Arena (2011) (V)

Director:

Jonah Loop

Writers:

Tony Giglio (written by)
Michael Hultquist (original screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

11 October 2011 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller

Plot:

David Lord finds himself forced into the savage world of a modern gladiatorial arena, where men fight to the death for the entertainment of the online masses. |

Plot Keywords:

Arena | Murder | Samurai Sword | Long Sword | Katana Sword

Cast

Samuel L. Jackson	...	Logan
Kellan Lutz	...	David Lord
Johnny Messner	...	Kaden
Katia Winter	...	Milla
Daniel Dae Kim	...	Taiga
James Remar	...	Agent McCarty
Nina Dobrev	...	Lori
Lauren Shiohama	...	Kawaii
Irene Choi	...	Kaneko
Kofi Yiadom	...	Ripper
Derek Mears	...	Brutus Jackson
Dean J. West	...	Rick
Jason Zone Fisher	...	Josh
Kent Jude Bernard	...	Craig
Grant Case	...	Drunk Frat Boy
Heather Harrison	...	Samantha
Marcelle Baer	...	Ashley
Phil Culotta	...	Mayhem
Michael Liu	...	Yoshi
Tze Yep	...	Chinese Middle Manager
Solomon Loop	...	Bus Driver
Shanna Forrestall	...	Computer Tech
Sam Medina	...	Mexican Bouncer
Vanessa Branch	...	BBC reporter
Laura Weissbecker	...	Reporter
Mayra Leal	...	Mexican Bartender
Monica Acosta	...	Bar Patron
Brandon Ellison	...	Scientist / Lab Coat
Josh Tessier	...	Lead Soldier
Amy Le	...	Akiko
Angel Spitale	...	Girl in cell
Alex Froman	...	Marine
Kaj Larsen	...	Navy SEAL Team Leader
Bob Gassoff	...	Navy SEAL #1
Monti Favero	...	Navy SEAL #2
Tom Cowan	...	Navy SEAL #3
Tommy Cowan	...	Navy SEAL #4
Ryan Cowan	...	Navy SEAL #5
David Poole	...	Army Officer
Jimmy Townsend	...	Bar Patron #1
Marshall Geller	...	Bar Patron #2
Mike Shustek	...	Bar Patron #3
Ira Levine	...	Bar Patron #4
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michelle Andrew	...	Tracy Williams
Beau Brasseaux	...	Jailor (as Beau Brasso)
Thomas C. Daniel	...	The Cleaner
Diego Rodriguez Delfino	...	Fratboy (uncredited)
Ryan H. Jackson	...	Jailor (uncredited)
Jason Lumberjack Johnson	...	Jailer Cop (uncredited)
Nathan Alan Thomas	...	Jailer / Soldier (uncredited)

Directed by
Jonah Loop

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Tony Giglio		written by
Michael Hultquist		original screenplay
Robert Martinez		original screenplay

Produced by
Justin Bursch	....	co-producer
Mike Callaghan	....	producer
Larry Collins	....	co-producer
Rui Costa Reis	....	executive producer
Eliad Josephson	....	executive producer
Brad Krevoy	....	producer
Reuben Liber	....	executive producer
Patrick Newall	....	line producer
Philip Poole	....	assistant producer
Nick Thurlow	....	executive producer
Gregory M. Walker	....	executive producer
Ryan Westheimer	....	associate producer
Mark Williams	....	producer

Original Music by
Jeff Danna

Cinematography by
Nelson Cragg

Film Editing by
Robert Berman
Harvey Rosenstock

Casting by
Anne McCarthy

Production Design by
Tom Lisowski

Set Decoration by
Ryan Welsch

Costume Design by
Shawn Holly Cookson

Makeup Department
Allan A. Apone	....	makeup artist: Mr. Jackson
Martin Astles	....	makeup effects sculptor
Hailey Authement	....	assistant makeup artist
Adam Brandy	....	makeup artist: Mr. Jackson, pickup shots
Nicole Gaudin	....	key hair stylist
Marcos Gonzales	....	department head hair
Lauren Thomas	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Patrick Newall	....	post-production supervisor
Cj Stewart	....	post-production manager: Post Matters

