Scorpion

Starring:Tonny Tulleners, Don Murray, Robert Logan, Allen Williams, Kathryn Daley, Ross Elliott, John Anderson, Bart Braverman, Tom McFadden, Billy Hayes, Adam Pearson (III), Ari Barak, Adam Ageli, John Lazar, Pamela Jean Bryant, Lisa Pontrelli, Joseph Whipp, Stephen Riead, Thomas Riead, Jack Lightsy
Director: William Riead
Studio: Wea Corp
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

The Mummy Collection
Great collection and great packaging.
The Movies I love , but the boxset.............no so great
LOVE the Mummy!
Mummy Collector's Set

The Mummy Collector's Set (The Mummy (1999)/ The Mummy Returns/ The Scorpion King)
Starring: Brendon Fraser , Arnold Vosloo , and The Rock
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000ASATYY
Release Date: 2005-11-29

Product Description

The Mummy (1999)
Deep in the Egyptian desert, a handful of people searching for a long-lost treasure have just unearthed a 3,000 year old legacy of terror. Combining the thrills of a rousing adventure with the suspense of Universal s legendary 1932 horror classic, The Mummy, starring Brendan Fraser, is a true nonstop action epic, filled with dazzling visual effects, top-notch talent and superb storytelling.
Running Time: 125 Min
RATING: PG-13

The Mummy Returns
The year s biggest action-adventure is coming home with a vengeance! Brendan Fraser and an all-star cast reunite with Stephen Sommers for explosive, non-stop thrills in the ultimate rollercoaster movie ride! (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

An ancient legacy of terror is unleashed when the accursed mummy, Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), is resurrected along with a force even more powerful: The Scorpion King (The Rock). Now, as the fate of all mankind hangs in the balance, Rick O Connell (Fraser) and his wife Evie (Rachel Weisz) embark on a daring, desperate race to save their son and the world from unspeakable evil. Supercharged with pulse-pounding action and spectacular special effects that ll blow you away, The Mummy Returns is the best adventure movie of the year! (MTV Radio)
Running Time: 130 Min
RATING: PG-13

The Scorpion King
Adventure rules! As the spectacular Mummy series explodes into a new realm of breathtaking, non-stop action in The Scorpion King! Unleashing WWE superstar The Rock as the most feared warrior of the ancient world, The Scorpion King plunges you into a sweeping tale filled with stunning fight sequences, awe-inspiring battles and pulse-pounding thrills. It s the ultimate special effects-powered epic and the must-see-and-see again adventure of the year!
Running Time: 92 Min
RATING: PG-13

System Requirements:

Running Time 347 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

The Mummy
If you're expecting bandaged-wrapped corpses and a lurching Boris Karloff-type villain, then you've come to the wrong movie. But if outrageous effects, a hunky hero, and some hearty laughs are what you're looking for, the 1999 version of The Mummy is spectacularly good fun. Yes, the critics called it "hokey," "cheesy," and "pallid." Well, the critics are unjust. Granted, the plot tends to stray, the acting is a bit of a stretch, and the characters occasionally slip into cliché, but who cares? When that action gets going, hold tight--those two hours just fly by.

The premise of the movie isn't that far off from the original. Egyptologist and general mess Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) discovers a map to the lost city of Hamunaptra, and so she hires rogue Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) to lead her there. Once there, Evelyn accidentally unlocks the tomb of Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), a man who had been buried alive a couple of millennia ago with flesh-eating bugs as punishment for sleeping with the pharaoh's girlfriend. The ancient mummy is revived, and he is determined to bring his old love back to life, which of course means much mayhem (including the unleashing of the 10 plagues) and human sacrifice. Despite the rather gory premise, this movie is fairly tame in terms of violence; most of the magic and surprise come from the special effects, which are glorious to watch, although Imhotep, before being fully reconstituted, is, as one explorer puts it, rather "juicy." Keep in mind this film is as much comedy as it is adventure--those looking for a straightforward horror pic will be disappointed. But for those who want good old-fashioned eye-candy kind of fun, The Mummy ranks as one of choicest flicks of 1999. --Jenny Brown

The Mummy Returns
Proving that bigger is rarely better, The Mummy Returns serves up so much action and so many computer-generated effects that it quickly grows exhausting. In his zeal to establish a lucrative franchise, writer-director Stephen Sommers dispenses with such trivial matters as character development and plot logic, and charges headlong into an almost random buffet of minimum story and maximum mayhem, beginning with a prologue establishing the ominous fate of the Scorpion King (played by World Wrestling Federation star the Rock, in a cameo teaser for his later starring role in--you guessed it--The Scorpion King). Dormant for 5,000 years, under control of the Egyptian god Anubis, the Scorpion King will rise again in 1933, which is where we find The Mummy's returning heroes Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, now married and scouring Egyptian ruins with their 8-year-old son, Alex (Freddie Boath).

John Hannah (as Weisz's brother) and Oded Fehr (as mystical warrior Ardeth Bay) also return from The Mummy, and trouble begins when Alex dons the Scorpion King's ancient bracelet, coveted by the evil mummy Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), who's been revived by... oh, but does any of this matter? With a plot so disposable that it's impossible to care about anything that happens, The Mummy Returns is best enjoyed as an intermittently amusing and physically impressive monument of Hollywood machinery, with gorgeous sets that scream for a better showcase, and digital trickery that tops its predecessor in ambition, if not in payoff. By the time our heroes encounter a hoard of ravenous pygmy mummies, you'll probably enjoy this movie in spite of itself. --Jeff Shannon

The Scorpion King
There's nothing original in The Scorpion King, but this derivative action franchise gets off to a rousing start by cleverly stealing from a lot of better movies. Capitalizing on his brief cameo in The Mummy Returns, Dwayne Johnson (a.k.a. World Wrestling Federation star the Rock) stars as Mathayus, an Akkadian assassin in the age preceding Egyptian pharaohs, who vows to avenge his brother's murder by an undefeated warlord (Steven Brand) prophesied to become the desert-ruling Scorpion King. Their battle for supremacy comprises most of the film's brisk 95-minute running time, punctuated by comic relief from Mathayus's obligatory sidekick (Grant Heslov), romance with a beautiful sorceress (Kelly Hu), and alliance with a massive Nubian (Michael Clarke Duncan) on the eve of their climactic showdown. There's no rhyme or reason to the film's depiction of ancient civilization (the costuming is particularly ludicrous), but the Rock demonstrates adequate action-star potential, and director Chuck Russell (The Mask) wraps it all in a slick, professional package. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

The Mummy Collection.......2007-06-27

I bought this for my dad for fathers day. He is a fan of the Mummy movies and for 15 it is a great deal.

