Un seul deviendra invincible

Seems like an eternity since director Walter Hill ("48 HRS.", "Streets of Fire", "Southern Comfort") made a really good movie and his latest offering "Undisputed" shows that Hill still has the skill to create a clever movie.

"Undisputed" is the second movie about boxing that Hill has done, the first being his feature debut "Hard Times" that starred Charles Bronson and the late James Coburn in the mid-seventies.

The tale takes place at an isolated Arizona maximum security prison where a former heavyweight boxing champ (Rhames) is sent to serve a sentence for rape meets a counterpart (Snipes) who is an undefeated champ in the prison ranks and the opportunity to have the two fighters face each other in a bout arranged by a former mobster (Peter Falk) who still has mob connections outside the prison and a devoted fan of the sport.

And the result is a sharp and hard-hitting boxing drama with the fight being the center piece. Snipes and Rhames are terrific here and the supporting performances are just as good especially Michael Rooker, Wes Studi, and Falk, too.

"Undisputed" may not top "Rocky" or "Raging Bull" in being the best movie about the sport, but it deserves some mention.

A solid prison drama with strong performances by Wesley Snipes and Ving Rhames, but the film lacks in any form of human emotion or character study and just leaves a dark shell that isn't totally filled and makes you feel unsatisfied. But it's not to say it isn't well-crafted from it's director, Walter Hill. It also has one of the best boxing showdowns shown in a film since the original Rocky and Raging Bull.

UNDISPUTED (2002) **1/2 Wesley Snipes, Ving Rhames, Peter Falk, Michael Rooker, Fisher Stevens, Jon Seda, Wes Studi, Denis Arndt, Ed Lover. Hard-hitting yet formulaic boxing-in-prison flick with professional pugilist and heavyweight world champ Rhames facing off with the maximum security's current in-stir (and undefeated) competitor Snipes (both in amazing physical shape and displaying enough testosterone for two flicks). Falk, at his crustiest, is a scene-stealing hoot as the aged Mafioso con that sets up the grudge match and gets the grease to the wheel. Filmmaker Walter Hill (who co-wrote the lean, mean screenplay with frequent collaborator David Giler ) proves to be a formidable genre helmsman but offers the viewer wanting more.

Monroe Hutchens (Wesley Snipes) is the heavyweight champion of Sweetwater, a maximum security prison. He was convicted to a life sentence due to a passionate crime. Iceman Chambers (Ving Rhames) is the heavyweight champion, who lost his title due to a rape conviction to ten years in Sweetwater. Of course they will fight against each other, in a very predictable and full of clichés screenplay.

The story of Iceman Chambers is basically what happened with Mike Tyson. Movies about prison are attractive most of the time and this one is no exception to the rule. The choreography of the fights are perfect, therefore fans of this sport will like it. Wesley Snipes looks indeed like a real boxing fighter. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "O Invencível" ("The Invincible")

Outstanding movie with prison combined with boxing. A heavyweight title holder(Ving Rhames)is sent to Sweetwater Prison on a rape charge. It doesn't take long for the movers and shakers to set up a match with the champ and the prison champ(Wesley Snipes). A battle of undisputed undefeated. Very good fight scenes and you almost feel the sweat. A little slow at times, but the big showdown is all worth it. It is obvious Snipes and Rhames worked hard to pull this off. Peter Falk plays a vulgar mouthed resident gangster that thinks he rules the prison. Also in the cast are: Fisher Stevens, Wes Studi and Michael Rooker. This one goes the distance.