BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99 (2017)

Written & Directed By: S. Craig Zahler 
Cinematography By: Benji Bakshi 
Editor: Greg D’Auria 


Cast: Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Carpenter, Marc Blucas, Udo Kier, Don Johnson, Tom Guiry, Fred Melamed, Clark Johnson, Rob Morgan 


Bradley Thomas is a hard working man. After him and his wife's miscarriage they admit the spark isn't there anymore and decide to have a baby. After being fired from his job, he turns to his friend who hires him as a drug dealer. A trade goes bad and he ends up in prison, the only problem is that a gang has kidnapped his wife and they will do an experimental operation on the baby unless Thomas kills one of the inmates in cell block 99. Bradley will not stop at anything until his wife is safe again.


Like his previous film this film shows signs of existing in the real world, but feels more in it’s own. As this could have easily been based on a graphic novel. That is how singular of vision the film seems to have and how the world seems to be more remote at times and empty. Director S. Craig Zahler wrote this screenplay before writing Bone Tomahawk despite the latter being filmed first.

This film is brutal with skill smashing sand broken limbs galore. Think of an unadulterated Steven Seagal movie. Where he is let loose and not so much choreographed long term fighting.

The fights are actually rather quick in the film, but always leaves someone dead or pretty much disabled. (In a worse way than in the television series DARDEVIL) As violence is just in the films blood and atmosphere. As the film seems to feel a devotion to it. To show its necessity in that part of this world.

The prosthetic effects were made to look like the 70's style grind house effects.

The third act takes the films into it’s own reality. But also lives up more to it’s title. As the film slips into more of a grindhouse type film that feels also a bit like it has a video game logic.

This is a manly movie only for lack of female roles and even the one in it played by Jennifer Carpenter is pretty tough. --The film is not afraid of pauses to let things set in for the audience. Even though when lines are spoken it’s not the best dialogue. Then again the character aren’t poets or intellectuals.

In the third act the challenges get ramped up. So that with each win he is faced with a new and harder challenge in either opponent or punishment. That makes it feel like an unofficial sequel to the Sylvester Stallone film LOCK-UP including another ruthless crooked warden plate here by Don Johnson. Even though he ends up not being the main villain.

Vince Vaughn makes a comeback in his own way more noted here for his damage and size which has always been intimidating but used more for comedic purposes. Though he has the size of an action hero or right hand man. Here he seems to be more in a revenge tale after reaching his breaking point. Though in this film nary a joke is told. Here he uses his size and strength as his weapons and also intimidation.

Though at times his character and him remind me of Vincent D’Onofrio With his size an villainous look though primarily a good guy.

We get to know what type of guy he is in an early scene where he is finding out that his wife is having an affair and he beats and rips apart her car rather then hurt her and afterwards he Just wants to talk and communicate with her.

In early scenes the film has more hand held shots which makes the film seem more gritty, but once he settles into his new job as a drug courier. It seems more lien a production as the camera becomes steady and the shots seem more planned.

If you were to look deeper into this film. You could kind of feel like this is a film that showcases a more conservative Caucasian as a hero. Though this film isn’t trying to be political.

It’s interesting that most of it’s villains tend to be minorities. The film has some minority characters as decent people but they tend to end up as victims of the violence that seeps the film.

Just an observation. Though not the main point or even a point of the film. As it doesn’t care too much about race. Even as the film keeps bringing up the fact that the abortionist is Korean.

The film doesn’t have extended action sequences. As they are hard and fast here with practical special effects. That and the atmosphere makes this Film feel more in a 1970’s or 80’s spirit.

As the brutality is inherent in director S. Craig Zahler first film. BONE TOMAHAWK. As well as a Caucasian character going against and exterminating minority enemies. I would like to believe the film is using just generalities when it comes to color and villains as there are innocent and victims who are minorities who were just trying to help and we have Don Johnson and Udo Kier as main villains also but the film makes a big deal of an abortionist being Asian that carries a certain distaste where the audience is supposed to know oh somehow that is worse than an ordinary one. It might actually be a case of the film using the audiences unconscious racism or thoughts on race against themselves or just trying to give an actor of color a job. What do i know I can only go by what I see. Maybe it’s just going with the grindhouse feel and having a somewhat diverse cast.

Race doesn’t necessarily need to be brought up, but it should be noted. He’s not the first director to have a film like this with the same old cliches of color. As the recent film BUSHWICK does it more blatantly and blindly insultingly. It’s just a cliche that one gets tired of seeing and holds back a certain enjoyment of the film.

The tipping point of the plot that sets the rest of the story in motion isn’t exactly believable but is needed. That is set up to be about honor and being a kind of hero, but seems more spurred on by revenge. That is more clearly given ambiguity could have made us wonder more about the character and his weaknesses.


Grade: B