Great collection and great packaging........2007-06-04

I love the collection of movies or I would not have purchased them to begin with, but I equally love the way that this set comes packaged. All three discs are in the one case...not three seperate cases to take up unwanted space, and you can still clearly see the titles to all three discs.
If you have never seen the movies in this collection then I would have to say that if you like stories about Egypt, fiction or not, and you liek action, then this set is worth your time. It is action packed, great visual effects, good acting for the most part, and the storylines are good.
It is worth the price!

The Movies I love , but the boxset.............no so great.......2007-06-01

I love the Mummy and the Mummy returns. It has always been a favourite of mine but when i recieve it. It was Okay. The boxset was so cheap made. If the Box was made better, it would've been Okay. No wonder it was so cheap.

The Mummy is a collecter's edition with heaps of special features. I liked that about it, I do reccommend it to people that don't care how the boxset looks. but love the Movies.
Overall, I loved the movies at a great price.

LOVE the Mummy!.......2007-05-17

Well, I love watchin Brandon Fraiser....what a hottie! Anyway, this is a GREAT deal! You can't beat it! You get all 3 of these movies for under $15! How awesome. If you tried to buy these somewhere else, it would cost you at least over $25 or more.

These movies are a must have!

Mummy Collector's Set.......2007-05-16

We received our Set so quickly and love the fact that it is 3 DVD's in one case. So convenient for storing. They were in great condition!!!

Average customer rating:

Excellent Movie
HD IS EXCELLENT!
Continuation of The Mummy
HD-DVD shines in The Mummy Returns
HD review

The Mummy Returns [HD DVD]
Starring: Alun Armstrong , Brendan Fraser , Arnold Vosloo , John Hannah , and Patricia Velasquez
Director: Stephen Sommers
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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Comic Action | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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The Mummy [HD DVD]
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ASIN: B000KN7BIG
Release Date: 2007-01-16

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Movie.......2007-06-22

Excellent idea that probably came from the 1950's attempts to put this kind of movie together. However, our era's special effects makes this movie work wonderfully. Story is pretty good. There are some bumps in the telling of the story, but it all evens out. Good action sequences. Some of the characters you wish were smarter, but overall good job. I have watched it several times and will again in the future.

HD IS EXCELLENT!.......2007-05-21

This is a good movie and to add HD makes it even better. The clarity and sound is outstanding. HD is the best thing that has happened to movies in years.

Continuation of The Mummy.......2007-04-28

The sequel to the movie The Mummy. The story is set in 1933, approximately 9 years after the events of the first film. Rick O'Connell is now married to Evelyn and the couple has settled in London, where they are raising their 8-year-old son Alex. The corpse of Imhotep is resurrected in the British Museum, and Imhotep returns to the world again determined to gain immortality. Although, this time another force has also been set loose in the world... a creature of the darkest rituals of ancient Egyptian mysticism, who is even more powerful than Imhotep. When these two forces clash, the fate of the world will hang in the balance, sending the O'Connells on a desperate race to save the world from an unspeakable evil, and rescue their son before it is too late. Overall, I thought that the first movie was better how ever the plot was developed nicely in the second and the continuation of the characters is always a good thing.

HD-DVD shines in The Mummy Returns.......2007-04-03

Like "The Mummy" in HD-DVD, the added depth of color and resolution make this HD-DVD one to own -- and one to show off assuming your HDTV is up to it. The contrasts and colors are spectacular and there is detail everywhere.

Not to mention it's just a fun story -- well told, well acted, well directed and certainly made with more than enough production money. And Brendan Fraser/Rachel Weisz are just so cute.

HD review.......2007-03-08

I liked to see the movie in HighDefinition, good sharp colors.
It was my first HD movie so we will see how the others are.
So far so good.

Average customer rating:

Gwangi in a scorpion suit
1950'S BLACK SCORPION ROCKS
Excellent queso!
Typical silly 50's scifi with uneven special effects
Pure Awesome

The Black Scorpion
Starring: Richard Denning , Mara Corday , Carlos Rivas , Mario Navarro , and Carlos Múzquiz
Director: Edward Ludwig
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000B1OGC
Release Date: 2003-10-21

Amazon.com

Fans of '50s science fiction should be pleased by this "big bug" chiller, which offers a fine showcase for the talents of special effects master Willis O'Brien (King Kong). The Black Scorpion follows closely in the multiple footsteps of Them!, produced three years earlier by the same company (Warner Bros.)--again, giant insects threaten mankind, though here a volcano is responsible for unleashing them, and the metropolis in peril is Mexico City. Though direction, acting, and scripting aren't on par with Them!, O'Brien's title creatures (which sport implausible yet creepy faces) are memorably monstrous, especially during hero Richard Denning's visit to their nightmarish underground lair. Warner Bros.' DVD features a surprising amount of extras for an older title. "Stop Motion Masters" is a short tribute to O'Brien by his famed student Ray Harryhausen; also included is O'Brien's dinosaur-laden opening for Irwin Allen's The Animal World documentary, and legendary test footage for two unfilmed monster projects by O'Brien's assistant, Peter Petersen. --Paul Gaita

Description

They're big. They're bad. They scuttle along in caverns miles beneath the Earth - until an earthquake opens paths to the surface. Now these monsters of genus Arachnida are invading our world with deadly force. With top special effects co-designed by King Kong's Willis O'Brien, The Black Scorpion is horror with a sting more lethal than the king-sized ants that overran Los Angeles's sewers in the classic Them! Can humankind survive these invincible juggernauts? That fate rests on the shoulders of Hank Scott (1950s monster movie stalwart Richard Denning) as the creatures rip a train from its tracks, snatch a helicopter from the sky and, in the film's most gripping sequence, battle each other in their subterranean lair. Watch out!

