“The Condemned” (Lionsgate)
Good Vs Evil To the Nth Degree
“The Condemned” is a surprisingly good movie about the extremes to which television is taking us in the name of “reality.” Now don’t get me wrong, this is no Oscar winner. And for those with weak stomachs or a true aversion to violence, it is unwatchable. For others it is an action packed view of a contest to the death between death row inmates that takes place on an island. The contest is televised live and shown on the Internet, which in this day and age is not so far-fetched.
WWE wrestling champion Steve Austin stars as Jack Conrad, one of the prisoners selected by Ian Breckel (Robert Mammone) to take part in his “duel to the death contest.” He and nine other death row inmates from around the world are selected to be taken to a remote island where they will fight each other. The last man or woman standing will gain their freedom.
“Goldie” Goldman (Rick Hoffman) is the technician in charge of putting the show on the air. He has cameras all over the island so that all of the action can be captured. It is streamed on the Internet and Breckel expects to have an audience of some forty million viewers.
The movie examines the people behind the camera as well as the persons taking place in the “reality” show. The repulsiveness of such a show is fully explored along with the reasoning for the concept. And of course Austin’s character of Jack is the good guy in all this and the one who everyone wants to win. Vinnie Jones plays Ewan McStarley, his archenemy and chief opponent.
The movie is rated R for violence and profanity.
Austin is believable in his performance of the character of Jack and also in the physical actions and prowess the role requires. He looks like a cross between Mr. Clean and Yul Brynner and has a strong presence on the screen. Jones is perfectly cast as the bad guy who makes the most of the duel.
The public’s insatiable appetite for reality shows is the basis for the plot of this film. It shows to what extremes this passion for the real can take us. It is not a pretty picture and hopefully it is not a realistic one, but it is within the realm of possibility.
Some will see the movie as just a violence filled film. For them the message of the movie will be inconsequential. But for others this violent movie will have a point and that will make it a little better than we expect.
I scored “The Condemned” a reprieved 6 out of 10.
