In Hell

Rating:
Summary: This is a Van Damme movie???
Review: Let's face it, Van Damme has dished out some rather campy movies in the past 7 or so years. However, there seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel thanks to this movie, along with the recent "Wake of Death."

"In Hell" is a raw and darker film than his normal material. Don't expect his stamped karate moves, because it doesn't take place during this flick. Instead, we are treated with gritty, no-holds barred rumbles.

To top it off, Van Damme begins to show signs of some acting depth. I'm not talking Oscar winner, but for Damme, this is probably the best work he has done that provides a sense of substance to his character.

A moment or two of akward cheesy-ness appears, but doesn't hamper the overall experience of the movie at all. Even if you are not a Van Damme fan, like I "once" was, you should give this flick a shot. Don't expect a masterpiece and I believe you will be surprisingly surprised.

Rating:
Summary: From the director of PRISON ON FIRE 1 & 2.
Review: I wrote off Jean-Claude years ago as a has been, but after seeing his impressive performance in IN HELL I might have to reevaluate The Muscles from Brussels.

Director Ringo Lam who's visited the prison genre twice before with the two classic PRISON ON FIRE films this time has Jean-Claude Van Damme as a steelworker in Bulgaria who is sentenced to life in prison without parole for avenging his wife's murder.

Mild mannered at first - you can tell by the way his shirt completely covers his muscles - Jean-Claude is eventually taken to the breaking point and forced to wear tank tops and release some Van Dammage on the crooked guards who pimp out the prettier prisoners and also run an illegal death match fighting league between some of the more bloodthirsty prisoners.

The fighting, not to mention that there's also a good story, is what really sets this movie apart from most Van Damme movies. There's no flying and spinning around like a helicopter or exploding a stack of bricks with your big toe here. Its all gritty realistic bloody knuckle street fighting. The best example of that is at one point where Van Damme looks lost and has to turn around twice before he notices his opponent laying on the ground behind him. Anybody who's been in a real fight knows how easy it is to get disoriented.

If Van Damme made more films like this he might get back in the movie theaters.

Rating:
Summary: Watch and learn from this prison survival video
Review: Justice in the criminal justice system? What is that but empty talk in the real world? IN HELL shows how an innocent man who honorably slays his wife's murderer finds himself brutally thrown into prison where he learns how to survive in the harsh system. No macho Van Damme kickboxing here, but a portrayal of his progressive instincts in an environment of hate. A true portrayal of life in today's world that is infected by faulty institutions who jail innocent men, and corrupt power brokers who run them.



Rating:
Summary: Descent Van Damme film worth watch for fans.
Review: This movie suprized me alittle bit, i thought that it wouldn't be that good but it turned out to be a descent film.

The movie starts off with Van Damme living a good life. He has a wife and a nice job. But soon everything starts to turn.

He calls his wife tells her hes coming home, but before he can come home she is attacked and killed by a thug. Then Van Damme races home to see her dead and catches the thug running off. tThey eventually catch the thug but free him of charges and thats when Van Damme takes matters into his own hands, its pretty funny, he just up and kills the guy.

So he his sentenced to life and prison and taken to a isloated location, but he doesnt realize they have fights there and he fights for the guards enjoyment.

I wont spoil this film to bad but it turns out to be a good film. But its very violent, i wouldnt recommend it to kids or anyone who doesn't like that stuff (Good thing im 18 but i was 16 when i watches this) 3 starts, descent film, descent story, descent Van Damme.

Rating:
Summary: the name says it all
Review: this movie is one of the 3 ~worst~ movies I've ever seen.
these 98 minutes seemed more like 6 hours.

and for chrissake - he's NOT an american!

Rating:
Summary: Better than average Jean Claude van Damme film
Review: I agree with the majority of reviewers here. This movie did surprise me, as I suspected it would be another cookie-cutter JCvD film. However, it manages to add some character development and actually attempt some creative storyline.

Of course, I don't mean creative storyline like "Chinatown" or "Lord of the Rings" - I mean like the better episodes of "Walker Texas Ranger." The plot is a mix-match of two other prison movies: "Midnight Express" and "Triumph of the Spirit." The film even borrows the annoying transvestite from "Triumph." Yet despite the obvious plot-theft I could still watch the movie with some amusement. An hour in it stops being an excuse to have JCvD kick people in the heiney and actually starts developing the storyline and its characters, and there were a few moments that I thought were clever. And it has Jean say something I thought I would never hear him say in a movie...

"I won't fight any more!"

The minute Jean Claude van Damme says that in a movie, you know you're in for something different.

Like I said, it's not exactly the most original prison film out there, but it's worth a one-time viewing.

Rating:
Summary: I'll have to see the last of it when hubby's gone hunting
Review: I knew that Jean Claude Van Damn had created some pretty-boy kickboxing movies a decade ago. When my husband was interested in watching "In Hell", I wasn't enthusiastic about it. Wow, did our roles reverse. He was soon bored. I, on the other hand, had realized that when you scratched beneath the surface, there was a whole lot more to this film than realistic prison violence. My redneck husband is also the "Keeper of the Remote" and it wasn't long before he was surfing other cable channels. <sigh>

I must buy it! 3-Star rating because I only watched the first half but I'm hopeful that it ends up with a 4-star or above!

Way-to-go Jean Claude!
KDi