DVD Features:
Featurette:Stop-Motion Masters with Ray Harryhausen; Never-before-seen test footage of the Las Vegas monster and beetlemen; Harryhausen-animated dinosaur sequence from Irwin Allen's 1956 The Animal World
Theatrical Trailer:Giant monsters trailer gallery featuring this film, The Beat from 20,000 Fathoms, Clash of the Titans and The Valley of the Gwangi

Customer Reviews:

Gwangi in a scorpion suit.......2007-04-09

Yep it is the standard big bug 50's sci-fi with a Mexican twist.

We start with the obligatory narrative and a description of what may come. The narrator thinks that volcanoes are evil and bring destruction to farm land. To this land comes a pair of archaeologically strange doctors. They discover a fallen girl (that was just horsing around) and one of the scientists falls in love. The other states "man is born single."

I will not reveal the ugly threat that you already see on the cover. However I think they used them again in "Attack of the Giant Crabs". Also it is fun to look at the technology of the time; they use huge walkie-talkie's, flash cameras (out of flash range), and Bakelite phones. The annoying part of the movie is the kid that will not stay in the car; we all hope he gets eaten early in the story.

1950'S BLACK SCORPION ROCKS.......2007-03-08

The 1950's Black Scorpion rocks,if you are a 1950's science fictionaholic. This one's got all the bells and whistles of the premo black & white science fiction era. It's fun, its campy, it's a classic!

Excellent queso!.......2007-02-26

Yes, that's some high quality cheese. A giant bug movie set in Mexico and for the most part, the Mexicans are treated with respect and dignity. For the most part. So here's what happens. An earthquake/volcano montage of exploding volcanoes from all over the world occurs in Mexico, near the village of San Lorenzo. Two geologists, one from Mexico and one from the USA travel long and hard to "study" the effects. Along the way, the rescue a baby from an empty, thrashed house with a dead policeman in it! They arrive at San Lorenzo where everyone miraculously speaks perfect English. Thank goodness for us viewers! Anyway, the rumbling earth is not the only thing the locals have to deal with...something is picking off folks one family at a time! So the geologists venture forth, rescue a beautiful woman, discover the giant, scary scorpions, go into a cave full of them ("stay, Juanito, stay!"), get tricked back to Mexico City, devise an electric prod to kill the giant bug and a Mexican Army General in the only laugh-out-loud scene in the movie, kill the bug and all ends well. The American leaves early with the girl and everyone else has to stay behind to clean up.
Not bad at all, really, considering that they re-used a lot of footage and the bug scenes were either pretty good or laughably bad. My six year old declared it "The best movie EVER" so there you go. He was quite concerned about the giant bugs and how to kill them, as they were not effected by bullets. He especially liked the final scene where they get the bug into an arena and attack from all sides. Recommended for Family Night!

Typical silly 50's scifi with uneven special effects.......2006-11-10

I bought this dvd only to get the only remnants of the 50's movie "Animal World" which has dinosaurs, which I remember being thrilled with when I saw it as a kid in the mid 50's. The Black Scorpion wasnt too bad as these giant insect/reptile due to atomic bombs experimentation, etc...
The scorpions were sometimes animated in the Ray Harryhausen style and other times by some lousy cartoonish method, probably when they ran out of money or schedule.
The girl was hot though, as usual she becomes a love interest for the guy who figures out how to kill the damn things.
Lessee, kill a monster, get the girl (kinda like knights slaying the dragon and getting the chick in distress).
One hilarious scene is when the giant scorpion decided to derail and bust up a train. I did a video capture on it and found printed on the locomotive tender.......Lionel Lines...
So you get the picture.
Fun to look at but only once and for laughs.

Pure Awesome.......2006-11-10

This movie was awesome on every level. It had a great cast, great story, and great effects. The transfer and sound on this dvd is top notch as well. If you enjoy old monster movies you'll love the Black Scorpion!

The Scorpion King (Widescreen Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

So bad it's actually lots of fun
Bad Acting By Cast Members!
Scorpion King- movie
A Fun Film
Slightly surpasses mediocre, I guess.

The Scorpion King (Widescreen Collector's Edition)
Starring: Grant Heslov , Bernard Hill , Sherri Howard , Kelly Hu , and Ralph Moeller
Director: Chuck Russell
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JKYX
Release Date: 2002-10-01

Product Description

Adventure rules! As the spectacular Mummy series explodes into a new realm of breathtaking, non-stop action in The Scorpion King! Unleashing WWE superstar The Rock as the most feared warrior of the ancient world, The Scorpion King plunges you into a sweeping tale filled with stunning fight sequences, awe-inspiring battles and pulse-pounding hand-to-hand thrills. It's the ultimate special effects-powered epic and the must-see-and-see again adventure of the year!

Bonus Material:

Alternate Version in Enhance Viewing Mode

Feature Commentary with The Rock: See The Rock as he record the commentary live

Feature Commentary with Director Chuck Russell

Outtakes

Godsmack Music Video "I Stand Alone"

Preparing the Fight: A look at the process of shooting a fight sequence

The Making of The Scorpion King

The Special Effects

The Rock and Michael Clarke Duncan

Ancient World Production Design

Working with Animals

Scorpion King: Man Or Myth?

