Intrappolati all'inferno

This sequel to the 1994 actioner "No Contest" (which I enjoyed much more than I expected to) is a much inferior film. The fight scenes are not badly choreographed, but all the rest is just SO stereotypical and familiar. Shannon Tweed still is up to the game, but Lance Henriksen does his usual "psychotic villain" number, and we're not impressed anymore. (*1/2)

The first 'No Contest' had a bunch of recognizable faces, a decent budget and a simple charm. This action sequel sorely does not. Shannon Tweed returns as Sharon Bell and after the events of the first film has parlayed her success into an acting career.

She and a few crew members of her latest film find themselves at a museum near closing where Sharon's sister works. Scouting it as a potential filming location. Who else happens to be there? Lance Henriksen as the well known art collector Eric Dane. This flicks pretty obvious bad guy. I don't think I have to spell out the rest, but it turns out he's not who he seems, they're trapped inside and there's a biological weapon involved.

The story is weak and makes little sense if you think about it. Lance is one of my favorite actors and he can easily do bad guys justice but this script ain't it. While Tweed pulled off the action heroine the first time out, it's nowhere near as believable or exciting to see her do it the second time. The meager subplot with her sister is paper thin too.

Stuck in the "museum" for 95% of the time, everything feels cheap and rushed. Borderline boring. Definitely lower budget than the original. What little action there is doesn't satisfy and Bruce Payne (memorable as the villain of the Wesley Snipes flick 'Passenger 57') shows up in a wasted appearance.

In other circumstances, I would have tuned into a flick like this just for Henriksen. I actually turned out to be both surprised and entertained by the original 'No Contest'. Which made this piece a letdown in more ways than one.

This got to be on of the worst movies ever. The plot was terrible, the action scenes boring and the whole thing totally crap. Good action films makes you forget that some things are unrealistic, like having 100 bullets in a gun. This movie is not like that at all. Here it just seems silly. And the ending is crap as well.

The only good thing is Lance Hendriksen who can actually act, otherwise do not waste your time on this movie.

Shannon Tweed is back fighting terrorists, but this time Lance Henrikson fills in for both Rowdy Roddy Piper and Andrew Dice Clay. I prefer the first one, even though I like Henrikson as an actor. This one is tedious to sit through and not nearly as fun as the film that preceded it. The fights are put together in such a haphazard way that those are boring as well. Giving a casual glance to both the writers on this film, I shouldn't be surprised at how bad it was, as neither writer has done ANYthing even remotely good. Skip the snooze-fest. Rent the original instead, or better yet just watch the vastly superior Die Hard for the upturn time.

My Grade:D-

In FACE THE EVIL (aka: NO CONTEST II), Shannon Tweed returns as Sharon Bell. This time, she's visiting her sister's art gallery. All is lovely until a group of homicidal criminals arrive to poop on everyone's party. Sharon must battle these terrorists along with their loathsome leader, Dane (Lance Henriksen).

Ms. Tweed must shift from uber-hot socialite, into uber-hot commando mode, while Mr. Henriksen grimaces and acts in eeevil ways. They're both great, raising the material above the typical DIE HARD clones.

Fear not! There's plenty of gunfire, explosions, and karate throughout, and the gushy finale is classic stuff indeed...