The Condemned (2007)

Director:

Scott Wiper

Writers (WGA):

Scott Wiper (screenplay) and
Rob Hedden (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

27 April 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

The fight is on.

Plot:

Jack Conrad is awaiting the death penalty in a corrupt Central American prison. He is "purchased" by a wealthy television producer and taken to a desolate island where he must fight to the death against nine other condemned killers from all corners of the world, with freedom going to the sole survivor.

Plot Keywords:

Death | Desolate Island | Island | Fight To The Death | Underwater

Awards:

1 nomination

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Jan. 4	11:05 PM	USA
Tue. Jan. 5	2:08 AM	USA

Cast

Steve Austin	...	Conrad
Vinnie Jones	...	McStarley
Robert Mammone	...	Breckel
Tory Mussett	...	Julie (as Victoria Mussett)
Manu Bennett	...	Paco
Madeleine West	...	Sarah Cavanaugh
Rick Hoffman	...	'Goldy' Goldman
Christopher Baker	...	Eddie C
Sam Healy	...	Bella (as Samantha Healy)
Luke Pegler	...	Baxter
Masa Yamaguchi	...	Saiga
Emelia Burns	...	Yasantwa
Dasi Ruz	...	Rosa
Marcus Johnson	...	Kreston Mackie
Nathan Jones	...	Petr

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive strong brutal violence, and for language.

Runtime:

USA:113 min | Germany:114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX

Certification:

USA:R | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba) | Singapore:NC-16 | Portugal:M/18 | UK:18 | Australia:MA | Malaysia:(Banned) | Germany:18 | New Zealand:R18 | Finland:K-15 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | South Korea:18 | Argentina:16 | Peru:18 | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Japan:R15+

Filming Locations:

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Company:

Lionsgate

Trivia:

Steve Austin referred to Vinnie Jones as #2. Vinnie Jones referred to Steve Austin as #1. The reason they referred to each other this way was how they were billed in the film.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: (At 11:00) There is a close up of the guard turning the key in a large lock. You can clearly see the lock is already open though.

Quotes:

Jack Conrad: Sounds like you've had a hard life.
Ewan McStarley: Yeah.
Jack Conrad: Good thing it's over.

Soundtrack:

Savin' Me

Battle Royale Redux

A very popular Japanese film called Battle Royale concerns an entire class of bad tempered middle school students forced to fight to the last survivor on a deserted island for their transgressions. Considered too controversial for American audiences, it's never been released in the states. "The Condemned" is basically a remake of that film. Instead of unruly teenagers, death-row inmates from around the world forced to kill each other for the pleasure of an insane internet magnate's 30 hour snuff reality program.

Steve Austin joins 9 other on the island where they stalk and eliminate each other in some of the most violent ways imaginable.

This part of the story is fairly involving, but as the violence becomes more sadistic, it no longer seems entertaining. The sobering effect spreads to the movie characters as well, too late to help the combatants. Self righteously, the producers use this as a podium to speak down to the audience who bought tickets to watch the very entertainment they are presenting.

The movie is not helped by a stateside subplot involving Stone Cold's girlfriend who lives on a sprawling ranch and supports herself as a waitress.