I didn't enjoy much of what was on display in the original 'Undisputed', but I was pleasantly surprised by this first of dtv sequels in '2'. The ex heavyweight boxing champ gets recast from Ving Rhames to Michael Jai White, but he's an upgrade. Heck most of the movie from directing, emotion beats to the fights is an improvement. Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Scott Adkins too and the beginning of the Yuri Boyka journey.
Chambers (White) is in Russia to perform and framed for the possession of drugs so he can be sent to prison and persuaded to fight in an illegal underground fighting ring. A much more likable guy that when we last seen him the horrible conditions within break George down. He accepts an offer to face champion Boyka (Adkins) who considers himself the best fighter in the world in return for being released as tons of money ride on the showdown.
The sequel switches gears to adapt more of a MMA feel than straight up boxing, but it works well. I won't tell you the story is anything special because it's not. There's betrayals, abuse and everything else that belongs in a formula prison movie. However the fights are well done, White is always likable and Scott Adkins is fantastic as the Russian villain tapping into a character (that we all know now) had potential for exploration.
Valentin Ganev and Mark Ivanir make their first appearances as the Warden and Boyka's manager Gaga respectively, but would be built on / appear in the next sequel as well. In Chambers corner is Ben Cross as a British drug addicted felon & Eli Danker as an old man confined to a wheelchair. American actor Ken Lerner plays Chambers somewhat greasy agent and it's a role he was born to do.
Coming from experienced dtv b-movie director Isaac Florentine who knows how to deliver fight scenes well on a budget and from studio Nu-Image no stranger to this genre, 'Last Man Standing' is a solid action pick that fans should definitely check out if they haven't done so already. It concludes Chambers story, but it's only the start of Boyka's saga. In that regard it's not the peak of the series, but it's solid ground to start from.
Chambers (White) is in Russia to perform and framed for the possession of drugs so he can be sent to prison and persuaded to fight in an illegal underground fighting ring. A much more likable guy that when we last seen him the horrible conditions within break George down. He accepts an offer to face champion Boyka (Adkins) who considers himself the best fighter in the world in return for being released as tons of money ride on the showdown.
The sequel switches gears to adapt more of a MMA feel than straight up boxing, but it works well. I won't tell you the story is anything special because it's not. There's betrayals, abuse and everything else that belongs in a formula prison movie. However the fights are well done, White is always likable and Scott Adkins is fantastic as the Russian villain tapping into a character (that we all know now) had potential for exploration.
Valentin Ganev and Mark Ivanir make their first appearances as the Warden and Boyka's manager Gaga respectively, but would be built on / appear in the next sequel as well. In Chambers corner is Ben Cross as a British drug addicted felon & Eli Danker as an old man confined to a wheelchair. American actor Ken Lerner plays Chambers somewhat greasy agent and it's a role he was born to do.
Coming from experienced dtv b-movie director Isaac Florentine who knows how to deliver fight scenes well on a budget and from studio Nu-Image no stranger to this genre, 'Last Man Standing' is a solid action pick that fans should definitely check out if they haven't done so already. It concludes Chambers story, but it's only the start of Boyka's saga. In that regard it's not the peak of the series, but it's solid ground to start from.