The Popkorn Junkie :: Undisputed

At the beginning of his career, director Walter Hill seemed like he had the overall talent and diversity to be a successful Hollywood filmmaker. He showed his gift for action/comedies with "48 hrs." and showed his flair for comedies with "Brewster's Millions". Then, after making the incredibly ill-advised "Another 48 hrs.", he started making less than par westerns like "Geronimo: An American Legend", "Wild Bill", and "Last Man Standing". It seemed like a once promising career had floundered and virtually disappeared. "Undisputed" is a film by Walter Hill--his first film to stray from the western theme since "Trespass" (another waste of time starring Ice-T). Does it succeed as a boxing film? Yes. Is it better than "Ali"--hell yes.

"Undisputed" tells the story of former heavyweight boxing champ James "Iceman" Chambers (Ving Rhames). Accused of raping a white girl, Chambers is sent to a maximum security federal prison, where he encounters prison boxing champion Monroe Hutchen (Wesley Snipes). Tension builds between the two inmates until a showdown between the two is inevitable. The cast is unusual in that it features a plethora of actors, ranging from Peter Falk (that's right, kids--Columbo) to Master P.

The plotline to this story is not anything new and exciting, but the way in which it evolves is refreshing to watch and a real treat onscreen. I might have just been in the mood to see a good action flick, but I was happy and smiling after leaving the theater. Ving Rhames and Wesley Snipes are convincing as the boxers, both looking the part and acting the part. Snipes was already buffed up for "Blade II" when he was offered this role, as was Ving Rhames for the forthcoming William Friedkin picture "Night Train", in which Rhames portrays boxer Sonny Liston. Their bodies add to the overall authenticity of this film. And, it's nice to see Peter Falk creeping back into motion pictures. Michael Rooker, Fisher Stevens, and Jon Seda pop up in this film also--that's right, Michael Rooker still makes mainstream movies (didn't you see "Here On Earth"?).

There are a few flaws in this film, but they weren't nearly disastrous enough to make me not enjoy this film. Walter Hill has stepped back into the director's chair with stamina and confidence and has delivered what could have been just another action flick that should have gone directly to video. Alas, it turned out to be highly entertaining, thanks largely to great performances from Snipes and Rhames, and a surprisingly effective supporting cast. No, I will not make a joke about Master P. being in this one. Overall, this is just a flat out good action film, and one hell of a film to watch on 'guy's night out'.

-- Billy Ray ( 3 out of 4 pops )

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Other Junkie's opinions.....

Matt ( 3 out of 4 pops )

"Undisputed" is fun, entertaining Saturday afternoon fare, though it isn't brilliant or even highly memorable. One bone I have to pick is with those who marketed the film. The way they advertised it--they had the viewers thinking Wesley Snipes is the star. Now, I love Ving Rhames and he's terrific in this movie, giving another tour-de-force performance, but if he's the star--then bill him as the star! He receives a hell of a lot more screen time than Snipes, and the story basically revolves around his character. I was hoping to see more of Snipes, because he's a fine actor/action star who I haven't seen since "The Art of War." I have yet to see "Blade 2", which I will definitely get around to renting sometime soon. Peter Falk steals the show in a nice supporting role as a wheelchair-bound boxing manager who got sent to prison for tax evasion. He provides most of the film's comic relief, especially when he cusses a blue streak, using the "f" word about 20 times in one monologue. Also, former host of "Yo! MTV Raps" Ed Lover provides some hysterical one-liners as the outspoken commentator. Another thing that bothered me was the same problem I have with many sports movies: both of the boxers (Snipes and Rhames) have a record of numerous wins and NO losses! Come on, no matter how great they are, they had to lose sometime in their careers! Walter Hill's flashy direction is pretty cool, but after a while it wears out its welcome. And the use of hip-hop music was overdone, making it sometimes seem like a retro, uncensored MTV film. Basically, the three things that keep this movie afloat are the remarkable performances, upbeat boxing sequences and its slick touches of humor. The film has some slow moments and lags at times, but overall you shouldn't be disappointed.