver. This movie is fast paced, action packed, tense, with a great plot, as two men immediately square off for the championship of ...? For this is why this movie is so great. It's about anger with no place to go, no place where it can be vented, except in the ring, as hardcore criminals take sides in a fight that plays into their violent natures. The Rocky movies don't even come close to portraying this aspect of boxing. In this movie the fighters ARE violent, they ARE unapologetic and they do NOT like each other. That is, there is no pretentiousness here. The question is a simple one: who will win and who will lose? There are some who may assert that that boxing is portrayed in a negative manner, but that is not the case. In this movie boxing is elevated to the level of a gladiatorial contest where more than money is at stake. So if you want to watch a movie about boxing, this is the movie to watch. It offers the most direct, unabashed, and straightforward examine of one of the most basic form of competition, boxing. Also, Ving Rhames gives a great performance and manages to carry this movie from beginning to the end, and proves once again that he is a great actor.