Starring:
Wesley Snipes as Monroe Hutchens
Ving Rhames as Iceman Chambers
Peter Falk as Mendy Ripstein
Michael Rooker as A.J. Mercker
Jon Seda as Jesus ‘Chuy’ Campos
Wes Studi as Mingo Pace
Fisher Stevens as Ratbag Dolan
Special Features:
A Conversation with Ving Rhames
A Conversation with Wesley Snipes
Other Info:
Widescreen (2:35:1) – Enhanced For 16×9 Televisions
Running Time: 94 Mins.
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Synopsis:
Iceman Chambers is a Mike Tyson-like Heavyweight Champion. Convicted of rape, he is being sent to a maximum-security prison. Inside he quickly makes an effort to establish his dominance.
Despite being the Heavyweight Campion on the outside, there’s an undefeated champion on the inside that he has yet to face. Monroe Hutchens, convicted of murder, is the star of the prison boxing circuit.
Desperate to get out of prison and save his fading career, Iceman makes a deal with aging mob boss and boxing fan Mendy Ripstein. He agrees to fight the prison champ in exchange for help in getting out early. The deal is on and the boxing match is secretly set. However, the outcome may be more than the Iceman bargained for.
“Undisputed” is rated R for strong language.
The Movie:
This movie must have snuck in and out of theaters pretty quickly. In fact, I never remember seeing it there. In any case, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad film. It’s actually a pretty entertaining tough guy flick. If you ever wondered what would happen to Mike Tyson in prison, this movie is for you.
This movie really belongs to Ving Rhames. He has most of the screentime and he’s the most energetic of the characters. He plays the tough guy well and is a convincing boxer. Wesley Snipes’ character is much more reserved and quiet, so we never really get attached to him. His motivation for being such an incredible boxer is never really brought across, either. I think more attention could have been given to that aspect of the story. Peter Falk is incredibly annoying in this film as a foul-mouthed version of Colombo. I believe he was paid by the f-word because it was every other word he muttered. The rest of the cast, including Wes Studi, Fisher Stevens, and others do a pretty good job.
This movie is just a testosterone charged guy flick. There’s not much more to it. Most of the movie is simply a build-up to the big fight that ends up being a mixed bag. The choreography is decent, but not spectacular. This won’t be considered a classic boxing film. And while parts of it are realistic, other parts are rather absurd. For example, Snipes has the door of his solitary confinement cell welded shut by the guards. They would never do this. And Rhames’ character is flown to the prison in a helicopter. Again, unlikely. And the whole setup of the final fight is not very realistic, either. But if you can get over these nitpicks, you might find this an entertaining film. It’s not great, but it’s not bad.
The Extras:
The extras on this disc consist of two short 5 minute interviews with Ving Rhames and Wesley Snipes. The footage looks like it is leftover from an interview on Entertainment Tonight or E! News Daily. While brief, the actors talk a bit about their characters, their training, and what it was like filming Undisputed. Not much, but I suppose it’s better than nothing.
The Bottom Line:
This is a pretty decent popcorn flick to rent on a weekend. I wouldn’t buy it.
