WWE Superstar, Randy Orton, stars as failed leader of Bail Enforcement Agency, built by his pop, Eric Roberts, accidentally killing mark, Wes Studi, which leads to him pleading down to involuntary manslaughter so he can get out of jail. Studi's partner in crime (Steven Michael Quezada) sets up a human hunting "competition" pitting Orton against those members of his former bounty hunting team as wealthy gamblers bet on who will survive. One ludicrous moment has Orton agreeing to go for a ride with a friend after just nearly being killed by another pal in a diner, oblivious to the idea that he could be in danger, even as Roberts warns him against it! Big star is the New Mexico locations, and this is essentially a western in all but modern vehicles and dress. Orton has the look of an action star, translating his laconic, gruff-voiced, steely-eyed presence within the wrestling ring to the desert vistas and dusty plains where the sun is unforgiving and green of the earth scarce. Roel Reiné photographs his location grand, capitalizing on the vastness of space from birdseye view long distance sky shots, slow motion and quick edit action sequences sometimes in concert to Peckinpah his film up right. Included is a sniper killing a female deputy while targeting Orton, soon coming after him in a dune buggy with machine gun in hand, and a bomb specialist with traps set up, eventually set off a chain reaction, resulting in a fight over a grenade missing its pin. Orton isn't without his bumps, bruises, scrapes, wounds, and gunshots, so the film doesn't present him always as superhuman. Quezada has a drone in the air as his eye in the sky, with a violence-lusting clientele dropping heavy cash to see bloodshed. A few pals who decided to join forces with Orton instead of kill him plot a course directly for Quezada. Quezada makes himself a contestant, with the sniper still on the hunt, and Roberts soon volunteering to help his son kick some ass. Roberts is a welcome presence, although he doesn't get to kill a whole lot of folks. Bill Stinchcomb is Orton's first true ally with Alex Knight soon getting his head on straight to use his bomb skills as a help not hindrance. Lots of explosions and gunfire, mayhem and Kaboom! result. About what you'd expect: doesn't reinvent the wheel. The hand to hand combat is unimpressive and Orton needed a more noteworthy villain to conquer.
Review of The Condemned 2
