Brawl in Cell Block 99
I can't recall if this was reviewed in here, but here's mine anyway:
Like this if you've seen S. Craig Zahler's debut Bone Tomahawk.
This is his follow-up, and yes, it's a worthy successor.
The film is anchored by a brilliant and surprising turn from comedy Lurch Vince Vaughn. His shaven head, along with his 6"5 frame, lend itself well to the intimidating hard ass with a conscience character, that could well set him on a great new direction in his career.
Like Zahler's previous film, the dialogue is very pleasing to the ear, the pace is deliberate and is, of course, brutally violent. The action choreography is surprisingly stylized - blending boxing with Wing-chun, with the x-rated violence you got from Bone Tomahawk.
It's a really good film, but for my taste, it was a little too bleak - for me it was an exercise in degradation and cruelty.
I also felt at times that the director was a poor man's Tarantino; with his snappy dialogue from pretty much every character, brutal violence, pulp theme and use of soundtrack.
But there is always room for directors that can evoke Tarantino films.
I eagerly await Zahler's next film
4 'funny sounds' out of 5