The Condemned (2007)

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

This movie should be condemned. I'm sorry, but it should. Directed by Scott Wiper, the movie tells the story of Jack Conrad (Stone Cold Steve Austin), an American convict waiting in death row. He along with nine other convicts from different countries, are brought to a mysterious island by television producer Ian Brecket (Robert Mammone). In order to fight in a competition where they must kill each other, so that the last man standing will gains his or her freedom. Without spoiling the movie too much, I have to say, the movie isn't that good, when it comes to the action. The action has way too much, shaking cam and quick cuts. I hate how all the close up and long shots are filmed. You really can't make out details. It kinda ruins the movie, because it's really hard to tell, who's winning the fight or not. I wouldn't say that this movie delivers fun action. The action is directionless. It's doesn't know if it wants to be Hard R or not. It's tries to be ugly-looking, by showing bits of hideously cruel beatings, inferred acts of rape, attempted rape and pseudo-sadistic violence, but at the last second, it cuts away. Surprising, for a Lionsgate movie, the movie has little to no gory scenes. It's give the impression that the movie couldn't pay for blood or gory make up, with their limited budget. Its sucks, more, that, the action is very repetitive. Lots of brawling, shooting, and way too many explosions deaths. Another problem with the film is how they misused Steve Austin. Despite having the top billing; 'the Texas Rattlesnake' is barely in the film, much. The movie focus, way too much on the side characters. I came here, to see Austin 3:16, not these boring convicts. Honestly, if you're going to focus on them; at less, make them, a little more interesting. A lot of them are some generic & have little to no backstory. The only person, that seem cool, was Vinnie Jones as Ewan McStarley. It's upsetting, that the movie didn't focus, more on these two men, fighting each other. I would love it. The only thing, I hate about the limited time, they fought, was how upstage, Jack was, compare to Ewan. It's so bad that Ian orders a shotgun to be given to Ewan to "even" things out. The movie makes, Vinnie Jones look kinda weak. The ending fight between them, was disappointing, as hell. No big pay-off to their feud. By far, the worst thing about this movie is the time, spent with Robert Mammone and his crew! All of the scenes with them, are a total waste of my time. I really dislike, how over the top, Robert Mammone's acting was. I really couldn't stand Rick Hoffman as Goldman, Ian Brecket's assistant & Victoria Mussett as Ian's girlfriend, Julie. Their characters were so annoying, due to wishy washy flighty flake attitude. I really don't get, how they were OK, in helping create a death-fight tournament, and then when people start to die, they try really hard to wash their hands clean, by showing their moral disapprove about the killings to Ian. I really hate how preachy, this movie tries to be. The film tries to makes a major point that a program where convicts fight to the death is inhumane and cruel, though the film marketing capitalizes on that exact point, especially with the tagline. It becomes funny when you realize that this was made by two companies who are known for their violence! Distribute company, Lionsgate is known for torture porn movie and the film's production company: World Wrestling Entertainment AKA WWE is known best for its violent and uber extreme Attitude Era. The movie ultimately fails, because of this. By criticizing the violence, it's insulting their fan-base for liking films like this. You can't be preachy, while making money off of portraying violence. It's very hypocritically of them. Honestly, if you want a better film; watch films like 2000's Battle Royale, 2012's The Hunger Games, 1932's The Most Dangerous Game or 1986's Running Man. They're way superior to this film. Even 2008's Death Race is better than this movie! All, I want to see is Stone Cold Steve Austin kick ass in the Condemned; and they didn't give me, that. Overall: This movie is stone cold mediocre. That's the Bottom Line, because I said so!

A hardened bunch of violent criminals are sent to a remote wooded island for an internet contest. There is only one rule: kill all the other contestants and the lone survivor will be given an amnesty Did someone mention BATTLE ROYALE ? What I find interesting is the large number of films I've seen recently that seemed directly - or should I say too directly ? - inspired by other works . Some of them are direct pastiche/homages to other films so I guess post modernism is at play . However some of them just seem to be lazy cash ins of much superior movies . What one do you think THE CONDEMNED might be ? I'll give you a clue . It stars Steve Austin and Vinnie Jones so that drops a very large hint that it's low grade straight to DVD fare when it gives hints it could have been so much better It does get off to a relatively good start with a biting comment on the state of Western culture that we seem a little bit too interested in both the internet and reality TV . A station merges the two morbid obsessions and sets up a pay site where viewers can access the ulitimate gladiatorial contest featuring a group of violent psychos kill one another . It's not original and it's a little bit loud and in your face but again it does give a hint at social commentary . This quickly becomes forgotten as the story then concentrates on the violence . There's a problem with using this as a story and that is if you're watching a film centered around people killing one another you need to draw a clear line between the good guys and the bad guys because who wants to watch a totally amoral film ? This means it becomes predictable in that the good guy is someone innocent of the terrible crimes he's been convicted of while the bad guys are bad guys because they're guilty of their crimes and just enjoy violence for the sake of it . The characters are merely walking clichés lacking any depth and the film's selling point is the violence which means it ends up becoming very ironic as the station chief argues that violence is what the audience want . Want one wants is a new cerebral twist on a familiar story

Simply put - if you like action films you'll enjoy The Condemned. Following along similar lines of Battle Royal and the newly released The Hunger Games, a group of international death row inmates are sent to an island to fight to the death in order to win their freedom - with the whole thing broadcast live on the internet. As highly unbelievable as this situation may seem, the moral repercussion are actually adequately addressed. The illegal show gains a mass following but not without attracting the attention of certain international agencies.I'm not a huge fan of Steve Austin or WWE wrestling and so at first I was a bit sceptical about a WWE production with the lead role being given to a pro wrestler. But despite this he performs his role well, and the acting is of a pretty good standard throughout. The fight scenes are gritty and believable, and the sub-plot back story doesn't interfere too much with the action. This is switch-your-brain-off entertainment. Enjoy it for what is is. 7/10

I'm so sick of people saying that this is a fail of a film. I don't know who could say it is. The action sequences are memorable, the quotes that Stone Cold gives are unforgettable, the music is tense and the scenes are done well.I watched this film 3 years ago and I didn't hate it but just didn't like it. I tried it a year after and I started liking it heaps, now watching it again a couple of days ago, I think I have made my final decision. This film is a high 8 of 10 film.A problem I do have with this film is the story. it feels Flawed. The story feels like other films where people fight to the death and then the last one standing survives and goes on with life as a free man. I just feel that the Condemned copied the concept from somewhere but I can't remember. The story is pretty predictable because we all know Stone Cold's gonna survive.I find the scenes with the beating and torturing of the women very disturbing and, to me the violence towards them is not needed. They should have not involved them and just added another two male inmates to join the bash.Those are my only two negatives and now the positives.Stone Cold & Vinnie Jones as well as every other actor execute their roles perfectly - The music is tense and at times heart-beating with some suspense and tones.Choosing ruins, rain forests, muddy patches, beaches and waste lands was an excellent idea.Action sequence after action sequence (except for the women fighting) are done well and I enjoyed every moment when every TV crew or rough inmate died.Some of the dialogue made me laugh and some of it is still funny to this day.People say that this is a bad film but I find that it's far from it. I ask people who hates this, "why this?". Most of the time I never really had a problem with this. If people hate this, they should watch it again to be really sure if they hate it. If I can give it a second chance, so can you. 8/10