DVD-ROM Features Including Total Axess

System Requirements:
Starring: Dwayne Johnson (AKA The Rock), Michael Clarke Duncan, Peter Facinelli, Grant Heslov, Bernard Hill, and Kelly Hu.
Directed By: Chuck Russell.
Running Time: 92 Min., Color.
This film is presented in "Widscreen" format.
Copyright 2002 Universal Home Video.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

There's nothing original in The Scorpion King, but this derivative action franchise gets off to a rousing start by cleverly stealing from a lot of better movies. Capitalizing on his brief cameo in The Mummy Returns, Dwayne Johnson (a.k.a. World Wrestling Federation star the Rock) stars as Mathayus, an Akkadian assassin in the age preceding Egyptian pharaohs, who vows to avenge his brother's murder by an undefeated warlord (Steven Brand) prophesied to become the desert-ruling Scorpion King. Their battle for supremacy comprises most of the film's brisk 95-minute running time, punctuated by comic relief from Mathayus's obligatory sidekick (Grant Heslov), romance with a beautiful sorceress (Kelly Hu), and alliance with a massive Nubian (Michael Clarke Duncan) on the eve of their climactic showdown. There's no rhyme or reason to the film's depiction of ancient civilization (the costuming is particularly ludicrous), but the Rock demonstrates adequate action-star potential, and director Chuck Russell (The Mask) wraps it all in a slick, professional package. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

So bad it's actually lots of fun.......2007-06-18

This isn't the type of movie you watch to gain a greater understanding of human nature, it's the type of movie you watch when you want to zone out for 90 minutes & just have fun. While there may really have been an ancient King named Scorpion, this movie is among the most historically inaccurate flicks I've ever seen. The fighting styles are wrong, the peoples are wrong, the times are, the weapons are wrong, heck the costumes are wrong & so are the horses (stirrups didn't arrive until the mid first millenia AD). The dialogue at some points is just awful, but through it all the actors never take themselves too seriously and The Rock is able to pull it off. I enjoyed this movie not because it makes an attempt at authenticity, but because it simply doesn't care and goes out to enjoy itself. Thats what makes this movie fun.

Bad Acting By Cast Members!.......2007-04-06

"The Rock" can't act! Some of the other characters weren't that great either in terms of their acting abilities, but "The Rock" was the worst offender. Basically, this is my only gripe with this film--- Poor acting performances by the cast!

Otherwise, the action, stunts, costuming, make-up, special effects/computer graphics and storyline were all fine.

Scorpion King- movie.......2007-03-21

I ordered this movie for a friend but I watched it before I gave it to him. It is not my kind of movie but I did enjoy it. The production was quite good. Some of the acting could have been a little better.

A Fun Film.......2007-03-12

I like these films, and this oe is just as good. Fun, a bit campy and good action.

Slightly surpasses mediocre, I guess........2007-01-25

The plot is utterly formulaic, and "The Rock" has all the acting ability of a cinder block, but this movie isn't totally boring.

Average customer rating:

Excellent Spin-Off
Fun film, great HD-DVD
The Scorpion King Is Good With Popcorn
Good movie, great product!

The Scorpion King [HD DVD]
Starring: Grant Heslov , Bernard Hill , Sherri Howard , Kelly Hu , and Ralph Moeller
Director: Chuck Russell
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000JJSJRS
Release Date: 2006-12-19

Description

Adventure rules! The spectacular Mummy series explodes into a new realm of breathtaking, non-stop action in The Scorpion King! Unleashing WWE superstar The Rock as the most fearsome warrior of the ancient world, The Scorpion King plunges you into a sweeping tale filled with stunning fight sequences, awe-inspiring battles and pulse-pounding thrills. It's the ultimate special effects-powered epic and the must-see-and-see-again adventure of the year!

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Spin-Off.......2007-06-22

This movie is a spin off from the Mummy. They've done a good job with the concept. There is a good story line that keeps you wondering how is this going to work out. The characters are believable and likeable. It is a fun entertaining picture, something you can watch several times over.

Fun film, great HD-DVD.......2007-05-14

Arnold had Conan, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has the Scorpion King. His first film as leading man and the Rock nails it, he's backed by an amazing list of co-stars (Bernard Hill "LOTR" and Michael Clarke Duncan "Sin City").
This movie calls back to the glory days of adventure films tongue-in-cheek and sword in sheath, pure popcorn entertainment. The HD-DVD transfer looks amazing, a must have for action/adventure fans.

The Scorpion King Is Good With Popcorn.......2007-02-20

Okay, the movie storyline isn't the greatest, a good amount of the acting is cheeseball and the same can be said about the dialogue. The movie has been around for a while so most people reading this are already aware of these facts. But that doesn't detract from another fact, and that is The Scorpion King is just a fun popcorn movie. It doesn't take a whole lot of gray matter to appreciate the movie when just watching it should suffice for an enjoyable passing of time. Other than that, the movie's one really redeeming quality is the superb picture tranfer to the HD format. It's actually amazing the amount of attention(alliteration not intended) to detail it's been given...can't figure that one out at all.

If you would like a more in-depth review of The Scorpion King or other movies on HD DVD and Blu-ray, try highdefdigest (There is a dot com after the name, but Amazon won't allow it. I guess because maybe it would default to a web link). Their reviews are insightful and unbiased in the format war.

Good movie, great product!.......2007-01-05

I liked this movie for its action and ancient civilization plot. I could care less if anything is historically accurate. I like the tough characters, the plot of betrayal, the oppression of the weak. My only criticism of this movie is that many people, especially The Rock, act too modern. Many commanding people have to appear strong, tough, and superior. The actor who plays Memnon, the bad guy, does a good job at this.

As for the DVD, the HD DVD industry strikes again! I love the fact that it is making hybrid discs, with HD on one side, standard on the other, so you can build an HD DVD collection even before you get an HD player. And, unlike the Blu-ray, you get ALL the special features that the standard DVD has, even if it's not a hybrid disc. Blu-ray movies have erased many of the special features that the standard DVDs have. GO HD DVD. Fight Blu-ray!

Average customer rating:

A hilarious Zome-dy...
"Ever since I met you, my life's turned into a Thriller video!"

