Brawl in Cell Block 99

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An imprisoned drug runner unleashes his violent side to save his wife in . Bradley Thomas () is a violence-prone man, who does drug running for his friend Gil () to support his pregnant wife Lauren (). When a pick-up for a man named Eleazar () goes sour, Bradley finds himself imprisoned. He is quickly visited my a Placid Man () working for Eleazar, who has taken Lauren hostage and demands that Bradley find a way to get transferred to the maximum security Red Leaf Prison, run by Warden Tuggs (), and kill a prisoner in cell block 99.

Director S. Craig Zahler follows up his debut feature Bone Tomahawk with the brutal crime drama Brawl in Cell Block 99. The film introduces the film’s protagonist Bradley Thomas as a man who is fired as a tow truck driver, discovers his wife was seeing someone else, and then proceeds to destroy a car with his bare hands. This establishes the tone for this film, which sets the stage for the first hour, before exploding into some of the most brutal violence seen on screen, which would likely make even the most desensitized viewer squirm.

Brawl in Cell Block 99 is definitely a different type of role for Vince Vaughn, though he does a good job of switching between Bradley’s caring and violent sides. The ultra-violent second half of the film almost plays out like a video game, with Bradley being sent to a new prison or cell block every time he picks a fight with the guards or fellow prisoners, all leading towards the titular brawl in the very medieval looking cell block 99. If you can handle the violence, Brawl in Cell Block 99 is one hell of a ride.

8 / 10 stars
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Sean Patrick Kelly

Sean Patrick Kelly is a Toronto-based freelance film critic and blogger with a Bachelor of Arts in Cinema and Media Studies from York University. Since founding his site in 2004, Sean has shared his passion for cinema through insightful reviews and commentary. His work has also been featured in prominent outlets, including Toronto Film Scene, HuffPost Canada, Screen Anarchy, ScreenRant, and Rue Morgue Magazine.

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