Undisputed II: Last Man Standing
| Undisputed II: Last Man Standing | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Isaac Florentine |
| Written by | James Townsend David N. White |
| Produced by | Boaz Davidson Lati Grobman Kevin Kasha Avi Lerner Trevor Short John Thompson David Varod |
| Starring | Michael Jai White Scott Adkins Eli Danker Ben Cross |
| Cinematography | Ross W. Clarkson |
| Edited by | Irit Raz |
| Music by | Stephen Edwards |
| Distributed by | New Line Cinema |
Release dates |  April 11, 2006 January 16, 2007 |
Running time | 98 minutes |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $8,000,000 |
Undisputed II: Last Man Standing is a 2006 direct-to-video sequel to the 2002 action film Undisputed. The film stars Michael Jai White, Scott Adkins, Eli Danker, and Ben Cross, and was directed by Isaac Florentine. This film doesn't feature any of the cast members of the first film, which includes, Wesley Snipes and Ving Rhames.
Plot
Visiting the Russian Federation for a series of boxing matches, George "Iceman" Chambers is subsequently framed for possession of Heroin and sent to prison. There, he discovers a series of illegal full-contact Mixed Martial Arts matches dominated by inmate Uri Boyka. The prison officials arrange these fights and place large side-bets to make a personal profit, often at the expense of the fighters.
Once inside, the warden and legal adviser for Chambers state that if he fights Yuri in the ring, he will likely get an expedited appeal and early release. He initially refuses, but after spending time in demeaning physical labor in the prison's sewer system and experiencing firsthand the brutality of the guards, he reluctantly agrees. He is rescued from both forms of humiliation by a crippled inmate, Crot (Eli Danker). Both fighters train hard for the match, though Chambers still relies on his boxing background while Boyka prepares a series of deadly kicks, throws, and grappling combinations designed to humiliate his opponent in the ring.
Prior to the fight however, the warden and government officials make a quiet pact to ensure that Chambers will lose, arranging a deal with his crooked corner and manager to spike his water with a light sedative.
During the fight, Chambers is somewhat taken by surprise at the flurry and variety of Boyka's attacks, but manages to hold his own through the first two rounds by keeping his distance, staying calm, and dealing out painful punching combinations whenever possible. As the fight progresses, Chambers begins using pushes and shoves to keep Boyka away. At the end of the second round, his corner slips the drugged water into Chambers' mouth and he takes a few sips. During the third round, he starts to lose his focus and begins taking more and more punishment until Boyka knocks him out with a devastating flying kick.
After the fight, both fighters are outraged at the outcome, though for different reasons. Boyka is distraught because he believes himself to be the first practitioner of the "ultimate fighting form," and he is dismayed that the supervising officials threw the match. Feeling confident in his own abilities, he immediately seeks out Chambers for clean rematch as a matter of pride. Similarly, when Chambers discovers that the fight was rigged (and his deal is off), he asks for a rematch as well mainly to ensure his release. He makes a bet that he can defeat Boyka to win his freedom, though the officials also offer a substantial cash incentive to make sure that Chambers trains hard.
Realizing that his corner was crooked, Chambers seeks help from Crot, who then reveals that he helped train Boyka in his fighting style. Crot is actually a former soldier and martial arts expert who committed murder in order to protect his family. However, he feels this guilt so acutely, as well as a feeling of alienation from his family, that he has resigned himself to permanent confinement. Even so, his desire to see justice for both Chambers and Boyka inspires him to reeducate Chambers in mixed martial arts techniques. Working together, the two practice grapples, holds, and kicks which stretch Chambers' abilities. As the training continues and Chambers improves, the two begin to form a bond and relate their individual philosophy of fighting. Chambers begins to extend his mental discipline from the ring into his private life, while Crot begins catching some of Chambers' ambition, specifically and narrow and slim hope that he might one day be released and reconcile with his family.
Near the end of the training, Crot teaches Chambers a devious leg Joint lock designed to end the fight. He somberly instructs Chambers to use it to its full effectiveness if he gets the opportunity. Since Boyka enjoys brutalizing his opponents and other inmates with a passion that borderlines on sadism, and his mixture of personal pride and high tolerance for pain make it unlikely that he will submit, Crot instructs Chambers not to hesitate and to break Boyka's leg to end the fight if he gets the chance. Chambers agrees, but privately believes that he can fight Boyka to a knock-out.
Once the fight begins it is apparent to all the viewers that the combatants are much more evenly matched and Chambers is much more impressive in his style. The fight is long and intense, with flurries of combinations, grapples, and throws traded between the two. Eventually, Chambers realizes that Boyka will not lose consciousness, will not submit, and will likely knock him out if the fight goes on too long. Chambers alters his strategy and manages to get Boyka in the joint lock and ends the fight by breaking Boyka's leg, proving that he is the undisputed new champion of the prison.
Shortly thereafter, Chambers is released from prison and uses his winnings to buy Crot's freedom as well. In a final scene, he wheels Crot, who is now cleaned up and in possession of several gifts, to a train station to meet with his estranged family in a happy reunion. Crot thanks Chambers for giving him the remainder of the winnings to start his life again, while Chambers expresses his gratitude for the help and training. Crot then meets with his niece and the two embrace for the first time in over twenty years.
Cast
- Michael Jai White – George Chambers
- Scott Adkins – Uri Boyka
- Eli Danker – Crot/Nikolai
- Violeta Markovska – Crot's niece
Visual Effects
- Shero Rauf – digital effects artist