Fortress

First of all, lets get one thing straight: Christopher Lambert makes B-movies. I've never seen him in anything that wasn't a B-movie, and as far as I know, he hasn't done one single non-B-movie for his entire career. This particular B-movie, however, is more interesting and entertaining than that of the typical B-movie; the story revolves around a few people in the not-too-distant future(the year 2017, if I remember correctly) who are in a futuristic gigantic prison, which is said to be impossible to break out of. So, naturally they try to break out. The plot is OK, it moves along at a pretty good pace, never really loses your interest or bores you. The acting is all bad, but what do you expect from a B-movie? It has plenty of action to keep you distracted from the horrid acting, so it probably won't bother that many people. The characters are all cliches, but, again, what do you expect? The action and sci-fi parts of the film are reasonably entertaining, and pretty good for a B-movie. The film depicts a gloomy futuristic fascist world, but that's nothing that hasn't been seen many times before. All in all, a pretty typical B-movie, just a notch higher in quality than most others. I recommend it to fans of action/sci-fi B-movies and/or Christopher Lambert. 6/10

2017, a dystopian future, and US Army officer John Henry Brennick (Christopher Lambert) and his wife Karen S. Brennick (Loryn Locklin) are expecting a second child. Strict one-child policies forbid any couples having a second child, but the Brennick's first child died at birth so they attempt to get away with a second pregnancy. They are caught trying to cross the border and sent to a maximum security prison that is owned and run by the "MenTel Corporation" A place where dreams are not your own and all thoughts of escape are dealt with severely by futuristic methods unheard of in the civilised world.

You got Connor MacLeod, Herbert West, Clarence J. Boddicker and one of the finest female bottoms in cinema, all crammed into one riotous, hokey and immeasurably fun movie. It probably wont come as much of a surprise to anyone to learn that this Christopher Lambert starrer is not going to have you scratching the cranial matter and pondering the future of mankind. But it does have some interesting ideas both in terms of its prison setting and in the technological advancements used. I mean hey, would you try to escape if you had an intestinal bomb set to go off outside the perimeters? {think The Running Man's neck braces but in your belly}. It can also be said of Fortress that it's not over ambitious, where director Stuart Gordon is aware of his restraints and keeps it simple but sparky, of which this is aided by Lambert buffing up and throwing punches left right and off kilter. Tho nothing much as an actor, Lambert none the less gives the likes of Sly and Arnie a run for their money here and looks every inch and sinew an action hero.

Kurtwood Smith, Jeffrey Combs, Lincoln Kilpatrick, Clifton Collins Jr. and of course,Loryn Locklin's bottom, all add varying degrees of fun and frolics to the occasion. While the set design for the interiors is really rather snazzy. It's B movie berserker time folks, a dystopian world where Christopher Lambert can beat the crap out of blokes twice his size, where half humanoids have flame throwers for arms, and Kurtwood Smith is in charge of a prison. Great fun really, truly. 7/10

The film deals upon a happy family (Christopher Lambert and Loryn Locklyn), then Lambert is imprisoned because another son was born and in the future it's prohibited . John Brennick is incarcerated in a modern electronic prison called the "Fortress" where the inmates are controlled by lasers , cameras , mind-scanners , neutron-cannons and other electronic artifacts . Prison chief (Kurtwood Smith , in the sequel he was replaced by Patrick Malahide , though he was considered for the role) is a villain who punishes to inmates with tortures and using cruel tech-security measures . Christopher Lambert along with other prisoners (Jeffrey Combs , Vernon Wells and Tom Towles) will face off the director and his henchmen .

This thriller picture blends suspense , violence , drama , action pace , struggles and a little bit of gore when the murders happen , including technological pain-causing artifacts in their stomachs . Dealing with a thorny theme , illegal babies during strict controls on over-population and a private corporation bent on mind control in inmates by very various as well as violent ways . The final confrontation between the starring and baddies is stimulating and has some extraordinary surprises . Decent acting by Christopher Lambert as John Brennick , he replaced originally cast Arnold Schwarzenegger who dropped out to do another boxofficed film : True lies . Good support cast , such as as Jeffrey Combs , Vernon Wells and Tom Towles .

Runtime film is adequate , it is fast moving and is neither boring, nor tiring , but bemusing . Good cinematography , being filmed at Warner Brothers Movie World in Queensland , Australia . The flick was professionally directed by Stuart Gordon . He is a successful writer/producer/director who has directed some hits . As first major success , Re-Animator (1985) , based on the story by H.P. Lovecraft , which won a Critics' Prize at the Cannes Film Festival . Gordon then helmed another Lovecraft adaptation From Beyond (1986) and tackled the murderous Dolls (1987) followed by Robot Jox (1989). And other terror movies as The pit and the pendulum , and the screenplays : The Dentist and Body Snatchers . The ¨Fortress¨ motion picture obtained success enough and originated a second part which is similar to previous with the difference that is developed in a space station prison and the cast is similar , adding Pam Grier . The film will appeal to Science fiction fans and action-packed enthusiasts . Rating : 6/10 , acceptable .

Its about a totalitarian society where people only have one chance at having a kid. They have this futuristic super max, with these ingestible detectors, and a computer mainframe warden. This film is great, watch for the scene with the d day computer virus, it is a classic. The character development, and acting is decent. Worth renting, I love this film.

In the Grim Future on 2017... When the planet is been overpopulated and crimes has been rising. One of the new laws states that a couple are allowed to have one child now, even if the new born baby dies at birth. When John Brenneck (Christopher Lambert) and his wife Karen (Loryn Locklin) broken the law, when his wife finds himself pregnant after losing their first child at birth. When John's wife escapes from the U.S. Border, John finds himself sent in Prison for over 30 years. But this "Fortress" is controlled by a cold hearted if odd Prison Warden Poe (Kurtwood Smith). This prison is very strict, inmate's are controlled by a small explosive devices that are blasted into the digestive system via the throat and robotic controlled security devices that could look into the inmates dreams. Now John and other prisoners (Clifton Collins Jr., Jeffery Combs, Lincoln Kilpartick & Tom Towles) tires to find other ways to escape the Fortress but John finds out that his pregnant wife is captured and is kept in Poe's working area.

Directed by Stuart Gordon (Edmond, Re-Animator, Stuck) made an entertaining high concept low-budget Science Fiction adventure. This is probably the biggest budget that the independent filmmaker Gordon had to work with at $12 Million. Which it was originally going to be a bigger budgeted movie if Arnold Schwarzenegger was cast in the lead but Schwarzenegger went on to do "True Lies" instead. The actors gives good performances (especially Smith) and the feature has some fascinating ideas.

This is update from March 25, 2013 for the Blu-ray. Blu-ray from Echo Bridge has an pretty good anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) transfer and an fine DTS 2.0 HD Sound. There is no special features from this Blu-ray.

"Fortress" was an box office disappointment, when it was first released in the fall of 1993. But the feature was an international success and the sequel was produced (It was watchable but poorly produced sequel). This is One of Gordon's best movies and it's certainly worth seeing. (****/*****).