Dead and Deader
Starring: Dean Cain , Guy Torry , Susan Ward , Peter Greene , and Devin Reeve
Director: Patrick Dinhut
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000MV8AD6
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Description

Dean Cain stars as Lt. Bobby Quinn, a Special Forces commando killed during a recon mission deep in the Cambodian jungle. But when Quinn interrupts his own stateside autopsy, he discovers that the rest of his dead squad has been resurrected with a ravenous appetite for human flesh. Now with the help of a wisecracking cook (Guy Torry of AMERICAN HISTORY X) and a sexy film geek (Susan Ward of WILD THINGS 2), the part-zombie Quinn must stop the plague before it can infect the entire nation. Who holds the shocking secret behind this blood-crazed carnage? And what happens when Quinn stops gnawing on raw steak and starts chomping on the hot chick? Colleen Camp (WAYNE'S WORLD), Dean Haglund ( THE X-FILES), Ellie Cornell (HALLOWEEN 4), Armin Shimerman ( DEEP SPACE NINE, BUFFY), John Billingsley ( ENTERPRISE, THE NINE) and Peter Greene (PULP FICTION) co-star in this splatter-riffic action horror comedy from the producers of FREE ENTERPRISE, THE SPECIALS and HOUSE OF THE DEAD.

Features: Widescreen Presentation,Also on DVD,Audio Commentary with writer Steve Kriozere and Producer Mark Altman,Full Motion Menus, DVD-Rom Script,Photo Gallery,Raising the Dead: The Making of Dead & Deader

Customer Reviews:

A hilarious Zome-dy..........2007-04-24

...first of all Dean Cain is a horrible actor, he is so bad in this movie it is hilarious. Well you already know the story (read the amazon description). This movie is hilarious, it is not meant to be a serious zombie flick ala Lucio Fulci's "Zombie" but I highly recommend this one if you are a fan of the zombie genre or horror comedy. A worthy addition to your library.

"Ever since I met you, my life's turned into a Thriller video!".......2007-02-04

To put it bluntly, DEAD AND DEADER manages to barely rise above that prevailing cinematic sludge of tired, played-out, low budgeted zombie flicks. A 2006 Sci-Fi Channel original movie (something this film shouldn't really take pride in), this one offers nothing new but still isn't all that bad as far as horror features go. It's certainly gory enough as limbs and other body parts are torn pretty indiscriminately and frequently. Dean Cain, far removed from his LOIS & CLARK glory days and, it seems, also far removed from a 24 Hour Fitness gym, rises above his acting resume and provides a dazzlingly mediocre turn as the show's undead hero. It's a good thing he brought funnyman Guy Torry with him, who provides wingman duties and those traditional sidekick jokes. Incidentally, Star Trek actors are in deeper financial straits than I thought if they've sunk to popping up in low budget servings such as this (John Billingsley and Armin Shimerman).

Not to make a lame zombie pun, but here come the SPOILERS. When a Special Forces combat unit does a recon at a Cambodian site which has lost contact with headquarters, the soldiers shockingly encounter ravenous, flesh-eating creatures. They engage the ghouls only to be rapidly overwhelmed. The only survivor is Lieutenant Bobby Quinn (Dean Cain), whose body is recovered and is pronounced DOA. However, Quinn revives just before he's buzzsawed into for autopsy, to the medic's casual disbelief. After Quinn uses a scalpel to carve a scorpion out of his forearm and after the forearm subsequently heals itself, Quinn and the medical officers begin to smell something funny (and, no, it's not the forearm).

Suffice to say, Quinn very rapidly realizes he's become part zombie and is now endowed with superstrength and a healing factor. And, as long as he chomps down on some raw, red meat every now and then, he's copacetic. Of course, he does still sport that pasty complexion and still has a tendency to spew green blood. The rest of the negligible plot involves Quinn, a wisecracking military mess cook (Guy Torry), and a feisty bartender honey (Susan Ward) battling the undead as they strive to curtail the spreading zombie infection.

There isn't one original note here, not one. When the movie doesn't have its military characters reduced to spouting trite phrases such as "Stay frosty," it indulges in uninspired B-movie cliches. The special effects and stunts are universally cheesy, the dialogue corny, the acting performances pretty ho-hum (although Susan Ward is very, very nice to ogle at). But, having said all that, DEAD AND DEADER isn't all bad. Lower your expectations - or, realizing that it's a Dean Cain feature, maintain your normal level of expectations - and you'll be fine. Just stay frosty. Viewers will either enjoy Torry's one liners or be irked by them. To me, though, the film's funniest line isn't from Torry. It occurs when Quinn almost gobbles down his cute bartender friend and he apologizes by saying, "You know what they say, the fastest way to a man's heart is thru his stomach." I give this one two and half rotting and infectious stars.

The Mummy Returns (Full Screen Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Why I don't outright hate this is beyond me
TMR
Kinda fun
UGGGH! Save your money!
How a sequel ought to be done.

The Mummy Returns (Full Screen Collector's Edition)
Starring: Donna Air , Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje , Alun Armstrong , Freddie Boath , and Bruce Byron
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Mummy [HD DVD]
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ASIN: B00005N5S4
Release Date: 2001-10-02

Amazon.com

Proving that bigger is rarely better, The Mummy Returns serves up so much action and so many computer-generated effects that it quickly grows exhausting. In his zeal to establish a lucrative franchise, writer-director Stephen Sommers dispenses with such trivial matters as character development and plot logic, and charges headlong into an almost random buffet of minimum story and maximum mayhem, beginning with a prologue establishing the ominous fate of the Scorpion King (played by World Wrestling Federation star the Rock, in a cameo teaser for his later starring role in--you guessed it--The Scorpion King). Dormant for 5,000 years, under control of the Egyptian god Anubis, the Scorpion King will rise again in 1933, which is where we find The Mummy's returning heroes Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, now married and scouring Egyptian ruins with their 8-year-old son, Alex (Freddie Boath).

Customer Reviews:

Why I don't outright hate this is beyond me.......2007-04-16

Director Stephen Sommers is responsible for some of the more questionable box-office films I've ever seen. Unlike Uwe Boll who has the box office match his talent (read: none), Sommers' films have actually been successful for the most part but right afterwards, people say how awful they were which is kind of funny. Among them is the sequel to the blockbuster hit the Mummy which had good effects but a super bad story but of course the latter is irrevelant if the film made money, hence we have the Mummy Returns where the keyword is "more": more effects, setpieces, characters, and all-around dumbness.

