When heavyweight champion George "Iceman" Chambers lands in prison, the resident gangster arranges a boxing match with the reigning prison champ.When heavyweight champion George "Iceman" Chambers lands in prison, the resident gangster arranges a boxing match with the reigning prison champ.When heavyweight champion George "Iceman" Chambers lands in prison, the resident gangster arranges a boxing match with the reigning prison champ.
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A crossover of boxing film along with prison flick with usual ingredients . The outcome , however , is not entertainment enough , though both protagonists , Rhames and Snipes , are utterly convincing in the chinches. Containing credible and violent fight scenes , confronting brute force , pitching , big punch from Ving Rhames against speed , ferocity from Wesley Snipes .Along the way , there's a nod to the traditions and achievements of past title holders . The stunning starring , Wesley Snipes and Ving Rhames , are well supported by a good secondary cast with plenty of familiar faces, such as : Peter Falk, Jon Seda , Wes Studi , Fisher Stevens , Dayton Calle , Amy Aquino , among others. The motion picture was well directed by Walter Hill , though a little bit boring .
It followed various sequels : Undisputed 2 Last Man Standing 2006 by Isaac Florentine with Michael Jai White , Scott Adkins . Undisputed 3 Redemption 2010 by Isaac Florentine with Scott Adkins , Mykel Shannon Jenkins .Boyka: Undisputed 2016 by Todor Chapkanov with Scott Adkins , Julian Vergov .
The reliably dreary Walter Hill churns out yet another slow-moving,action lacking yarn.The story is an incoherent,structureless bore concerning the impending showdown between Sweatwater Prison's reigning boxing champ (Wesley Snipes) and the rough,heavy new arrival (Ving Rhames).Performance wise,Rhames is quite impressive as a volatile,easily provoked big-brooding thug who makes Mike Tyson look like a pussycat in comparison,but Snipes is wasted as a more reserved,Lennox Lewis-alike who practises oragami in his spare time.And sadly,for an actor who can usually be relied upon to deliver the dramatic goods,for some reason here he seems really disinterested in his role,not bothering to flex any emotion or sense of involvement whatsoever.
In fact,the whole thing seems to have been weirdly inspired by the year's big Lewis/Tyson showdown event.Oh well,the real thing always is more exciting isn't it?**
Ving Rhames plays former undisputed Heavyweight Champion James "Ice Man" Chambers, convicted of rape and stripped of his title and sentenced to serve his time in Sweetwater. While there he learns that Monroe Hutchen (Wesley Snipes) is the "undisputed" champ at Sweetwater, and he has been undefeated champion for ten years. For the Ice Man, there can be only one champion, and that would be himself. It is predictable that the two will fight at the end, and this is arranged by mobster inmate Mendy Ripstein (a very good Peter Falk). What is not predicable is that Giler and Hill make both Ice Man and Monroe admirable and fascinating characters. You have to credit Rhames and Snipes. Rhames takes what could have been a Mike Tyson caricature, and transformed him into a complex and empathic character. His Ice Man is vicious, crude, arrogant, but also both smart and articulate. Credit Rhames on several occasions for scaring us with the ruthlessness of his Ice Man, and for also surprising us with his understanding of his stature in life as a Heavyweight champion. Ice Man is definitely the more showy character. Snipes underplays it right as Monroe, a great foil to the Ice Man. Snipes's Monroe is not afraid. Monroe knows that "Any fighter can be beat on a given day...", and the game is how long you stay on top and be the best. Monroe is matter of fact, and always in control-- the last time he wasn't got him in prison. Ice and Monroe are both convicts that operate by a code of honor, and that makes all the difference in the movie. It's all about standing your ground, and whoever wins, wins. "Undisputed" also is an homage to boxing and it's history, because ultimately it is about two men seeing who is better on that particular day. There is something pure and whole about that, which is both appreciated and respected.
The final boxing match is awesome. Snipes is an accomplished martial artist and he trained with Emmanuel Stewart. Snipes looks amazing as a boxer-- body movement and combinations. Rhames also looks very impressive and fearsome. It's a 15 minute fight in a 90 minute movie. Walter Hill is the Man.
"Undisputed" is a no nonsense boxing movie that entertains and makes us think. And that is not bad for a very unpretentious movie.
Did you know
- TriviaWalter Hill took the treatment to Wesley Snipes, who was interested in the story even before it had been turned into a script. "I told him it was conceivable that he could play either (lead) role, but what will not change is the fight and who wins in the end." Hill said. Hill then sent the script to Ving Rhames, who called back the next day saying he wanted to play "Iceman"; Snipes was happy to play the other role.
- Quotes
Mendy Ripstein: [after getting to know the fight has been cancelled] Jesus fuckin' Christ! This fuckin' state. Who the fuck does this fuckin' warden... fuckin' think he is? Doesn't anybody know how to do business in this fuckin' state? My fuckin' wife and her fuckin' asthma and allergies. We had to move to the fuckin' desert. Goddamn fuckin' chickenshit doctors... I should've known better than listen to those shitheels. Fuckin' Palm Springs... Lay there in the fuckin' sun and do nothin'. Then this fuckin' state grabs my ass for taxes. Why the fuck I didn't stay in fuckin' Florida... where people know how to do fuckin' business. Fuckin' wife and her fuckin' asthma. Shit! Somethin' needs to get fuckin' done...
- Crazy creditsThere are no opening credits listing the actors real names. Instead, their character's name, crimes, gang affiliation, and conviction year are listed as they are introduced.
- ConnectionsEdited into Double riposte (2005)
- SoundtracksUndisputed
Written and Performed by Baby, Mannie Fresh, Lil' Wayne, Lac and Mikki
Published by Money Mack Music and Big Tymers Publishing
Courtesy of Cash Money Records
- How long is Undisputed?Powered by Alexa
Details
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- Also known as
- La Gran Pelea
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Box office
- Budget
- $20,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $12,764,657
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $4,548,750
- Aug 25, 2002
- Gross worldwide
- $14,946,150
- Runtime1 hour 36 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1