A former boxer-turned-drug runner lands in a prison battleground after a deal gets deadly.A former boxer-turned-drug runner lands in a prison battleground after a deal gets deadly.A former boxer-turned-drug runner lands in a prison battleground after a deal gets deadly.
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- 4 nominations total
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Featured reviews
First of all, if you are squeamish (even a little) DO NOT watch this movie. But if you've got the stomach for an extremely violent (and sometimes depressing) movie this might be worth your time.
Vince Vaughn does an excellent job. In fact, the acting in the whole movie is surprisingly good for a grindhouse-style flick. This is about a man in a bad, bad position, who bad things happen to, and who in turn does some very bad things. But if you can handle this type of movie you will be entertained.
The action is gritty to the point of being potentially sickening. I was disturbed, and yet I wish more movies took this approach to action. The fight scenes are not comic bookish like so many movies, rather they are brutal and somehow realistic. Honestly they were the best thing about this movie.
Don't expect a brawl in the sense that a whole cell block starts fighting riot style. This is more of a Bronson-esque "one man out for revenge" style of movie.
The only negative I noticed is that there were a few unbelievable parts regarding the prison system, but they were needed to drive the plot along in the direction it went. Viewers should really just suppress their disbelief (and gag reflexes) and just strap themselves in for the ride.
Recommended for anyone that can handle the darkness and appreciate the brutally gritty craziness that is this movie.
Vince Vaughn does an excellent job. In fact, the acting in the whole movie is surprisingly good for a grindhouse-style flick. This is about a man in a bad, bad position, who bad things happen to, and who in turn does some very bad things. But if you can handle this type of movie you will be entertained.
The action is gritty to the point of being potentially sickening. I was disturbed, and yet I wish more movies took this approach to action. The fight scenes are not comic bookish like so many movies, rather they are brutal and somehow realistic. Honestly they were the best thing about this movie.
Don't expect a brawl in the sense that a whole cell block starts fighting riot style. This is more of a Bronson-esque "one man out for revenge" style of movie.
The only negative I noticed is that there were a few unbelievable parts regarding the prison system, but they were needed to drive the plot along in the direction it went. Viewers should really just suppress their disbelief (and gag reflexes) and just strap themselves in for the ride.
Recommended for anyone that can handle the darkness and appreciate the brutally gritty craziness that is this movie.
1. Bone Tomahawk
2. Dragged Across Concrete
3. Brawl in Cell Block 99
But as my rating suggests I think it's pretty great, and just like the other two I will watch this one again.
I was afraid I wasn't gonna be able to take Vince Vaughn seriously in this type of role but I did. I certainly took him a lot more seriously than I did in the second season of True Detective. I personally like his performance in Dragged Across Concrete more but he was still really good in this. And I never thought I would find him intimidating.
Also, casting Don Johnson as the sadistic warden was genius!
And now I want to check out more grindhouse movies!
2. Dragged Across Concrete
3. Brawl in Cell Block 99
But as my rating suggests I think it's pretty great, and just like the other two I will watch this one again.
I was afraid I wasn't gonna be able to take Vince Vaughn seriously in this type of role but I did. I certainly took him a lot more seriously than I did in the second season of True Detective. I personally like his performance in Dragged Across Concrete more but he was still really good in this. And I never thought I would find him intimidating.
Also, casting Don Johnson as the sadistic warden was genius!
And now I want to check out more grindhouse movies!
S. Craig Zahler is proving himself to be a director worth paying attention to. I became a fan after seeing Bone Tomahawk, and have read several of his novels including Mean Business on North Ganson Street and Wraiths of the Broken Land. Also, his incredible un-produced screenplay The Brigands of Rattleborge.
BRAWL is very similar to Bone Tomahawk in terms of pacing, story structure and tone. A slow descent into a hellish situation.
I don't agree with people who say he is a "second-rate Tarantino." Tarantino does homage. Even Robert Rodriguez, in his attempts to do exploitation films, call too much attention to themselves and end up bordering on spoof, whereas BRAWL just simply is an exploitation film.
Perhaps some of Zahler's dialogue works better on the page than spoken, but I still think he is a great writer.
The low-key style of the film, with the every-man type of character Vaughn plays who gets mixed up in a serious situation makes this movie seem like a combination of Nicolas Winding Refn's PUSHER II and Cassavettes' KILLING OF A Chinese BOOKIE.
There are even some subtle hints of ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13.
My only real gripes are that some of the dialogue exchanges are kind of stilted, and the staging of characters in some scenes seems too stiff and unnatural.
I like that the themes, such as privatization of prisons, are beneath the surface and not drilled into the audiences' head.
Its not a perfect movie, I hope Zahler continues to branch out but its a cool throwback movie that isn't trying to play it safe or cater to a wide audience and knows what type of movie it wants to be.
