Les Condamnés

Honestly, I really enjoyed this film. It reminded me of the good old days of action films such as Commando, Demolition Man, etc. Anyone who can endure/enjoy Stallone or Arnold in action movies certainly shouldn't have a problem with Steve Austin's acting.

I think this film just gets a bad rap from critics because WWE is associated with it and no one wants to be the guy that gives them a break. It certainly won't win an Oscar, but if you enjoy action films then I'd definitely give this a chance. Just try & forget WWE is associated with it, let it stand on it's own two feet and judge it for yourself with an open mind.

A very popular Japanese film called Battle Royale concerns an entire class of bad tempered middle school students forced to fight to the last survivor on a deserted island for their transgressions. Considered too controversial for American audiences, it's never been released in the states. "The Condemned" is basically a remake of that film. Instead of unruly teenagers, death-row inmates from around the world forced to kill each other for the pleasure of an insane internet magnate's 30 hour snuff reality program.

Steve Austin joins 9 other on the island where they stalk and eliminate each other in some of the most violent ways imaginable.

This part of the story is fairly involving, but as the violence becomes more sadistic, it no longer seems entertaining. The sobering effect spreads to the movie characters as well, too late to help the combatants. Self righteously, the producers use this as a podium to speak down to the audience who bought tickets to watch the very entertainment they are presenting.

The movie is not helped by a stateside subplot involving Stone Cold's girlfriend who lives on a sprawling ranch and supports herself as a waitress.

Hey, this is not going to test the gray matter but if you want an entertaining albeit violent movie to fill in a few hours this is not a bad choice. The plot is predictable but the main saving grace is Steve Austin as Jack Conrad as he comes across as a compassionate and somewhat likable hero who ended up in this predicament by trying to do the right thing for his country. He does not exactly have to stretch his acting muscle but you do end up hoping he will win through. Although much of the violence is not right in your face in parts it does carry on that bit long although this is used to separate the "no morals, no borders" team from the good guys within the production cast. This movie serves up exactly what it promises but is still an entertaining movie. I would recommend to a friend.

One has to bear in mind that The Condemend is wwe production so don't go expecting some massive work of art with lots drama, action and a deep plot that will make you think- NO! Since it is a WWE production with wrestlers that have belonged to that company it has them doing what they do best in their specialised field of entertainment. The plot in nothing too out of this world if you have seen Battle Royale then you shall understand the point but it is by no means a great movie like Battle Royale so be warned. However having said that it has got all the ingredients in it to keep fans of the action genre connected and the story just picks up and moves on at a good pace with action to keep you hooked in. Steve Austin was good giving what he had to work with although to be honest it did not really need any effort as this role is a mirror image of his tough guy persona in WWE , however it was funny watching try to play the silent tough guy who grunts quiet a bit! But the star of the show in my opinion was the proper English hard-man Vinnie Jones , he was entertaining! The action was great along with the over the top theatrics which we see in the WWE . My complaints were that it drag on a little longer than it should of done I mean it was filled up in a few dull moments between fight scenes which were not needed and a few parts which tried to show that the characters had depth - that was just silly. To conclude , The condemned is not nearly as bad as people are making out to be, its merely a time pass and it should not be compared to anything bigger or deeper like Battle Royale however if you would like to see it then make sure it is on one of your boring Monday nights. Fans of the action genre and WWE will be left feeling satisfied to a meek extent as it is not that bad but could of been better.

THE CONDEMNED : 6.7 OUT 10

THE FIGHT IS ON .

There is something about those WWE films that just grab me and make me want to watch. There is always plenty of action, even if they emphasize violence and dismiss the sex to placate their fans.

It doesn't matter whether it is The Rock, John Cena, or, in this case, Stone Cold Steve Austin, they deliver movies that are just fun to watch. No thought required; it is just guilty pleasure.

Besides Steve Austin, we also have Rick Hoffman (Hostel), Masa Yamaguchi, and Vinnie Jones, who we first saw in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. It was a good cast that kept us interested until the very end, even though we knew the hero would go home to momma.

Keep them coming.