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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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.
Why was this movie in my watchlist for so long, shame on me. This film was my introduction to this director/writer, and I love his style.
This is a violent movie, but with a lot of personality and humour along the way. Vince Vaughn does a great job portraying a sociopath pushed into an impossible situation.
The pacing, the structure of the story, the dialog, the action, all superb. This movie is a journey all right, and an expertly shot one at that.
This is a violent movie, but with a lot of personality and humour along the way. Vince Vaughn does a great job portraying a sociopath pushed into an impossible situation.
The pacing, the structure of the story, the dialog, the action, all superb. This movie is a journey all right, and an expertly shot one at that.
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".
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.
Vince Vaughn does a great job of portraying a no-nonsense tough guy who doesn't mince his words in this prison drama. I was surprised how much i enjoyed this movie. His character brings to mind characters similar to what Charles Bronson, Clint Eastwood and the like have played. There is a real intensity about this movie and his performance that is lacking in many action films these days. The supporting cast were good also but i thought Vince Vaughn totally carried this movie, which could have been way worse but for what he brought to it. Highly recommended for fans of old school movies of this genre.
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
- Runtime2 hours 12 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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