It’s Just A Movie

The Condemned is a new entry in the Box Office this week - but not any kind of new entry, a top ten one. So, if you are (and only if you are) into violent action movies, into shooting scenes, fire explosions, kicks, cut throats and that whole package, you could add this movie on your “must-see list”.

There isn’t much to tell about the story of the movie: ten convicted murderers are placed on an island (yes, just like “Survivor”) and beat up and kill each other until the last one, who is released. And all this is an actual reality show (yes, once again, like “Survivor”, except the killing part). What else? Well, nothing else about the story, just continuous violent action scenes and a lot of wrestling - so much that we could actually think that the movie was simply targeted to actual wrestlers. The tagline pretty much says it all: “10 will fight. 9 will die. You get to watch.” Catchy, right?

If you go and see this movie, you will be impressed - not by an excellent scenery, nor by good acting (well, maybe with the exception of the tough Vinnie Jones), nor by a great directing - but by the wide range of fighting (or, better said, killing) techniques that the players use, together with the variety of their weapons that start from ropes and chains and end with guns and knives. Yes, that is the highlight of the movie, so don’t expect more.

Is it brutal? Yes. Is it cruel? Yes. Is it ruthless? Yes. Is it tough? Obviously, yes. Does that mean that the movie is actually good? Well, no, it simply means that it is a violent, even overly-violent action movie.