Brawl in Cell Block 99 (2017)

Brawl in Cell Block 99 (2017)

6/10

Starring

Vince Vaughn

Directed by S. Craig Zahler

Before I go into why you should see this movie, I want to first warn you: it’s a low-budget movie whose graphics need work, especially in the gory areas (in about three scenes or so). Welcome to a typical ’90s-style action movie where the lead is in control of everything.

First off, it stars Vince Vaughn in a role that depicts him as a badass with a willingness to kill and hurt in the most gruesome ways possible. Vaughn isn’t cracking jokes or cast in a comedic role here—he’s a man willing to do anything to save his family. I bet you’ve heard this synopsis before when it comes to action movies: a man gets involved with the wrong crew, gets into trouble, and then his family’s life is in danger because of his bad choices. Now, he has to put his own life on the line to save them.

This movie touches on all the familiar action movie tropes. The “good guy”—in this case, the man trying to save his family—is somehow invincible. Bullets seem to miss him at the oddest times, and when men have the chance to shoot and stop him, they hesitate and do something else instead.

Vince Vaughn plays the role of Bradley Thomas, a former boxer turned mechanic who loses his job on the same day he finds out his wife is having an affair. Instead of calling it quits, he and his wife decide to put the past behind them and start anew, with a child on the way. Needing money to provide a better life for his family, Bradley decides to become a courier for illegal drugs.

After eighteen months of doing well in the drug courier business, everything goes south during a pickup when he’s teamed up with some men. A police raid at the pickup leads to the murder of one of the men, and Bradley finds himself in prison, serving a seven-year sentence.

The leader of the crew he worked with, Eleazar, wants revenge for the money lost during the raid. He kidnaps Bradley’s wife, who is pregnant with their daughter. Eleazar sends a message to Bradley: he must find a way to transfer from the minimum-security prison he’s in to a maximum-security prison, locate a specific man, and kill him to save his family’s life.

The task turns bloody, with many casualties along the way, until Bradley discovers the twist involving the man he was sent to kill.

It’s a good movie, but not one that will stand out. The title, the production companies, and even the lead actor aren’t strong enough attractions to make you rush to see it. However, after watching it myself, I’d say it’s worth a watch. Things never go the way you expect, and the action will remind you of the ’90s.