Riot (2015) Reviews

• Very Entertaining

  kinky_killa_klown_phreak2015-12-30

  I will be short and blunt! This movie is not a blockbuster hit but for what it is it is done quite well. You will see lot's of people criticize it but it has a story which I would rate 6 out of 10. The acting is not the greatest but I love Dolph (4 of 10). The special effects are better than a lot of movies that say they spend more than what this movie cost (6 of 10). The main antagonist and protagonist are both exceptional fighters and the fight scenes are done really well. (7 of 10). All in all it is a decent action movie. If you are looking for the best special effects or acting then you won't like this but if you know you are watching something just for entertainment purposes and not expecting a lot of jazz then this movie is worth watching!

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• Everything's routine about this film, but the Raid-inspired action works nicely

  Leofwine_draca2016-06-12

  PRISON RIOT is another B-movie thriller set in a violent prison, where an undercover cop is gunning for revenge against the crime boss who had his family killed. Although Dolph Lundgren features predominantly on the box art, he's actually playing in support here, with the main role given over to unknown actor Matthew Reese. There's also a third character, played by Danielle Chuchran, who seems to have been added to the mix to bring in some female-on-female action. Inevitably, the plotting and narrative of PRISON RIOT aren't up to much, but the focus is instead on plentiful action sequences. And the good news is that they're pretty good. Gone are the lumbering, slow fights of many a 1990s-era straight-to-VHS fight flick; instead, we get martial arts-themed bouts that have clearly been inspired by the likes of THE RAID. I'm talking multiple opponents and weapons, actors being thrown around the sets, and mucho violence. Things culminate in a large-scale prison riot - as the title would suggest - which doesn't disappoint. Yes, the acting is rather wooden, with only Lundgren bringing some of his trademark charm to the proceedings, but when a film offers up a wealth of hard-hitting action it doesn't matter too much. Given that I'm a massive fan of THE RAID, any film which seeks to imitate that film is okay in my book, and PRISON RIOT hits the mark nicely.

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• Aside from a few sparks, Riot is a prison made from jumbled mess of narrative and choreography, there's not much reason for a visit.

  quincytheodore2015-12-31

  Formula for Riot is simple; put haphazard fight scene in prison, followed by random investigation of corrupt cop, crime syndicate or elaborate conspiracy, then do it all over again for one and half hour. I dislike speaking ill of actors when they are trying to broaden the characters, but the acting involved here is weak. Furthermore, the action sequences can be too timid or exaggerated, sometimes in the span of same few minutes, in exception of a couple of decent performances. If there is a convoluted way to present B-movie, this is it. There are so many interweaving subplots, from the cliché dead wife vengeance angle, the pursuit of dirty cops, sudden undercover agents. At one time there's even the daughter of the villain who strolls from out of nowhere, gives a speech while another subplot happens simultaneously, then leaves. The script looks like every plot from similar movies scrambled together in one joint. Dolph Lundgren plays as a socially awkward inmate who might have shady secrets, however his attempt to portray a more simple man is very bland. It like seeing a giant pretending he's shy even though he towers above practically everyone. Meanwhile, Chuck Liddell delivers one of the most unconvincing villains in recent years. He seems emotionally detached and the odd accent doesn't help much either. Action scene, where all the hope lies, is unstable. Some extras either look confused or overly zealous. At one point some civilians would act ridiculous hammy then running to the wrong way, the next moment there's a guard who is hit by a punch and does somersault to sell the move. Fight scene can look good, but it's mostly the actors doing slow choreography and the usual punching the air motion. The good points here are the main lead Matthew Reese, who looks like a proper action star. He presents the better action scenes which is a level above the rest. The other most notable performance is surprisingly Danielle Chuchran as supporting female. Her role is simple, but she does more heavy lifting than most actors here, doing decent fight scenes as well as average Mission Impossible espionage stuff. The movie is a spectacle as noisy and messy as the title suggests. Aside from one or two good instances, this jumbled mess of narrative and choreography is not an appealing case for a visit.

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• A riot, this movie is... NOT

  Seth_Rogue_One2016-02-06

  A pretty bad movie that I decided to watch because I enjoyed Dolph Lundgren in 'ONE IN THE CHAMBER (2012)' and I also enjoy prison movies so despite the low rating I thought to myself: why not? But despite the fact that Dolph Lundgren's face covers about 80% of the poster for the first half of the movie he is so far from being the lead, heck for the first 27 minutes he doesn't even have any lines and is limited to just sweeping the floors (literally with a broom). I expected him the Russian kingpin, but nope he plays a mysterious quiet inmate with janitorial duties. The kingpin is played by Chuck Lidell who for the record is on the poster, and I guess that's okay cause he is the actual bad guy of the movie but the main 'hero' of the movie is not even on it, played by Matthew Reese. So yeah anyways even if you look aside all that it's a pretty boring movie, we've seen it all before but usually a lot more exciting. They manage to throw in a even more so boring sub-plot about a news reporter on the outside as well and one about a female prisoner in the female department of the prison which feels like it was added just because it wouldn't be a long enough movie focusing on just Reese, Lidell and (ocassionally) Lundgren in all honesty. All in all wooden acting by pretty much everyone doesn't help... Makes 'VENDETTA (2015)' with Dean Cain and The Big Show look like a prison- movie classic in comparison.

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• Simple but yet enjoyable.

  stusinec2016-01-03

  I liked this movie from start to end. There is no special depth to the plot but for an action movie it was quite good. There were no unrealistic scenarios, not much exaggeration (some but not in the way where you would just stop watching) in fight scenes and no unrealistic "taking over the prison" stuff, it was plain and simple and what's better, it was believable. I really like the part Dolph Lundgren played in this movie and he played his character really well from the beginning. Although Matthew Reese is a leading actor and main protagonist in this movie (and he played the part quite well), Dolph Lundgren's performance and character left more impression on me while i was watching it. Give this movie a chance, and I think you'll like it.

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