Set 9 years after the last film, Rick and Evelyn have gotten married and have a child named Alex. They get caught up in a rescue mission when Alex is kidnapped since he wears the Bracelet of Anubis, which ties into the Scorpion King, an ancient powerful warrior who's about to be resurrected. Killer of the Scorpion King can command a massive army so people decide to resurrect Ihmotep, our mummy from the first film. And once again, Rick and Evelyn along with Ardeth Bay and Evelyn's brother Jonathan have to once again avert disaster.

It's surprising to see that despite the special effects advancements over the years, the Mummy films have always had way too obvious CG. It has nothing to do with compositing and placing them in the scene that makes them look natural and not just pasted on but there's something off about the effects, like they're too texture-y and light. Nowhere is this more apparent than the Scorpion King himself and I won't spoil it but basically, I've seen Diablo II have better looking characters. However, one advancement that should've got more recognition is the big battle scenes involving thousands of armies. While it's old-hat now thanks to films like Kingdom of Heaven, Troy, Alexander and the Lord of the Rings films, this just looks better to me. The set pieces also don't have the grandiose nature from the first film. A massive tidal wave didn't have the impact of seeing a sandstorm from the last one and it makes this film obviously inferior to the first one.

A film like this doesn't need an in-depth story. It's a summer blockbuster and knows it; you come for the thrills and visuals, not to be riveted by dialogue exchanges and character development. But still, this is kind of a stupid story. A bracelet of something will reveal the location of someone allowing a something to defeat that someone and able to command something is basically the plot and we jump from location to location and have little mini-adventures along the way. There's a sequence involving tiny pygmy mummies (but I call them monkeys) that is not only unintentionally funny but it completely apes off a similar scene in the Lost World: Jurassic Park. Or maybe I'm just complaining too much.

There's not really a lot to recommend here. Most movies have at least something to recommend, whether it's the visuals, the acting, or just the plain strangeness of enjoying something so dumb. I don't completely hate it and why that is is kinda baffling.

TMR.......2007-03-20

If you loved the first offering, you'll love this sequel. Not only does ALL the major cast come back, but they come back well. You get more of everything the first one had to offer. Suspense, comic relief, awe. By the time this one ends, you're almost rooting for Imhotep. The only thing I found lacking was the cee-gee model of "The Rock" as the Scorpion King.

Kinda fun.......2007-03-03

For some reason, I enjoyed this movie more than the first one, perhaps because my expectations had been lowered by the original film. Maybe I was just in the mood to see a lot of things blow up real good. There's not much point describing the plot, because it's only a flimsy skeleton upon which to hang the action sequences, which go on pretty much non-stop from beginning to end. Everything is completely predictable, but it's humorous and moves fast. It's easily the best of the Mummy trilogy (counting "Scorpion King"), but that's not saying much.

UGGGH! Save your money!.......2007-01-10

This is THE WORST movie sequel I have ever seen. It was so terrible that it inspired me to write my first movie review ever on Amazon. Where's my receipt? You might enjoy this flick if you're less than 10 years old AND in possession of a single digit IQ. It's a huge disappointment following the original Mummy flick. I would like to give it a negative star.

How a sequel ought to be done........2006-11-04

This movie is a perfect example of how a sequel ought to be done. We pick up with the same characters--no changes, no retconning, and no disappointing surprises. Sequels like Men in Black II, Ghostbusters II, or Back to the Future II let us down because the sequels do not follow logically from the first movie. With MIB II, we expected to see Agents Jay and Elle paired up, with Agent Kay living happily ever after--no such luck. Then the cameo of Michael Jackson was pure flatulence. And that is just the casting, not the script.

The Mummy Returns avoids all of this. In fact, I was impressed to see Patricia Velasquez reprising her short role of Anck Su Namun. Yes! Same character with the same actress! This show the care and forethought that went into this film. And thought Ben Kingsly was a likeable character and a stellar actor, he was not brought back to life just for ratings. Yum!

I ma impressed how the scriptwriter and the director are able to manage the smaller characters. We instantly connect with young Alex O'Connell or pirate-pilot Izzy Buttons, who replaces the equally charming Captain Havlock from Mummy I. BEST SCENE: the two gremlins fighting over the dynamite stick.

I am also impressed how they kept the "vibe" of the first film. There was no attempt to make the film funny, or more serious, or more horrific. We just see an extrapolation and a continuation of the fun we saw in the first film.

The only flaw is one of the financing. As with most heavy-CGI films, the closer to the end of the move, the worse the special effects get, because the money runs out. I wished that had pulled a George Lucas and redone the effects for DVD release. Since the movie was a hit, the would have recouped their money on the DVD release, TV runs, 10th, 25th, 50th and 75th anniversary re-releases of the movie. Yes, this movie is a good as the Golden Age Classics, or Wizard of Oz.

Woody Allen Four Movie Comedy Collection (Anything Else / The Curse Of The Jade Scorpion / Hollywood Ending / Small Time Crooks)

Average customer rating:

Woody Lite
Not Apocalyptic but Adequate!
Not all great films, but collectable
Madagascar: the twist and turn word!
Everything new is old again...

Woody Allen Four Movie Comedy Collection (Anything Else / The Curse Of The Jade Scorpion / Hollywood Ending / Small Time Crooks)
Starring: Woody Allen
Manufacturer: Dreamworks Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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The Woody Allen Collection, Set 3
The Woody Allen Collection, Set 2 (Shadows and Fog / September / Crimes and Misdemeanors / Another Woman / Alice)
The Woody Allen Collection - 8 pack
Mighty Aphrodite
Deconstructing Harry

ASIN: B00023P4JW
Release Date: 2004-07-06

Customer Reviews:

Woody Lite.......2007-07-04

I'm a big Woody Allen fan. Other than "What's New Pussycat" I had enjoyed everyone of his movies that I've seen. I'll now add one more to the mediocre list; "Anything Else". Unfortunately, "Anything Else" was the last of the four movies that I watched and it was spoiling my impression of the set. I took time out to reflect on the unique Woody Allen style that is strongly present in the other three movies and reassessed my rating of this set.

