Brawl in Block Cell Block 99, 2017.
Written and Directed by S. Craig Zahler.
Starring Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Carpenter, Udo Kier, Don Johnson, and Marc Blucas.
SYNOPSIS:
A former boxer-turned-drug runner lands in a prison battleground after a deal gets deadly.
Shortly after being laid off from his position as an auto mechanic, Bradley comes home (American flag proudly waived out front) where his wife Laureen confesses that she has been having an affair for a few months. The film has an 18-months later flash forward that heals the wounds, never once again referencing their marital woes, but the dilemma does serve a purpose. The disappointing news sends Bradley into a fit of rage destroying his wife’s car, ripping off the entire hood and tossing it into the street, among other brutish displays of strength, as if writer/director S. Craig Zahler (whose first feature film was last year’s unique character-driven blend of western and cannibalistic horror Bone Tomahawk) is directly addressing audience skepticism of Vince Vaughn sellable as a hulking badass of simmering anger capable of delivering one-liners with a southern drawl right before obliterating an enemy in hand-to-hand combat.
Vince Vaughn is nothing short of incredible in the radically against type role (following in the wake of other serious performances in the second season of True Detective and last year’s Hacksaw Ridge) and the beating heart of Brawl in Block Cell Block 99. Also, this is not just because he is completely believable cracking bones and tanking body or face blows only to come back firing with impactful punches of his own. Much like the aforementioned Bone Tomahawk, Zahler’s approach is highly character driven, making for grindhouse genre fare with emotional tissue. Unfortunately, the filmmaker once again goes a bit too far down this road, dragging out the length of the film in the process with unnecessary scenes here and there, including briefly but pointlessly shifting perspective away from Bradley.
I don’t want to sound like the person screaming “GET TO THE PRISON FIGHTING ALREADY!”, but some overly detailed moments of life incarcerated (and even the preceding period of happy times outside) are superfluous. However, there are others that do a wonderful job of establishing a moral compass for Bradley, in turn making his quest for redemption easy to digest. Although he is acting as a drug courier for a long time friend, when a transaction goes wrong with a new group of buyers, he helps the police take down the criminals, effectively surrendering and accepting his fate. So, when his wife is abducted and threatened to have the couple’s unborn child’s limbs clipped off from INSIDE THE WOMB by a sick-in-the-head Korean abortionist, unless Bradley can up his bad behavior to the psychopathic levels that warrant being transferred to cell block 99 where he can carry out an assassination to secure the safety of his family, well yes, it’s a gloriously desirable thing to see Vince Vaughn crunch the bones of inmates and guards alike.
This should go without saying, but the graphic violence in Brawl in Cell Block 99 is off the charts. Zahler pulls no punches with how dark and demented he is willing to take the story, while Vaughn punches and stomps with mightier rage. Brawl in Cell Block 99 is not for moviegoers with a weak stomach, as Bradley has a tendency to visibly snap bones and forcefully crush faces under his enormous feet. The combat itself might feel sluggish to some, but it’s more like the Batman Arkham video games, except far more brutal. It’s up to you whether or not this makes Vince Vaughn a version of Batman without the trademark cape and cowl. Said brawls are also wide shot with crystalized focus and often utilize no cuts; it’s impressive stuff. With that said, it feels like the movie is missing or could have used one more fight somewhere.
The script also does a fantastic job at giving Bradley a rich backstory without diving into needless exposition. It’s mentioned that he was a former boxer who didn’t actually enjoy fighting, we witness glimpses of a strong friendship with his seemingly lifelong drug dealing buddy, and more. Combined with the brooding and stoically subdued, almost exclusively physical showing (dramatic lines are delivered on key although he still gets to show a wiseass side) and unrecognizable physical transformation (shaven bald with a large crossed inked onto the back of his head), this is far and away the performance of his career. Supporting players like Don Johnson as a cruel warden also adds to the unsavory atmosphere (cell block 99 is a dark and harsh place resembling a catacomb hell).
Zahler is still growing as a filmmaker (he hopefully will learn that more isn’t always better) and on the cusp of crafting a truly great piece. Until then, enjoy this gruesome work of character-driven brutality that is Brawl in Cell Block 99. Hopefully, his next project will receive a much wider release, as his style is refreshing and deserves to be taste-tested by as many moviegoers as possible. He is a director to eagerly watch.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, friend me on Facebook, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
