In Hell is a 2003 American action film directed by Ringo Lam. The film stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, with a supporting cast of Lawrence Taylor, Marnie Alton, Malakai Davidson and Billy Rieck.[1] An adaptation of the 1978 film Midnight Express, it is the third and final collaboration between Jean-Claude Van Damme and Hong Kong film director Ringo Lam. The film was released on direct-to-DVD in the United States on November 25, 2003.
Kyle LeBlanc is an American working overseas in Magnitogorsk, Russia. When, over the phone, he hears his wife being attacked, Kyle rushes home, but is too late to save her. Sergio Kovic, the man who raped and murdered her, buys the judge and is found not guilty due to lack of evidence. Enraged, Kyle steals a gun from a bailiff and shoots Sergio multiple times in front of the entire courthouse, killing him. For this, he is sentenced to life in prison without parole. He is taken to Kravavi Prison, which is run by the corrupt warden, General Hruschov. Once he arrives, he is beaten by a guard for hesitating to give up his wedding ring. The same night, he witnesses a fellow 21-year-old American inmate named Billy Cooper being taken to another cell by the guards to be raped by prison fighter and member of the Russian Mafia, Andrei.
The next morning, a beaten and traumatized Billy is taken to infirmary by the guards as Andrei leaves the cell. Kyle gets into a brawl with Andrei, who provoked him in a way similar to his wife's murderer and is put in solitary confinement. In solitary, he goes on a hunger strike and then tries to hang himself to commit suicide, but both fail. When he experiences flashbacks of his wife, he realizes he must survive. Eventually, he is transferred to a cell with Inmate 451, an African-American prisoner with a reputation for killing his cellmates, something the sadistic Chief of the guards Lieutenant Tolik believes he will do to Kyle. However, over time, they begin to trust one another. He soon meets Billy in the prison yard, who explains he is serving a year-and-a-half sentence for driving whilst intoxicated and crashing into a restaurant with a girl he met. He also meets Malakai, another American prisoner bound to a wheelchair who explains the politics of the prison and the gangs within it, including the Russian Mafia's alliance with the guards.
General Hruschov gambles by betting on fights between rival gangs. Kyle, who is constantly bullied by Andrei and his goons, begins training himself for these fights, but his motivation concerns 451. In his first match, Kyle faces Andrei and (despite the Russian fighter's experience) manages to win by savagely biting a large chunk out of Andrei's neck, killing him in agony. He immediately suffers a mental breakdown while covered in Andrei's blood as the prisoners and guards watch in horror. Throughout his time, he continuously fights other prisoners and begins to accept his sentence, becoming hardened by his environment and losing himself while also gaining respect. He denies any help from his brother-in-law or the American embassy, feeling that nothing will change, and loses hope of ever being released. At one point, 451 asks him: "Do you even know who you are?" to which 451 answers himself: "Probably not." Meanwhile, Billy, fed up with the physical and sexual abuse he is subjected to, attempts multiple times to escape the prison, first by running during outside work detail, and again by sneaking off during the Russian Independence Day celebrations; the latter fails as he is betrayed by Malakai, who informs the guards because his need of special medicine and treatment. 451 discovers his betrayal and, in retaliation, sets him alight after pouring flammable fluid on him. As he watches Malakai burn to death, he recalls memories of being abused and molested as a child by a teacher and then setting the said teacher on fire.
After being locked in a cell with prison fighter Valya overnight to be raped, Billy is beaten to within an inch of his life after he spits in Valya's face. Billy eventually succumbs to his injuries, but before he dies, he advises Kyle not to let the prison, guards, or inmates make him into something he's not. With this advice, Kyle now knows he must fight another battle for his inner peace, as it is the only way he can become the man he once was. He refuses to fight Valya in his next match, and as a result, is hung by his arms outside for all to see. However, seeing Kyle's courage and his ability to stay strong during his long punishment, the prison gangs decide to put aside their rivalries and unite, following suit by refusing to fight when Hruschov commands it. Kyle is released soon from his restraints and sent to the infirmary. During his recovery, he dreams of his wife who tells him that nobody's ever gone as long as there is someone to remember them.
