In Hell (2003)

Disclaimer: If you are a viewer that mainly prefers art-house-type movies, then you might as well ignore this review. In addition, if you're not able to take a prison style action solid Van Damme movie, ignore this review, as well. We'll both be better off.In Hell (2003) is my favorite Jean-Claude Van Damme prison style movie that I really love so much. I love Death Warrant so much and this is the second prison movie Jean-Claude Van Damme started. In Death Warrant he was undercover cop working in US prison, this time he is an US worker in a Russia who goes in prison, innocent and wrongfully convicted for a killing a man who killed his wife, now in prison he has to fight with fist fights knuckles to survive. This movie is completely different than any Prison movie. Everyone knows by now that I love prison movies and I seriously love In Hell. Prison Break (2005) TV Series is still my favorite TV show of all time and the first season in my opinion is Van Damme's Death Warrant. The Third Season of Prison Break is Van Damme's In Hell. This is actually the third collaboration that Van Damme worked with Chinese director Ringo Lam. Jean-Claude Van Damme did a solid performance in this movie and he acted pretty well. I think this movie is Very solid Jean-Claude Van Damme movie, terrific acting by Van Damme! Plot: Kyle LeBlanc (JCVD) must survive a prison where hardened criminals battle to the death for the wardens' entertainment.The Order, Replicant, Wake of Death and this movie In Hell are my favorite Direct to Video Van Damme movies. I like and I love them. This is a different movie from Van Damme, I am been a huge Van Damme films fan, like are Hard Target, Bloodsport, Kickboxer, Cyborg, Death Warrant, Lionheart, Universal Soldier, Timecop and Maximum Risk. Van Damme always wanted to do a different things, grew up like an actor, this was after he made Replicant with Ringo Lam and he worked so well, that he decided to work again in another solid movie. This is a good prison film, it is that kind of prison film that, you kind a get this clichés, evil guards, the evil warden, or this General because this is in Russia. Where Van Damme works in a steel meal and his wife is attacked while he is talking on the phone races to get home, he finds his wife murdered and than he chases and catches the attacker, he get's away, but later arrested. The guy get's away, because the judge was bought, Van Damme shoot's the guy right there in the court of law, pretty much and he gets sentenced too life in prisonment in Russian Prison. Pretty much is happening in prison than.Two words about this movie; great and underrated. One of the best Van Damme films and performances. I like Ringo Lam's other Van Damme film Maximum Risk and Replicant but I will say that In Hell is without a doubt much better (not saying that Maximum Risk and Replicant is bad movie in any way), while Replicant is my favorite of the three. Too bad that Van Damme and Lam didn't do more movies together because they worked great as director/actor team. In Hell is one of those Van Damme films that should have had theatrical release, but like any other good movie it unfortunately got nothing. I always consider it to be more of a drama than action, there is some good and brutal action in it but movie had lot more sad and emotional scenes, which really helped it. And that's mostly thanks to good actors and script. I enjoy this prison film. Jean Claude-Van Damme doesn't do much kicking, but I felt the fight scenes was realistic and bloody. The story isn't new, but it works fine. I think Damme did a pretty good acting job.In this movie the action, the prison scene was really realistic, I really love this movie. Van Damme doesn't do much of a kicking but, his splits and martial arts were really old, so Van Damme tried something new which it worked and I like it. I always wondered my self what a movie would be like if Van Damme did a drama. And when In Hell was made it was one of those movies, that showed his acting ability. I thought his acting wasn't bad before but with action movies you don't have to rely on your acting abilities as much. He has had a few previous films with more acting but In Hell was the first film of his that had emotion to it. And I was blown away by his acting. Before Until Death and JCVD came out and people said he couldn't act, I referred them to this movie. He does no signature moves at all but that's a good thing.Overall I have enjoyed this movie so much and get's a solid 10 by me, I love the realistic prison Van Damme movie. I love Jean-Claude Van Damme and I do care what is happening to the actor.In Hell is a 2003 action crime drama directed by Ringo Lam and stars Jean-Claude Van Damme as Kyle LeBlanc, an American working in Russia who takes revenge on the criminal named Kolvic, who killed his wife and subsequently finds himself in a Russian prison. 10/10 Grade: Bad Ass Seal Of Approval Studio: 777 Films Corporation Millennium Films Nu Image, Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Lawrence Taylor, Marnie Alton, Malakai Davidson, Billy Rieck,Robert LaSardo Director: Ringo Lam Producers: Danny Lerner, John Thompson, David Varod Screenplay: Eric James Virgets, Jorge Alvarez, Steve Latshaw, Les Weldon Rated: R Running Time: 1 Hr. 38 Mins. Budget: $17.000.000 Box Office: $24,730,700

