Review of Undisputed (2002) by Russ B — 31 Jan 2015

Writer/Director Walter Hill has a funny quote about his film, "Some say Hollywood movies that are made about boxing are just metaphors for other things, I think I've made one that's actually about boxing and not a metaphor.

" And it's the films' unpretentious, stripped down luddite approach that's it's real charm. Wesley Snipes plays the prison boxing champion Monroe "Undisputed" Hutchens when a Mike Tyson-like world heavyweight champion, Ving Rhames, is sent to the same prison over a Robin Givens-like incident.

Rhames is great as the full-of-himself arrogant George "Iceman" Chambers, but the best performance in the film belongs to Peter Falk as aging mafia boss Mendy Ripstein. Ripstein's mind is starting to fail him, but his mind is sharp as a tack when it comes to boxing and using his influence arranges for a secret boxing match between the two champions fighting under London Prize Ring Rules, which predated the Queensberry rules.

The film follows the simple formula of Rhames as the loudmouth bad guy and Snipes as the tightlipped underdog hero of the prison, all building to the climactic boxing match. There's nothing terribly original about this story, but Walter Hill does this sort of stripped down action film better than anyone and Rhames, Snipes and particularly Falk bring an amount of gravitas to the film that really do make this film something special for fans of boxing pictures.

The colorful supporting cast includes Michael Rooker, Wes Studi, Fisher Stevens, Ed Lover, Master P and Peter Jason. There has been two sequels made to this film, which maybe makes me think that this film may actually have the fan base that it deserves.