Found this movie in a stack of "to be watched" DVDs. I did, and found it worth the time. While billed as a remake of the Pam Grier-Roger Corman 70s classic, it's much different in many aspects, particularly the escape from The Arena.
I found the "Extras" as interesting as the movie itself. Both principal women were interviewed and revealed many interesting aspects of filming in Russia. Lisa Dergan's lengthy narative was particularly interesting, in dealing with Russia's climate and terrain (the movie was filmed in Russia), drunk Russian actors (vodka), a buff male gladiator who told her, in the clenches, that he was gay, and the Russian health care system (not). (Lesson learned: Get to an American health faculty if injured; Russian "care" (sic) can be as dangerous as the injury itself.)
Both Durgan and McDougal discussed the process from going from a Playboy playmate to being featured in a movie; very Interesting.
Of note, the cover for the DVD is deceiving. When the crew returned to LA the women were fitted out in the bikini outfits shown in the cover image. In the movie itself both women are dressed far more appropriately in gladiator outfits, particularly Dergan's right arm in armor which was heavy and difficult to wield over multiple sword clashes with her female opponent (McDougal) and multiple male Romans at the end.
Both women expressed disappointment that more of their "fights" were not depicted on screen, a legitimate ciriticism. The training was exhausting and the steel swords heavy. Unfortunately, most of the scenes were edited to an almost incoherent "flash" depiction. Both women would have benefited from a Ridley Scott treatment of gladiator combat in The Arena. (A director with a "Thelma and Louise" perspective would have been of value here.)
Bottom line: Worth getting a DVD copy and watching both the movie and the extras.
I found the "Extras" as interesting as the movie itself. Both principal women were interviewed and revealed many interesting aspects of filming in Russia. Lisa Dergan's lengthy narative was particularly interesting, in dealing with Russia's climate and terrain (the movie was filmed in Russia), drunk Russian actors (vodka), a buff male gladiator who told her, in the clenches, that he was gay, and the Russian health care system (not). (Lesson learned: Get to an American health faculty if injured; Russian "care" (sic) can be as dangerous as the injury itself.)
Both Durgan and McDougal discussed the process from going from a Playboy playmate to being featured in a movie; very Interesting.
Of note, the cover for the DVD is deceiving. When the crew returned to LA the women were fitted out in the bikini outfits shown in the cover image. In the movie itself both women are dressed far more appropriately in gladiator outfits, particularly Dergan's right arm in armor which was heavy and difficult to wield over multiple sword clashes with her female opponent (McDougal) and multiple male Romans at the end.
Both women expressed disappointment that more of their "fights" were not depicted on screen, a legitimate ciriticism. The training was exhausting and the steel swords heavy. Unfortunately, most of the scenes were edited to an almost incoherent "flash" depiction. Both women would have benefited from a Ridley Scott treatment of gladiator combat in The Arena. (A director with a "Thelma and Louise" perspective would have been of value here.)
Bottom line: Worth getting a DVD copy and watching both the movie and the extras.