While “Undisputed” may not be the most in-depth film about boxing, it still accomplishes a fine goal in serving as a well-made genre flick. By combining two of men’s most popular genres, the prison flick and the fight film, and juicing it up with a hip-hop induced score, “Undisputed” gets done what it sets out to do from the minute it begins: to entertain.
Sweetwater Prison is a nearly brand new maximum-security prison that houses 700-plus prisoners, all convicted of major crimes such as murder, rape, kidnapping, etc. Monroe Hutchen (Wesley Snipes) is one of these men, a former boxing contender sentenced to life in prison after murdering his wife’s “man on the side” with his bare hands. He is the prison’s boxing champion. With a record of 68-0, Monroe can beat anyone, at anytime.
Then comes the day when the real Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World arrives at Sweetwater, James ‘Iceman’ Chambers (Ving Rhames), a man so obsessed with his celebrity that he may get in his own way. He’s been put away for the convicted rape of a woman who we see in small, CNN-esque clips crying about the ordeal. Except Iceman swears he is innocent and he doesn’t like to be wrong.
Snipes and Rhames both deliver solid performances in their respected parts. Snipes flows in his quiet Zen-like demeanor, while Rhames’ Iceman is quite the intimidating fellow, pushing around everyone and anyone who either challenges him or offers him help. Black or white, it makes no difference.
While director/writer Walter Hill’s script is pretty straightforward, he also generates some playfulness when introducing each character via graphics-heavy, quick-cut, black-and-white mini-portraits with diminutive information about each important prisoner.
Boasting great character depth and solid performances by both lead men, not to mention yet another show-stealing part by Peter Falk, “Undisputed” will leave you satisfied with the final product.
3 / 5 Stars
Starring: Wesley Snipes, Ving Rhames, Peter Falk, Michael Rooker
Director: Walter Hill