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bryan Adams	....	assistant director intern
Phil Culotta	....	second unit director
Jamie Freeman	....	assistant director intern
Ben Ledoux	....	second assistant director
Chip Signore	....	first assistant director
Zack Smith	....	second second assistant director (as Zack L. Smith)

Art Department
Brandon Briscoe	....	scenic
John J. Capeville III	....	carpenter
William Catania	....	assistant property master
James Comisky	....	prop maker
Jesani Drew	....	art intern
Dan Fraga	....	storyboard artist
John Gathright	....	leadman
Matthew Gatlin	....	draftsman
David Goodwin	....	set designer
Roy Harrison	....	set dresser
Wayne J. Harrison	....	prop maker
Destin M. Hebert	....	set dresser
Mark T. Henderson	....	prop maker
James J. Hershey	....	prop maker
Keith Keal	....	set dresser
Jason Oertling	....	lead scenic
Danielle Poret	....	art department coordinator
Jefry Shebroe	....	on-set dresser
Ember Soberman	....	painter
Marcus Turchi	....	construction coordinator
Keith Wall	....	set dresser
Brook Yeaton	....	property master

Sound Department
Patrick O. Bird	....	supervising sound editor
Kathleen Edwards	....	adr recordist: New Mexico
John W. Frost	....	supervising sound editor
Steven Huerstel	....	boom operator
Tor McAfee Kingdon	....	adr mixer: New Mexico
Ryan McCabe	....	sound effects editor
Daniel D. Monahan	....	sound mixer
Mykl Rogers	....	sound editor
Patrick Rubenstein	....	sound production assistant
Eric Stolz	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
David A. Poole	....	pyrotechnician
Ryan A. Riley	....	special effects technician
Steve Riley	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Chase Bickel	....	digital compositor
Tarn Fox	....	visual effects producer
Nicholas Lund-Ulrich	....	digital artist
Melaina Mace	....	digital matte painter: Scoundrel
Mark Matta	....	layout & matchmove artist
David B. Moulder	....	visual effects supervisor
Patricia O'Donnell	....	compositor
Marco Recuay	....	visual effects supervisor: Scoundrel
Jason Ripley	....	visual effects artist
D.J. Shea	....	visual effects supervisor: Post Matters
Erin Nicole Wyatt	....	visual effects editor

Stunts
Arnold Chon	....	fight choreographer
Phil Culotta	....	stunt coordinator
Sam Medina	....	stunt performer
Lin Oeding	....	stunt coordinator
Josh Tessier	....	stunts
Kofi Yiadom	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Guy Broussard	....	rigging electrician
David Bush	....	camera intern
Scott Calcagno	....	electrician
Nicholas Davidoff	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Nezben Deason	....	grip
Ryan Elliott	....	jib operator: "b" camera
Stephen Fouasnon	....	second assistant camera: re-shoots
Kevin Kennedy	....	key grip
Kimberlee Loop	....	still photographer
Ronald 'Ronnie' Martin	....	electrician
Richard Maxey	....	dolly grip
BJ McDonnell	....	camera operator: "a" camera
BJ McDonnell	....	steadicam operator
Charlie Nauman	....	second assistant camera
Brandon Swain	....	electrician
Brandon Swain	....	rigging gaffer
Shawn Torge	....	electrician
Jeffery J. Tufano	....	additional camera operator
Trevor Tufano	....	second assistant camera
David J. White II	....	first assistant camera
Wade Whitley	....	first assistant camera
Marc Wiercioch	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Barry Williamson	....	grip
Louis Zlotowicz	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera

