"God has given me a gift ... I am the most complete fighter in the world ... I must prove I am worthy of something"
It's rare that a DTV movie can impress as completely as Undisputed II - Last Man Standing did: aside from being the best film Isaac Florentine had directed, it was arguably the single best martial arts flick released that year. The fact that it was filmed for under $10 million and still managed to attain cult status without a theatrical release makes it simply more impressive. Florentine followed this masterpiece up with the questionable The Shepherd: Border Patrol and Ninja, both of which were a decisive step down from the quality he had pioneered for the low-budget market. Thus, it was with some apprehension that I awaited the release of "Redemption", fearing it wouldn't do the original justice...but I am happy to report that Florentine is back on par and delivers what...
Undisputed lll: Redemption
Isaac Florentine's Undisputed 3: Redemption is, in my opinion, the best of the Undisputed series may be meaningful to those who know the earlier films. Scott Adkins reprises his role as Russian inmate Boyka, now severely hobbled by the knee injury suffered at the end of Undisputed 2. No longer the feared prison fighter he was, he has declined so far that he is now good only for cleaning toilets. But when a new prison fight tournament begins - an international affair, matching the best fighters from prisons around the globe, enticing them with the promise of freedom for the winner - Boyka must reclaim his dignity and fight for his position in the tournament.
He succeeds, of course, and is packed off to Georgia where he meets his opponents. The brash American. The Brazilian capoeira expert. The North Korean tae kwon do expert. A Greek. A Croat. And, most to be feared, the Colombian(Mark Zaror).
The fix is in, of course. While all of the other fighters are forced to...
penitentiary pugilism at its most POSITIVELY professional
If a casual fan of B-rate fight flicks were to come across this in the video store having not heard of the franchise, one could easily justify its dismissal. Typically direct-to-video sequels to direct-to-video movies give fans just enough to barely keep them interested. The fact that each new film in the series has switched the directions and motives of the main characters, in addition to making the previous antagonist the current protagonist is extremely refreshing. Add to that some of the best fight choreography, filming, and editing this side of the Pacific ocean and you have a series of films that have increased in quality with each new release! Director Isaac Florentine has taken his sweet time to give fans what they want to see. And God bless him for it. So much art is lost in the pursuit of cash. I hope other directors are taking notes on his work.
Scott Adkins ("Ninja", "X-Men Origins: Wolverine") returns as Uri Boyka, former prison fighting champion, who...
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