Castle Falls

Last updated
Castle Falls
Castle Falls.jpeg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Dolph Lundgren
Written byAndrew Knauer
Produced by
  • Andre Relis
  • Dolph Lundgren
  • Craig Baumgarten
Starring
CinematographyFrances Chen
Edited byMatthew Lorentz
Music byDavid Rosengren
Production
companies
  • Bondlt Media Capital
  • Buffalo 8 Productions
  • VMI Worldwide
  • Verdi Productions
  • Wonder Street
  • Yale Productions
Distributed by Shout! Factory [1]
Release date
  • December 3, 2021 (2021-12-03)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$4 million
Box office$2,643 [2]

Castle Falls is a 2021 American action film starring and directed by Dolph Lundgren in his first film as director since 2010. [3] It was produced by Lundgren with Andre Relis and Craig Baumgarten. [4] The film co-stars Scott Adkins, Jim Chandler, Kim Delonghi, Dave Halls, Scott Hunter, Robert Berlin and Lundgren's real life daughter Ida Lundgren. [5] [6]

Contents

Plot

Former MMA fighter Mike Wade works on the demolition crew for Castle Heights Hospital, an abandoned facility scheduled to be blown up in just a few hours. The crumbling building hides $3 million in cash stashed away by a now-imprisoned gang leader who intended to retrieve it one day.

Mike discovers the money and decides to take it. Richard Ericson, a corrections officer whose daughter is battling cancer, also learns of the money’s location. Richard heads to the hospital to secure the cash before the building comes down.

The gang that originally hid the money sends a team of armed men to recover the loot before the place is leveled. Mike and Richard cross paths and realize they must work together to survive.

With only 90 minutes left before the demolition, the two unlikely allies navigate the maze-like corridors, fend off attackers, and make tough decisions in a brutal race against time to escape the building alive with or without the money.

They manage to defeat the gang members and escape the building. Ericson uses his share of the money to pay for his daughter's medical treatment, while Mike finds a renewed sense of purpose and hope for the future.

Production

In early press junkets for the film, the film was to be set in a condominium with Lundgren playing "Shea", one of two rival gang leaders, and Adkins playing an ex-fighter working as a janitor who stumbles upon the cash.[ citation needed ]

Cast

Release

Theatrical

The film had a limited release in the United States on December 3, 2021. [7]

Home media

It was released on Blu-ray and video on demand on December 28, 2021. [8]

Reception

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 88% of 8 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.50/10. [9]

Debopriyaa Dutta of Screen Rant gave the film a positive review and rated it 2.5 stars out of 5 stars. She wrote, "Sporting skilled choreographed action sequences, Castle Falls offers a mildly satisfying viewing experience despite a weak and muddled storyline". [10] Jacob Walker of Starburst rated the film 3 out of 5 rating and praised the film's thrills, decent action and the chemistry of Lundgren and Adkins: "Once the action kicks off in the last third of the film, however, it’s loads of fun. Adkins delivers his modern blend of taekwondo kicks and MMA techniques with gusto, and the gunfights and battles are relentless until the end. Lundgren and Adkins work really well together, Dolph’s world-weariness complimenting Scott’s energy and determinism. You will be cheering this bromance on until the credits roll, they just needed to be on-screen together a little earlier". [11]

Phil Hoad of The Guardian gave the film a rating of 3 out of 5 and wrote, "Dolph Lundgren and Scott Adkins make a fine odd couple in this meatily satisfying action film - once it gets moving". [12]

References

  1. "Castle Falls - Blu-ray :: Shout! Factory".
  2. "Castle Falls (2021)". The Numbers. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
  3. "Castle Falls - VMI Worldwide". Archived from the original on 2021-11-10. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  4. "Castle Falls (2022)".
  5. Ritman, Alex (February 22, 2020). "Berlin: Global Buyers Fall for Dolph Lundgren's 'Castle Falls' (Exclusive)". Hollywood Reporter .
  6. "our films - Verdi films".
  7. Arnold, Justin (October 6, 2021). "Shout! Sets Dec. 3 Theatrical, Digital Release for Action Thriller 'Castle Falls'". www.mediaplaynews.com.
  8. "Castle Falls Blu-ray".
  9. "Castle Falls - RT". Rotten Tomatoes .
  10. Dutta, Debopriyya (December 3, 2021). "Castle Falls Review: Well-Crafted Action Thriller Lacks Narrative Clarity". Screen Rant . Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  11. Walker, Jacob (December 3, 2021). "CASTLE FALLS". Starburst . Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  12. Hoad, Phil (December 13, 2021). "Castle Falls review – Dolph Lundgren puts on his specs and flexes his pecs". The Guardian . Retrieved October 12, 2023.