BRAWL is very similar to Bone Tomahawk in terms of pacing, story structure and tone. A slow descent into a hellish situation.
I don't agree with people who say he is a "second-rate Tarantino." Tarantino does homage. Even Robert Rodriguez, in his attempts to do exploitation films, call too much attention to themselves and end up bordering on spoof, whereas BRAWL just simply is an exploitation film.
Perhaps some of Zahler's dialogue works better on the page than spoken, but I still think he is a great writer.
The low-key style of the film, with the every-man type of character Vaughn plays who gets mixed up in a serious situation makes this movie seem like a combination of Nicolas Winding Refn's PUSHER II and Cassavettes' KILLING OF A Chinese BOOKIE.
There are even some subtle hints of ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13.
My only real gripes are that some of the dialogue exchanges are kind of stilted, and the staging of characters in some scenes seems too stiff and unnatural.
I like that the themes, such as privatization of prisons, are beneath the surface and not drilled into the audiences' head.
Its not a perfect movie, I hope Zahler continues to branch out but its a cool throwback movie that isn't trying to play it safe or cater to a wide audience and knows what type of movie it wants to be.
Wow! That pretty much summarizes this entire movie.
This movie was quite an unexpecting surprise. And I dare say that this was without a doubt the best movie that I have seen Vince Vaughn in, and he was just phenomenal in this role.
The storyline in "Brawl in Cell Block 99" was quite good, and it grabbed my interest from the very beginning. The movie didn't let go until the very end, so you will be entertained from start till end.
There was a good flow to the storyline, which really helped to speed the movie along and make for a good, wholeheartedly movie experience.
They had a great ensemble of cast, which included Don Johnson and Udo Kier as well, aside from Vince Vaughn.
The special effects in "Brawl in Cell Block 99" were adequate, but the prosthetics especially the faces were horribly fake. And it was painstakingly clear that it was prosthetics being used. But luckily, this is the type of movie that is not overly dependent on having bedazzling special effects to function as an entertaining movie.
The ending, however, was sort of a slap in the face, to be blunt - pardon the pun. But, a good and entertaining movie movie nonetheless.
This movie was quite an unexpecting surprise. And I dare say that this was without a doubt the best movie that I have seen Vince Vaughn in, and he was just phenomenal in this role.
The storyline in "Brawl in Cell Block 99" was quite good, and it grabbed my interest from the very beginning. The movie didn't let go until the very end, so you will be entertained from start till end.
There was a good flow to the storyline, which really helped to speed the movie along and make for a good, wholeheartedly movie experience.
They had a great ensemble of cast, which included Don Johnson and Udo Kier as well, aside from Vince Vaughn.
The special effects in "Brawl in Cell Block 99" were adequate, but the prosthetics especially the faces were horribly fake. And it was painstakingly clear that it was prosthetics being used. But luckily, this is the type of movie that is not overly dependent on having bedazzling special effects to function as an entertaining movie.
The ending, however, was sort of a slap in the face, to be blunt - pardon the pun. But, a good and entertaining movie movie nonetheless.
I saw this for the first time recently. This movie was on my radar for a long time.
Having enjoyed S. Craig Zahler's Bone Tomahawk, Asylum Blackout n Dragged Across Street, i had huge expectations n this movie went beyond my expectations.
This movie is very engrossing n shockingly brutal.
This one has some witty dialogues n some humor.
Vince Vaughn gave a terrific performance n his character is amazeballs.
"Pretend like u r talking to god".
"He doesn't smell like nachos".
Having enjoyed S. Craig Zahler's Bone Tomahawk, Asylum Blackout n Dragged Across Street, i had huge expectations n this movie went beyond my expectations.
This movie is very engrossing n shockingly brutal.
This one has some witty dialogues n some humor.
Vince Vaughn gave a terrific performance n his character is amazeballs.
"Pretend like u r talking to god".
"He doesn't smell like nachos".
Did you know
- TriviaThe prosthetics used in fight scenes to show injuries were made to look like 1970's style grindhouse effects.
- GoofsA prisoner in FRJ is one of the guards at Redleaf.
- Quotes
James: Are you ok?
Bradley Thomas: South of ok. North of cancer.
- Alternate versionsThe UK release was cut, the distributor chose to reduce or remove moments of stronger. sadistic violence and injury detail in order to obtain a 15 classification. An uncut 18 classification was available.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Journey in the Brawl: The Making of 'Brawl in Cell Block 99' (2017)
- SoundtracksBuddy's Business
Written by S. Craig Zahler & Jeff Herriott
Performed by The O'Jays featuring Eddie Levert and Walter Williams Sr. (as Walter Williams)
Courtesy of Cinestate Publishing LLC
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Brawl in Cell Block 99
- Filming locations
- Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, New York City, New York, USA(as Redleaf Detention Center)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $64,453
- Runtime
- 2h 12m(132 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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