Samuel L. Jackson is the show's producer and he does a lot to keep the movie afloat as its mad villain. He's over-the-top, but still controlled and believable. As cheesy as this movie can get, it feels like he embraces it and just runs with it. Is he really just a mysterious man with ulterior motives? Nah, he just does this pretty much all for the money. He loves money, women, and cheesy one-liners, and he's not going to let anyone make life more complicated than that for him.
Combatants are plucked from the streets from all walks of life, and forced into a life of fighting. Apparently, fighters are bred by endlessly pumping the sounds of dental drills and crying babies into their cells. Well, I can't actually say that wouldn't work, but it still seems a bit unorthodox as motivation. Oh, and sometimes they're waterboarded. Well, whatever, the carnage ensues either way in this movie.
David Lord (Kellan Lutz) is one such person plucked from the streets and forced to fight. Again, motivation here is strange, even after the twist is revealed at the end. Is he fighting because he lost his wife and he's got nothing left to live for? Is he falling in love with his "coach" who found him and is building him up to be the best fighter he can be? Eh, who knows. What really counts in this movie is the gory action. David is forced to fight, and is given the nickname "Death Dealer" (which he's also forced to use). Each fight is staged in a different themed area. So, one arena will have him fighting in a traditional Japanese courtyard while dressed in similarly themed clothing, while another has him fighting in a rough leather outfit in a Mad Max type of apocalyptic setting. And the fights are just brutal. There's wrist snapping, sword slashing, and a lot of pretty impressive martial arts moves. It looks pretty darn good, and the camera does a good job of staying where it needs to, instead of getting way too close, like some action movies are known to do.
The movie is pure cheese, but there seems to be enough awareness about it that it doesn't take itself too seriously. Could it be smarter? Sure. Could it have better rounded characters with more believable motivations? Sure. But this movie is definitely a popcorn flick designed for those moments where everyone just screams "Oh snap!" (or pick your catch phrase). Everything is just good enough to make this action movie rise just above so many movies like it that are so banally offensive and awful that you can't even tolerate them just for the cheese factor. The DVD is bare bones, with no special features, save trailers (which I really don't count as a special feature). I'd say pick it up if you're looking for some action without having to think too hard.