considering the van damme movie to come out before this was the rubbish 'derailed', people wasn't exactly looking forward to this ringo lam action drama, but it now only offered a cracking piece of brutal fighting action, it also showed that van damme was capable of a good performance way before 'jcvd' and 'until death', in fact i think his best performance of alltime is 2004's 'wake of death', i also think thats the best movie hes ever made, but this is a close second. now van damme actually shows some emotion here, and its easy to feel sorry for him, and you certainly don't think he can beat up anybody in the prison, not at all, in fact most the fights he has in this, are real challenges, and because he isn't using martial arts in this the movie has a realism that packs a punch. all in all a very well made, but dark and grim action drama, that i highyl recommend to fans of both action flicks and van damme

IN HELL has an extremely familiar plot. Man has girlfriend/wife murdered/raped, the law fails him, he kills the murderer/rapist and is thrown into a jail full of sodomites, sadists and thugs, all presided over by evil prison guards.The acting is extremely unconvincing, especially that of the other American who turns up in prison. The script is predictable beyond belief. JCVD actually begins the film by promising his wife, who wants to go back home to the USA, that not only will they do that but that he has also booked them a holiday. Her prompt rape and murder by a greasy looking foreigner was practically inevitable after that.The film is clearly trying to be a little bit more than another exploitation flick made in Eastern Europe, throwing in a few psychological elements and one or two interesting shots. Clearly someone felt they could do more than make another JCVD film. Sadly they failed and the film is the usual mix of brutal violence, cliché and poor acting. No matter how much fast editing they do, it can't disguise the paucity of quality on display.

An American is sent to Kraviva prison for shooting a cold-blooded killer who got off for the murder of his beloved wife. Once there, he must somehow survive the prison's rough environs, withstanding the ruffians which live within it's walls and the constant strife brought on by the sadistic guards who run the place. Along the way, he loses himself, his soul, adapting to the harsh confines by becoming an aggressive, heartless fighter, bludgeoning and destroying his foes, to the delight of the warden who makes big money on the victors. Ringo Lam's In Hell is a bleak, ugly, dreary prison drama which unflinchingly shows an Oz-like hellhole where the weak are swallowed whole and that only the strong survive. Lawrence Taylor has a big role as 451, the film's narrative voice, whose notoriety derives from killing those who have shared a cell with him. Jean-Claude Van DAMME is Kyle LeBlanc, the unlucky soul who finds himself trapped in the prison, becoming a constant source of torment, often caged in "the hole", a drab, damp, hostile place where he hears the moans of agony from another in the next cell, chosen as a punching bag, eventually getting his revenge thanks to his alliance with 451. Put together in a cell(..it's on purpose in the hopes that 541 would kill LeBlanc), they form an unusual friendship. LeBlanc trains and evolves into a violent fighter, able to exact severe punishment to the prison uglies pitted up against. He becomes a favorite and money-maker for the warden, but when a young American friend is constantly raped, and eventually murdered, LeBlanc takes a stand, and the prisoners respond to his resolve. Not wanting a martyr, the warden and his men plan to manipulate LeBlanc into one last fight, with a goal to shoot him afterward..but 451 has other plans. Marnie Alton is Grey, LeBlanc's wife, viciously assaulted, her spirit returning to comfort him as he deals with the everyday struggle to maintain his integrity. While you have prison fights, In Hell actually has meat on it's bones and is deadly serious in tone, the setting is anything but sunny and fun.