Undisputed III: Redemption explained

Undisputed III: Redemption
Director:Isaac Florentine
Producer:Israel Ringel
Music:Minos Matsas
Cinematography:Ross W. Clarkson
Editing:Irit Raz
Studio:Nu Image
Distributor:Warner Home Video[1]
Runtime:96 minutes
Country:United States
Language:English
Gross:$285,709

Undisputed III: Redemption is a 2010 American action film directed by Isaac Florentine and starring Scott Adkins, Mykel Shannon Jenkins, Mark Ivanir and Hristo Shopov. It is the sequel to (2007), and the third installment overall in the Undisputed franchise. The movie's events take place several years chronologically after the events Last Man Standing.

Plot

Years after his defeat by George "Iceman" Chambers, Yuri Boyka, now a prison janitor, hears about the Prison Spetz Competition (PSC), an inter-prison fighting tournament offering a chance at early release. Boyka trains privately to recover from his knee injury and challenges the current PSC champion, Vladimir Sykov, defeating him and becoming the Russian representative.

At Gorgon prison in Georgia, Boyka joins a group of international fighters. They face harsh conditions while Colombian fighter Raul "Dolor" Quiñones receives special treatment and drugs. Boyka clashes with American fighter Jericho "Turbo" Jones, but they eventually develop trust and train together. Boyka learns that the tournament is fixed for-profit and confronts the organizers with the help of mob bosses Gaga and Gio Farnatti. Boyka and Turbo advance in the tournament along with Dolor and Brazilian fighter Rodrigo Silva.

Turbo and Boyka are thrown into solitary confinement after a fight but are released due to their managers' influence. Boyka realizes the managers only care about their profit and plans to defeat Dolor. During the semi-finals, Boyka wins against Silva and offers him respect. The organizers arrange for Turbo to be beaten by guards, pushing Boyka to plan an escape. They fight the guards, escape, and Boyka returns to face Dolor alone.

Dolor takes the lead, exploiting Boyka's weak knee. However, Boyka adapts by using a blood-soaked pad as a brace and employs a new fighting style. He defeats Dolor, ruining the managers' bets. Farnatti kills Rezo but is shot by the warden. Boyka is not freed due to Turbo's escape, but Turbo rescues him from execution. They meet Gaga, who reveals he bet on Boyka all along. Boyka and Turbo part ways, vowing to have a future match. Boyka walks towards freedom with the money, while Turbo reveals his real name as Jericho. They part on good terms, and Boyka laughs joyfully.

Release

Theatrical

It was released in the United States on June 1, 2010.

Reception

Box office

The film grossed $282,548 in Lebanon and United Arab Emirates.[2]

Critical response

James Marsh of Screen Anarchy praised Florentine's direction for capturing the "flow and [the] combinations" of the "innovative, exciting and technically groundbreaking battles" and his cast of charismatic action stars, singling out Zaror for having "a natural eye-catching screen quality that's hard to ignore", concluding that: "[A]s someone who normally demands genuine drama from real characters along with his martial arts, I was overpowered, overwhelmed and left battered and bleeding at the total mercy of this movie. Resistance is futile. Undisputed 3: Redemption rules."[3] Bill Gibron of DVD Talk gave note of the film being "simplified cinema set up to achieve certain stock goals", concluding that: "Undisputed III promises nothing more than a series of well filmed beatdowns, and delivers on every account. It might not be rocket science, but it's not Rocky either. Instead of finesse, all we get here is fighting - and that's perfectly fine."[4]

Accolades

Undisputed III won Best Director Award and Best Fight Choreographer in the 2010 edition of ActionFest.[5]

Sequel

See main article: Undisputed (franchise).

According to Movie Cricket, Adkins confirmed that there will be a fourth installment to the Undisputed series. On May 29, 2014, When asked whether there would be an Undisputed 4, Adkins replied, "Yes, it is definitely something we are pursuing. We are working on the script at the moment trying to get all the departments happy with what we are trying to do. It’s taking longer than I want to be honest but you know it is difficult financing these films. In this day and age those type of straight to DVD films don’t make the sort of money they used to make in the 90s/early 2000s. So it is a bit of a precarious business at the moment and that is why it is taking so long but we are definitely all trying to get it going because we appreciate what following that character of Boyka has and you know, I love playing that character and I can’t wait to return to him and we’ve got some good ideas on where to take the character."[6]

Production had begun on in June 2015 with Scott Adkins returning as Boyka. The plot involves the fighter, who is now free, attempting to go as a professional fighter when he accidentally kills someone in the ring. However, to make amends for what he has done, he must engage in a series of fights to save the wife of the man he killed. Shooting was completed in early August 2015 for a 2017 release date.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Undisputed III: Redemption - Financial Information. The Numbers. 23 May 2021. 23 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210523161228/https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Undisputed-III-Redemption#tab=summary. live.
  2. Web site: Undisputed III: Redemption . . . July 6, 2014 . March 4, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304114342/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/intl/?page=&view=bycountry&id=_fUNDISPUTEDIIIRED01 . live .
  3. Web site: Undisputed 3: Redemption Review . Marsh . James . . May 25, 2010 . November 7, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220312023255/https://screenanarchy.com/2010/05/undisputed-3-redemption-review.html . March 12, 2022 . live.
  4. Web site: Undisputed III: Redemption . Gibron . Bill . . August 17, 2010 . November 7, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220312023417/https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/45354/undisputed-iii-redemption/ . March 12, 2022 . live.
  5. Web site: Chuck Norris Passes on Lifetime Achievement Award at ActionFest . Renninger . Bryce J. . . . April 22, 2010 . November 7, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220312024052/https://www.indiewire.com/2010/04/chuck-norris-passes-on-lifetime-achievement-award-at-actionfest-219346/ . March 12, 2022 . live.
  6. Web site: Exclusive! Scott Adkins Confirms 'Boyka: Undisputed 4' . Fletcher, Billy . Movie Cricket . May 29, 2014 . July 6, 2014 . June 2, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140602233250/http://www.moviecricket.com/exclusive-scott-adkins-confirms-boyka-undisputed-4-90605/ . dead .