Bradley Thomas is a hard workingman.
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.
(Courtesy of Internet Movie Database)
I don’t quite know how this film got past me, but I did see
BONE TOMAHAWK the director S. Craig Zahler’s first film. In that sense I was familiar with his
style, but not quite ready for the whole BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99 experience.
This film star Vince Vaughn who is usually most known for his comedic roles in
films, but BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99 is no laughing matter. Done in a manner of films
from the 70’s we are taken on a journey that soon unravels on a dark downward
spiral. Some of the elements outside of Vince Vaughn’s acting performance that
make this film so good is the pacing of the film, which gives you a sense of
impending doom as you progress. The other element is the fight scenes in which
you see everything and the fighting is not heightened by quick cuts and editing
tricks. I furthermore also enjoyed the simplistic and straightforward story. So
for BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99 I give it 4 of 5 stars.