Casting Department
Brent Caballero	....	local casting
Hank Langlois	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Daniel Flores	....	wardrobe production assistant
Billy Ray McKenna	....	costume supervisor
Katey Ravencraft	....	set costumer
Nicole Siegenberg	....	key costumer
Michelle Toledo	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Andrew Drazek	....	dailies technician
Colin Laurent-Bixler	....	apprentice editor
Jason Yanuzzi	....	colorist

Music Department
John Fee	....	composer: additional music
Peter Fuchs	....	scoring mixer
Joe Paganelli	....	music supervisor
Dan Parr	....	orchestrator
John Whynot	....	score mixer

Transportation Department
Morris Aroesti	....	picture car coordinator
Morris Aroesti	....	transportation coordinator
Willie D. Partin	....	transportation captain
Chris Pedersen	....	driver

Other crew
Bryan Adams	....	key set intern
Zack Bartow	....	production assistant
Nathaniel Bartrum	....	set production assistant
Ashley Brahm	....	production coordinator
Marjorie Chodorov	....	production accountant
Margo Nicole Clark	....	stand-in
Karen Dean	....	assistant production coordinator
Jesani Drew	....	set intern
Greg Dukes	....	stand-in for Mr. Jackson
Sarah Duryea	....	production office intern
Kasey Emas	....	stand-in (as Kasey Amanda)
Jamie Freeman	....	set intern
Mike Groner	....	insurance broker
Pamela Jones	....	post-production accountant
Jeremy Kirkland	....	production assistant
Kevin Lum	....	key set production assistant
Volney McFarlin	....	assistant: Mr. Jackson
Norris Ortolano	....	location manager
Jen Parsons	....	set production assistant
Kimberley Roper	....	script supervisor
Pilar L. Salazar	....	payroll accountant
Claire Schexnayder	....	assistant production accountant
Chris Williams	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Motion Picture Corporation of America (MPCA)
• Zero Gravity Management
• RCR Media Group
• Fury Productions

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2012) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2012) (Argentina) (all media)
• Stage 6 Films (2011) (USA) (all media)

Special Effects

• Drac Studios
• Illusion Industries (special makeup effects)
• VFX Technologies

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Hear Kitty  adr (New Mexico)
• Hollywood Trucks  entertainment transportation
• Keslow Cameras  camera equipment provided by
• Louisiana Entertainment  state film office
• Louisiana Media Productions  production services
• Post Matters  post-production facilities
• Silver Screen Supply  production services
• Sonicpool  post-production

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong brutal and bloody violence throughout, graphic nudity and language

Runtime:

94 min (theatrical version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

USA:R | Germany:18 | New Zealand:R18 | Argentina:13 | Netherlands:16 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18

Filming Locations:

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Motion Picture Corporation of America (MPCA)

Trivia:

After Samuel L. Jackson was cast, the title of the film was changed from 'Fury' to 'Deathgames' to avoid confusion with Jackson's role as Nick Fury in the series of Marvel superhero films.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Robben Island prison was decommissioned in 1996. Prior to that it was used as a medium security prison. Brutus Jackson would never have been imprisoned there as a high risk spree killer.

Movie Connections:

References "Family Feud" (1976)

Painfully bad

Godawful piece of crap direct to video flick that was somehow able to afford Samuel L. Jackson. Like a startlingly large amount of movies I watch, this is about an underground fighting tournament. Twilight sixth banana Kellan Lutz stars as a muscle-bound fireman who is kidnapped by hottie Katia Winter and dragged to an underground fighting ring where he's forced to fight to the death with other prisoners. One of them is played by Lost's Daniel Dae Kim. Jackson plays the ringleader. He has two sexy Asian ladies who follow him around everywhere. I know Sam Jackson has a reputation of doing anything for a bit of money - but I just don't see how something this schlocky could have afforded even him. It just boggles the mind that he probably wrapped this movie and walked straight to the set of The Avengers. Movies like this can be fun - look at Manborg, which I reviewed last week. That one probably was made for a quarter as much money, but it was inventive and it damn well knew it was stupid. This one is humorless and actually thinks it has something to say. What a crock.