All four movies are what I would call light entertainment. These are movies that you can relax and enjoy. The humor is good but not overwhelming like is is in "Bananas" or "Love and Death". What appealled to me in the three good movies in this set was the way Woody Allen constructed such oddball plots and twists within those plots. These wacky roads end up leading us to a lot of amusing relationships. These are all romantic comedies the most of which have the leading man (Woody Allen) fall for the leading lady. In some, the relationship is a reunion, in another, it is making opposites attrack. In "Anything Else" it's, well, a sort of agonizing patience.

I missed these movies when the originally came out. Part of that is due to the fact that Woody Allen movies usually don't make it to our local theaters. That's too bad because Allen can do more with less than any director I know.

Not Apocalyptic but Adequate!.......2007-03-11

Let me preface this by saying my "collecting" habits revolve around movies, etc. filmed in NYC. I wasn't always a huge Woody Allen fan, but have grown to appreciate his humor over the years.
These are all decent Woody Allen movies.
Some of the acting in the lesser of this group, seems forced. Usually Woody's humor slips under the radar, and forces one to think for a second or two. In some of these, the jokes seem telegraphed between the parties. Especially in the first few minutes of each film. My personal test is if I ever use a Woody Allen one liner from one of his films, that film gets a passing grade in my book. The title of my review might be found in one these four.

I'm ranking these within the set from Best to Worst. (within this set)

Small Time Crooks
The best of the lot, with the best simpleton plot. Strong supporting cast in Tracey Ulman, and Hugh Grant.
If you are simply looking for quality over quantity, simply buy this title on its own, and call it a day. It's a rags to riches and back to rags again story. Some very funny moments packed into this one.

Anything Else
This is another good NYC movie. Some awesome scenes filmed in wide sweeping shots, and some great streets scenes. Christina Ricci is really something to look at it this film, too. She is believable in the "struggling / tortured actress" role. Woody plays a mentor role to the love sick male co-star (Jason Biggs), however, Mr. Biggs is not a good fit for this movie. The film gives a nice "sunny Sunday afternoon, in NYC feeling", along with a few laughs.

Curse of the Jade Scorpion
This is one of Woody's "flash back" to the 30's pictures. Good upbeat jazz soundtrack. Fun story line, but a little corny and forced. This movie almost lost me in the first 10 minutes of joke dialog, but stick with it. (If you're looking for something from the 30's era, skip this, and go to "Sweet & Lowdown")

Hollywood Ending
Good NYC scenery and some good cinematography, but WAY TOO LONG. My wife and I gave up on this before we could see the "Hollywood Ending", so that's all I'll say about it.

Overall, I give the set a B- rating, as a set. However, the price per film is excellent, if you are collector, or like to have an occasional Woody film to queue up, on a Sunday afternoon. You might have a hard time finding one or two of these movies at a standard circuit city or Best Buy store, so it's worth it to grab them at an average of $6 per movie. If you don't like Woody's style, you probably won't like most of these, and you might be better off reviewing them on a title by title basis.

Not all great films, but collectable.......2007-01-15

I admit I'll buy anything with Woody's name on it. Some of these are not great movies, as it seems he'd been trying to set a Guiness record for volume of work, but as a collector I had to have them, and this is a great deal.

Madagascar: the twist and turn word!.......2006-04-23

This is very funny film immersed in the great tradition of Woody Allen. A hypnotist (Voltan Polgar)will make a true mess of entangles I this fantastic comedy of mistakes that included the prestigious presence of this talented and beautiful actress. Helen Hunt. A delightful movie that finds an inspired script, a towering cast and obviously, the acid occurrences of this remarkable and irreverent filmmaker.

Everything new is old again..........2004-08-04

Woody Allen is one of the greatest comedic voices of our time. Be it as a stand-up, a writer or a director of countless films, Allen is not only unquestionably funny, but clever as well. The four films in this box - Anything Else; The Curse Of The Jade Scorpion; Hollywood Ending; and Small Time Crooks represent the most recent period of his film history, under the Dreamworks banner.

Many say Woody has lost his magic, and to some extent they may be right. I'm not sure whether audiences have seen this "talky" humour to death now (the modern sitcom was born out of pictures like 'Annie Hall', in my opinion), or there is a distaste towards Allen because of his private life or much-imitated performances, but these four movies are largely overlooked gems.

First up, two of these pictures are not Woody standards. 'Small Time Crooks' and 'Curse of the Jade Scorpion' are caper and detective stories respectively, and as full of Woody-isms as they are, it works beautifully. The last two movies are more Woody standards - lots of talking, lots of film references and a lot of humour. 'Anything Else' has been the subject of most of the criticism of Woody's recent work, but it is hard to see why. 'Anything Else' is like a cross between 'Annie Hall' and 'Stardust Memories', although not quite as good as either. For detractors of Woody, he is not in it nearly as much as his on-screen protégée (Jason Biggs). I really couldn't see that much wrong with it (although as one critic said, you know Allen has lost touch with the youth of New York when his characters go to a Diana Krall concert and enjoy it). The script is still sharp too. Christina Ricci's character at one point warns Biggs not to kill himself because it is "so middle class".

So don't let the critics fool you - these films are the work of a man who has certainly earned, and continues to earn, his place in the pantheon of great directors. And you can't pass up four Woody Allen films for under $25.

The Scorpion King (Full Screen Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

So bad it's actually lots of fun
Bad Acting By Cast Members!
Scorpion King- movie
A Fun Film
Slightly surpasses mediocre, I guess.

The Scorpion King (Full Screen Collector's Edition)
Starring: The Rock , Steven Brand , Michael Clarke Duncan , Kelly Hu , and Bernard Hill
Director: Chuck Russell
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00006AG57
Release Date: 2002-10-01

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

So bad it's actually lots of fun.......2007-06-18

Bad Acting By Cast Members!.......2007-04-06

Scorpion King- movie.......2007-03-21

A Fun Film.......2007-03-12

I like these films, and this oe is just as good. Fun, a bit campy and good action.

Slightly surpasses mediocre, I guess........2007-01-25

The plot is utterly formulaic, and "The Rock" has all the acting ability of a cinder block, but this movie isn't totally boring.

