The Condemned - L'ultimo sopravvissuto

There are so many things wrong with the execution, it often defies logic and ventures into cheesiness, especially towards latter half. The action doesn't work and even looks more unreal than actual pro wrestling stunts. Unfortunately, this leaves the movie with silly slow-mo and random explosions, which only work as mild diversion at best.

Will (Randy Orton) is a former bounty hunter who wants to turn his life around, when suddenly people start popping up in his life trying to kill him. This silly way of killing a target is set by the antagonist Raul as he creates gambling den to bet on Will's life, but the mercenaries appears in such silly determined manner almost like a video game where they must battle enemy one at a time.

The premise is highly illogical, not to mention motivation for characters feel unconvincing. Furthermore, they can suddenly appear or react in very bizarre way for the sake of plot, that they movie just doesn't try to explain anymore in the second half. It just wants the audience to sit back and enjoy the rapid fire and liberal use of explosion.

Randy Orton is pretty good, he does look the simple action hero part. In the beginning, his character is given decent backstory, which the movie drops once the shooting begins. Ironically, for action movie the choreography looks very timid. Expect missed punch and poor editing for fight scenes, and it's even worse when the movie tries to sell the antagonist, who is a foot shorter than the main character and lacks any charisma.

This is a movie of a man wearing plot armor, rushing through bullets and explosions in slow-mo. It's messy in terms of logic and plot, so those wanting a more cerebral action would be disappointed.

(2015) The Condemned 2 ACTION

Cinematography and directed by Roel Reiné that's not actually a direct sequel from the first "Condemned" movie starring Steve Austin. In this second, stars Randy Orton, as he plays "Bail Enforcement Agent" team leader, Will Tanner leading his unit of five to capture baddie, Cyrus Merrick (Wes Studi). Will's team also include Communications & intel specialist, Harrington (Bill Stinchcomb); an interrogator, Lange (Michael Sheets); explosives expert named Cooper (Alex Knight); hand to hand combat, Ryan Michaels (Morse Bicknell) and a sniper named Travis (Dylan Kenin). And as a result of Will accidentally killing his half a million bounty, after six months, he then gets five years probation. The first thing he does besides visiting his dad, Frank Tanner (Eric Roberts) he applies for a low grade job of a toe truck driver on a long desert highway. And it is not long before Will Tanner becomes the number target from Cyrus Merrick's #2 man, Raul Baccaro (Steven Michael Quezada). In other words, Will Tanner becomes "The Condemned", with him having to defend himself from getting killed from his former team, starting from his hand to hand expert Ryan Michaels before him confronting his interrogator James Lange. And at first Will had no idea he is being targeted by Raul Baccaro and his gamblers who were watching him defend himself from his former team, who are attempting to take him out. Watched and televised live by drones and sometimes by riders on ATVs.

Crock of sh#t one of the worst things I've watched in my life

This is a pretty darn bland movie with some poor editing and super cheesy and poorly executed action sequences. Mainly because of the camera execution, it was just lame from start to finish. The acting is pretty bad and seems like regular civilians with shaved heads, some muscle and a beard participated. Or guys that just look slick or a bit geeky played these roles. I like watching movies where it's survival of the fittest, but this movie was boring. I have seen much better from amateur youtube videos and much entertaining as well. Randy Orton for most the time, looked like he didn't know what he was doing. The movie is about an hour and thirty minutes and they try to milk every second of it. Because apparently movies have to be at least 1 hour and 30 minutes or close to it. So there is a bunch of shots of rich people throwing around money, cheering and making bets. Sure this can play a part in the story, but not when it's constantly shown over and over again. This is a action movie, but just about all of the action in this movie is downright stupid and doesn't make any sense. The story seems like something someone can come up with in like an hour by just sitting and writing. Even the interactions between characters was so bad, cliché and boring. Just pass on this one, it's a waste of time. I give this movie a 3 because they seem to have tried really hard to make a cool, stylish quasi video game style movie.

3/10

"The Condemned 2" stars Randy Orton as a likable underachiever who disappoints his family and associates. A similar criticism could be leveled at the film.

The story concept is actually a vast improvement over "The Condemned" (2007), which was basically a retelling of Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game" with multiple "contestants" pitted against one another and video surveillance. This version adds elements of films like "The 10th Victim" and "The Tournament;" a revenge plot similar to the "12 Rounds" movies; the blood sport promotion to jaded reality television viewers used in the "Death Race" films and the idea of jaded gamblers wagering on the survival of the contestants.

The script has numerous elements that could have been developed much more effectively. The gambling angle was highlighted, but made little sense. Bookies make money regardless of the outcome of sporting events. It makes no sense at all that Raul would be concerned that the events would somehow break the house.

Another intriguing angle is how the villain managed to intimidate and coerce several characters who seem particularly insusceptible to coercion. This is never explored or explained and detracts from the film's tenuous credibility. One character, presumably acting because of threats to his family, chooses death over surrender when death holds no promise of saving his family, but surrender might.

The strong suit in WWE films is usually the martial arts scenes. The gunfights, car chases and pyrotechnics are typically less imaginative. TC2 is no exception, but the martial arts scenes are not impressive and there is too much reliance on gunplay. The film might be more effective if it played to the strengths of its actors.

A few incidents defy all logic and reason. A character fires a short burst with an assault rifle at another character standing a few feet away, but misses. A character suffers a "through- and-through" bullet wound from a .50 caliber BMG sniper rifle that not only fails to rip off his arm, but doesn't slow him down much. Two characters survive a fragmentation grenade that detonates a few feet away from them. Not only are they uninjured, but they can hear each other speak in normal voices afterward.

The story lacks a romantic angle. The only subplot concerns father-son love, which is a little ham-fisted. A similar subplot was handled much more effectively and efficiently in "Inception." Several attractive girls show interest in Tanner, but he never responds with much interest.

Technical aspects are generally passable. Lighting is a bit weak and the typical overdependence on jiggly-cam shots is evident, although not as obvious as in some other films. It takes time to set up a tripod, level out the bubbles, brace it with sandbags and choreograph the action with the camera movement. One can appreciate the simplicity and economy of Steadicam rigs. But films that rely extensively on jiggly-cam shots often feel like the director has asked the cameraman to cover the action as best as he can. The results often seem haphazard rather than planned and crafted. One of the scenes that does seem well crafted is a minor scene involving Tanner changing a tire. Another involves a lot of dirt.

Overall, the film is passable as a no-brainer action film. There are a few good shots, including one where Tanner camouflages himself, a slow-motion close-up of the effect of shock waves and the destruction of a flying object. The action is watchable, but uninspired. The characters do as well as can be expected with what they're given.

The film has a sort of half-baked theme about Tanner needing to follow though and the nature of accepting responsibility. But Tanner never has a plausible option not to continue to the conclusion. He is pushed along by outside forces. The characters who actually make moral choices are his father and two members of his team. In an early scene, a judge imposes an ultimatum which motivates Tanner, but that ultimatum is later abrogated by a character who doesn't have the authority to do so and offers a reward which would ordinarily be unavailable to somebody convicted of manslaughter.

The major problems lie in the script and direction. The script seems like it's about two re- writes short of complete and the direction seems slipshod, haphazard and unplanned. However, it squeezes in a lot of action, usually at a lively pace and the scenery looks nice.

If one can crank up ones willful suspension of disbelief to a moderately high level and sit back and enjoy the show, it's not a bad way to fritter away ninety minutes.