Undisputed II: Last Man Standing

Undisputed II: Last Man Standing (2006)

Runtime: 98 minutes

Directed by: Isaac Florentine

Starring: Michael Jai White, Scott Adkins, Ben Cross, Eli Danker, Mark Ivanir

From: Nu Image

So, here’s yet another low-budget direct to DVD action film that is well-worth tracking down and for me (at least) delivers far better on the entertainment and action folds than many of the big screen action films in recent years. From the likes of Universal Soldier: Regeneration to Ninja (by the same director as this film), to Blood & Bone, they all get high marks from me. Well, this movie belongs in the same discussion.

This is a sequel to a Walter Hill movie about boxing in prison starring Wesley Snipes and Ving Rhames; you don’t need to see that one. I mean, I haven’t seen it and it means nothing here. So, former Heavyweight Champion George “Iceman” Chambers (White, playing the Rhames character in the first film) is in Russia in order to try and earn money, as hey, he’s a now-broke athlete who still has an attitude problem… so, the typical retired athlete. He gets set up in order to get arrested and sent to a nasty prison. This happens because in that prison, there’s a secret MMA-style fight thing going on where various criminal fighters from Russia go against the champ in that prison, Uri Boyka (Adkins). It’s a set-up where people on the outside bet on the fights and it’s broadcast via closed circuit to various locations, and it’s done between the warden inside and mob types outside. Chambers is defiant at first but he’s forced to change his tune. Meanwhile, he starts to get to know some of his fellow prisoners there.

Well, the plot is what it is. Nothing too revolutionary. But, as you’d expect it’s all about the action and fights, and they do deliver. You get to see plenty of fights, and not just battles in the ring either. It’s spread out enough to where you’re never bored. There’s also the aspect that Iceman gets to know some of the people there and that helps in changing his bad attitude. It’s cliché stuff (some cheesy drama at times, especially in the very last scene) but still entertaining. You also get to see a Russian version of both John Hurt and Sam Elliott. Wacky. Then again, this is a movie directed by a Brit, starring a Brit playing a Russian and American, and set in Russia but filmed in Bulgaria.

I mean, there is the aspect of the ex-boxer having to become more of an MMA fighter to stand a chance against Boyka. That’s fine by me, as I think boxing is boring hug-filled stuff compared to something like mixed martial arts. I’m not interested in that “big” boxing fight tomorrow night, that’s for damn sure.

I’ll be back Monday night with a new review, but the night before that I’ll post something pretty short.