Average customer rating:

Red Blood Paint
Well worth a watch!!
Good Clean Family Fun
best Women in Prison flicks ever
Antihero of the (S)exploitation Film

Female Prisoner #701 - Scorpion
Starring: Meiko Kaji , Rie Yokoyama , Isao Natsuyagi , Fumio Watanabe , and Yayoi Watanabe
Director: Shunya Ito
Manufacturer: Tokyo Shock
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ASIN: B0001FVEDG
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Customer Reviews:

Red Blood Paint.......2007-06-29

By the end of the 1960s, film ticket sells in Japan had dropped immensely because of the influx of the popularity of television. In order to make ends meet, several of the big studios turned to making "pink films" or "Roman Porno" flicks as they were commonly called. Most of these films were quite cheap and their production time was quite short. A good portion of these films pandered to some of the darker aspects of sexual desire including such themes as rape, S&M, and incest. Obviously, these films were often geared towards a male audience. During the latter half of the 1960s the female characters within these films were often "victims" of physical, emotional, and sexual violence in these films. However, it was often the case that such violence would lead the victim to fall in love with her rapist with an almost maternal affection. However, by the early 1970s, while these films were still full of gratuitous nudity and violence, the female characters began to grow stronger and instead of falling in love with their victimizers would strike back violently against them.

Female Prisoner # 701-Scorpion stars Kaji Meiko, probably most famous for her role as Lady Snowblood, as Matsushima Nami, a young woman sentenced to prison after attempting to kill her detective boyfriend after he used her in a bust that also resulted in her being raped by several members of the yakuza. Now, some three years later, Nami along with her friend Yuki try to escape a women's prison, but are soon caught. Imprisoned once again, Nami suffers torture at the hands of other prisoners, including having scalding miso soup poured on her bare skin. However, her spirit is never broken. Ever silent, Nami waits for the day in which she can seek her revenge.

On the surface Female Prisoner # 701-Scorpion is no different than several other films produced in this genre. It includes such scenes as the rape scene, a vaguely S&M scene, a lesbian sex scene, etc. However, it is evident that Ito, this was his debut film by the way, was trying to make more out of this films parts than the composite whole. The camera definitely shines at certain moments and there is even a scene that is reminiscent of a horror scene that could be found in a kabuki play, albeit one with a female cast and full nudity. Also, like many films from this period, this movie has an excellent soundtrack with Kaji singing vocals on the title and ending track "Urami Bushi" which was also used in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill films.

A decent film with several sequels, spin-offs, and imitators, I would recommend this film to anyone who is interested in Japanese film from this time period or Exploitation films in general.

Well worth a watch!!.......2007-03-18

Meiko Kaji has made a great series of films in the prisoner and the thing is that they dont look outdated despite thier age. The violence fits in very well with the overall plot and i have to say that (a) id watch it again! (b) Id get the sequel which is something dont do that often. One of thebest Asian films ive seen!!

Good Clean Family Fun.......2006-04-13

Female Prisoner #701 - Scorpion stars the beautiful and talented Japanese actress Meiko Kaji, best known for playing Lady Snowblood and singing "Flower of Carnage," the title song to Kill Bill. This movie has everything to be a fine example of the "women in prison" film genre: stabbings, shootings, rape, lesbian sex, torture (scaldings, beatings, burnings, women hung by ropes from their elbows) and lots and lots of female nudity. Good clean family entertainment. What more could you want?

best Women in Prison flicks ever.......2005-06-17

The Female Convict Scorpion movies are fantastic and Meiko Kaji is just incredible. I really hope someone release the other two Scorpion movies she made so that we can get the whole saga.

Note to folks who complained about subtitles: on some DVD players, you must ACTIVELY turn the sub titles ON using your DVD's internal function. There is no menu item to do this on the DVD. I have found this to be true with a few of the Media Blaster/Tokyo Shock dvd's. On my player I can do this just using my remote control and hitting the 'subtitles' button.

Antihero of the (S)exploitation Film.......2005-03-07

Uttering as few words as possible, Nami Matsushima (played by the stunningly beautiful Meiko Kaji) dispenses with the pleasantries and builds a reasonably impressive body count by the end of "Female Prisoner 701: Scorpion," one of the premiere films in the women's prison genre of films.

Natsuyagi is a cop looking to move ahead in his life, and money, after all, is the root of all evil. He hatches a scheme to use his lovely girlfriend, Nami, to lure the local mafia bosses into a scheme. But when the gang feels something's amiss, they escort Nami into a back room and rape her. Breaking in, Natsuyagi realizes he finally has what he wants: ignoring his fallen girlfriend, he convinces the mob that he can make all of their problems go away if they pay him off. They agree, and Natsuyagi has Nami thrown into prison ... where she undergoes the obligatory beatings, teasing, and other forms of degradation so common to 'girls behind bars' films.

What makes "Scorpion" different is the fact that Director Shunya Ito - in his debut film - decided to ride the fine line between art and trash. He combines the best elements of the vindictive woman's feature along with artsy lighting in order to achieve the effect of a car crash: the viewer really hates to slow down and watch, but there really must be something to see here, right? The violence is gratuitous, if not psychedelic, at times, but it all manages to flesh out (pun intended) before Nami manages to finally break out of prison and go on her murderous rampage, taking out the mobsters one-by-one until her final showdown with the unsuspecting Natsuyagi.

Also, in Kaji's graceful hands, Nami isn't so much a victim as she is an antihero, not at all unlike Clint Eastwood in Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns. The viewer is pulled into this world by means of a very beautiful woman who refuses to be a 'prisoner' to the genre. Instead, she's defiant and calculating at every turn, refusing to comply with the warden's demands of good behavior. She challenges every authority, instituting her own code of justice which applies to everyone: her fellow inmates, the prison guards, and even the police outside. Uncompromising in her dedication, she ignores the acts she endures for the sake of focusing on one sole objective: revenge.

... and that's an act she takes with complete seriousness.

NOTE: Apparently, there is an issue associated to subtitling, as has been referred by other reviewers. I had no problem whatsoever, but I would add that the film would not play with the correct aspect ratio of 2:35:1 in my American DVD player. I did have to watch the film in my Region Free player, and I did not experience any problems.

DVD:

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