Sometime after Kyle has recovered, he is taken to his cellblock, where he is confronted by Hruschov, who is frustrated at his authority being challenged. He informs Kyle he only wants one last fight and forces him to face Miloc, a gargantuan prisoner kept separate from the general population whom Kyle kept hearing through the walls from his time in solitary confinement. During the fight, Kyle knocks on a door repeatedly, making Miloc recognize him, as this was his only form of communication, and he embraces him as a friend. A guard orders them to continue at gunpoint. Kyle demands the guards kill him instead, stating he will not fight anymore. Witnessing this, the prisoners begin to protest, resulting in Kyle and Miloc turning the tables on the guards and freeing the prisoners from their cells, igniting a full-scale riot. Miloc is fatally shot protecting Kyle, who comforts him as he succumbs to his wounds.
Soon, 451 agrees to assist Kyle in escaping from the prison. He also gives Kyle documents that contain evidence of all the murders and corruption that has happened in the prison for over 20 years, which he has planned to expose to the US government. While the guards get the prisoners under control following the riot, 451 shows Kyle a secret passage to the prison garage for their next move. It will, though, require Kyle to fight one more time to gain access, facing Valya. During the fight, Kyle gains the upper hand and dislocates Valya's shoulder. An enraged Valya pulls a knife and attempts to stab him only to accidentally stab the leader of the Russian Mafia, killing him. Kyle then uses this opportunity to smash Valya's head into a pole, stating it as retribution for Billy's death. Kyle is then escorted away by the guards to be killed. 451 launches an attack and kills one of them, while Kyle holds the other at gunpoint and pins him underneath a car. After taking the key to free himself, as well as retrieving his wedding ring, Kyle takes one of the guards' uniforms to disguise himself and drives off in one of their cars, while 451 stays behind to assassinate General Hruschov for his misdeeds. As Kyle successfully manages to escape, 451 successfully kills the General by ripping his tongue out with pliers; he is last seen being escorted away by the guards, with his final fate left unknown. Kyle manages to return to the United States and expose Kravavi's corruption and, three months later, the prison is shut down.
In Hell was released on DVD in the United States on November 25, 2003.[2]
Reception
Robert Pardi of TV Guide rated it 1/5 stars and called it a "pokey exercise in cellblock sadism" that does not live up Lam's previous work.[3] Jason P. Vargo of IGN rated it 5/10 stars and wrote that it is "strictly for Van Damme fans only".[4] Beyond Hollywood wrote that although the film has many stock characters, it enjoyably plays on the usual conventions of a Van Damme film.[5] Ian Jane of DVD Talk rated it 3/5 stars and called it "a pleasant surprise" and the best of Van Damme's recent films.[2] David Johnson of DVD Verdict wrote that although the film attempts to bring a new facet to Van Damme's films, it only ends up being clichéd in different ways than his usual films.[6]
Related Research Articles
Robert Franklin Stroud, known as the "Birdman of Alcatraz", was a convicted murderer, American federal prisoner and author who has been cited as one of the most notorious criminals in the United States. During his time at Leavenworth Penitentiary, he reared and sold birds and became a respected ornithologist. From 1942 to 1959, he was incarcerated at Alcatraz, where regulations did not allow him to keep birds. Stroud was never released from the federal prison system; he was imprisoned from 1909 to his death in 1963.
Kingston Penitentiary is a former maximum security prison located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, between King Street West and Lake Ontario.
Charles Arthur Salvador, better known as Charles Bronson, is a British criminal, with a violent and notorious life as a prisoner. He has spent periods detained in the Rampton, Broadmoor, and Ashworth high-security psychiatric hospitals.
Pelican Bay State Prison (PBSP) is a supermax prison facility in Crescent City, California. The 275-acre (111 ha) prison takes its name from a shallow bay on the Pacific coast, about 2 mi (3.2 km) to the west.
The Eastern State Penitentiary (ESP) is a former American prison in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is located in the Fairmount section of the city, and was operational from 1829 until 1971. The penitentiary refined the revolutionary system of separate incarceration first pioneered at the Walnut Street Jail which emphasized principles of reform rather than punishment.
The women in prison film is a subgenre of exploitation film that began in the early 20th century and continues to the present day.
Brute Force is a 1947 American crime film noir directed by Jules Dassin, from a screenplay by Richard Brooks with cinematography by William H. Daniels. It stars Burt Lancaster, Hume Cronyn, Charles Bickford and Yvonne De Carlo.
Death Warrant is a 1990 American prison action thriller film directed by Deran Sarafian, produced by Mark di Salle, and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. The film was written by David S. Goyer while a student at USC, and was Goyer's first screenplay to be sold and produced commercially. In the film, police detective Louis Burke is going into a prison facility in California as an undercover cop in order to find out who was behind a mysterious series of murders, and finds himself locked up with his nemesis: Christian Naylor, a psychotic serial killer who calls himself "The Sandman," who sets out to exact revenge upon him after getting into prison.
James Robson is a fictional character in the television series Oz, portrayed by R.E. Rodgers. Originally, Robson was supposed to be on for one episode and then never to be seen again. However, series creator Tom Fontana was impressed by Rodgers, so Robson became a regular from the third season to the final episode.
Marvin William Makinen has been a member of the faculty at the University of Chicago since 1974 and is a founding member of the Human Rights Board at the university.
Thomas Edward Silverstein was an American criminal who spent the last 42 years of his life in prison after being convicted of four separate murders while imprisoned for armed robbery, one of which was overturned. Silverstein spent the last 36 years of his life in solitary confinement for killing corrections officer Merle Clutts at the Marion Penitentiary in Illinois. Prison authorities described him as a brutal killer and a former leader of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang. Silverstein maintained that the dehumanizing conditions inside the prison system contributed to the three murders he committed. He was held "in a specially designed cell" in what is called "Range 13" at ADX Florence federal penitentiary in Colorado. He was the longest-held prisoner in solitary confinement within the Bureau of Prisons at the time of his death. Correctional officers refused to talk to Silverstein out of respect for Clutts.
Civil Brand is a 2002 thriller drama film written by Preston A. Whitmore II and Joyce Renee Lewis, and directed by Neema Barnette. It stars LisaRaye McCoy, N'Bushe Wright, Da Brat, Mos Def, and Monica Calhoun. The film is about a group of female inmates fighting back against their abusers and taking over Whitehead Correctional Institute, where they are incarcerated. At the American Black Film Festival, the film won awards for Best Film and Best Actor. It also won the Audience Award and Special Jury Prize at the Urbanworld Film Festival.
The Angola Three are three African-American former prison inmates who were held for decades in solitary confinement while imprisoned at Louisiana State Penitentiary. The latter two were indicted in April 1972 for the killing of a prison corrections officer; they were convicted in January 1974. Wallace and Woodfox served more than 40 years each in solitary, the "longest period of solitary confinement in American prison history".
"The Routine" is the pilot and first episode of the HBO prison drama television series Oz. Written by Tom Fontana and directed by Darnell Martin, it aired originally on July 12, 1997.
The Montana State Prison is a men's correctional facility of the Montana Department of Corrections in unincorporated Powell County, Montana, about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) west of Deer Lodge. The current facility was constructed between 1974 and 1979 in response to the continued degeneration of the original facility located in downtown Deer Lodge.
Women's Prison is a 1955 American film noir crime film directed by Lewis Seiler and starring Ida Lupino, Jan Sterling, Cleo Moore, Audrey Totter, Phyllis Thaxter and Howard Duff.
United States Penitentiary, Alcatraz Island, also known simply as Alcatraz or The Rock, was a maximum security federal prison on Alcatraz Island, 1.25 miles (2.01 km) off the coast of San Francisco, California, United States. The site of a fort since the 1850s, the main prison building was built in 1910–12 as a U.S. Army military prison.
Rufe Persful was an American criminal, convicted of murder, kidnapping and robbery. He was considered one of the most dangerous criminals of his era by the authorities.
K-11 is a 2012 American prison drama film co-written and directed by Jules Stewart. The film stars an ensemble cast of generally independent film actors including Goran Višnjić, Kate del Castillo, D. B. Sweeney, Portia Doubleday, Jason Mewes, and Tommy "Tiny" Lister.
Kickboxer: Retaliation is an American martial arts film directed and written by Dimitri Logothetis. It is the seventh in the Kickboxer film series and a direct sequel to the 2016 film Kickboxer: Vengeance, also written by Logothetis. The film stars Alain Moussi, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Christopher Lambert, Ronaldinho, Mike Tyson, Rico Verhoeven and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson. Aside from Moussi and Van Damme, Sara Malakul Lane and Sam Medina reprised their roles from the previous film.
References
↑ Cooper, Tracie. "In Hell". Allmovie. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
