Ring of Death (film)

Last updated

Ring of Death
Ring of Death.jpg
Written byMatthew Chernov,
David Rosiak,
Dan Fitzsimons
Directed byBradford May
Theme music composer Justin Caine Burnett
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducersMilena Milicevic,
Randy Pope
Cinematography Maximo Munzi
EditorThomas A. Krueger
Running time80 minutes
Production companiesLarry Levinson Productions
Alpine Medien
RHI Entertainment
Original release
Network Spike TV
ReleaseJune 23, 2008 (2008-06-23)

Ring of Death is a 2008 American television film directed by Bradford May and starring Johnny Messner, Stacy Keach and Charlotte Ross. It was created for Spike TV in 2008.

Contents

Plot

Burke Wyatt (Johnny Messner) is a hardened ex-cop with a seasoned history of extreme and over-the-top methods during his time with the police, but having been dismissed for the past three years after drastically subduing a criminal, he wades through a rough stretch in his life; separated from his wife (Charlotte Ross), he plays a part-time father to their only son, Tommy (Uriah Shelton).

He quietly harbors a desire to return to the force, and he gets the chance when approached by his old partner and friend, and now a successful FBI agent, Steve James (Derek Webster), who visits Burke to talk about an investigation into the suspicious and violent murders of several inmates at Cainsville State Penitentiary, a notorious and brutal maximum security prison, with the suspicion that the prison warden, Carl Golan (Stacy Keach), is running an underground fight club where prisoners fight to the death for the entertainment of private viewers and paying internet subscribers and for the financial gain of prison officials. Needing someone to infiltrate the prison, Burke is offered the job with the promise of a massive trust fund for his son and reinstatement on the force with an FBI job. Unable to let the opportunity pass, he agrees to the prospects and his desire whetted, the offer can't be refused and he agrees to pose as a prison inmate to investigate the deaths.

A high-profile operation, the only way to get inside the prison without arousing suspicion is for Burke to commit a crime himself and receive a jail sentence. Waiting outside a police precinct, he assaults an officer and steals his squad car, then purposely surrenders himself, and once sentenced, is transported to the prison in a bus with other convicts.

Not long after arrival inside, Burke brushes with some of the more dangerous inmates of the prison, almost landing himself in fatal situations, and eventually crosses swords with Milton Kennedy a.k.a. "The President" (Lester Speight), a towering, physically imposing and vicious criminal and the boss of the prison's biggest gang known as 'The Disciples'. Feared and respected by all other felons, he has an untouchable status among them as well as to the guards.

Burke's steel is then tested when he must defend himself against a lowly group of cons, but his prowess only attracts the interest of Warden Golan, who only sees in him a new addition to his league of fighters. Soon, FBI suspicions are confirmed when Burke is plunged into a cruel, sadistic world of life or death duels where he finds himself forced to compete for the warden and his guards in the blood sport that he was drafted to expose.

Cast

Related Research Articles

<i>Half Past Dead</i> 2002 American action movie by Don Michael Paul

Half Past Dead is a 2002 American action film written and directed by Don Michael Paul in his directorial debut, and produced by Steven Seagal, who also starred in the lead role, alongside Andrew Stevens and Elie Samaha. The film co-stars Morris Chestnut, Ja Rule, Tony Plana, Kurupt, and Nia Peeples. The film tells the story of a criminal who infiltrates a prison to interrogate a prisoner about the location of a fortune in gold while an undercover FBI agent has to stop him. Distribution and copyrights were held by Columbia Pictures. Half Past Dead was released on November 15, 2002, by Screen Gems. The film garnered negative reviews from critics, and only grossed $19 million worldwide against its $25 million production budget.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Folsom State Prison</span> Prison in Folsom, California, United States

Folsom California State Prison is a California State Prison in Folsom, California, U.S., approximately 20 miles (32 km) northeast of the state capital of Sacramento. It is one of 34 adult institutions operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stacy Keach</span> American actor (born 1941)

Walter Stacy Keach Jr. is an American actor, active in theatre, film and television since the 1960s. Keach first distinguished himself in Off-Broadway productions and remained a prominent figure in American theatre across his career, particularly as a noted Shakespearean. He is the recipient of several theatrical accolades, four Drama Desk Awards, two Helen Hayes Awards and two Obie Awards for Distinguished Performance by an Actor. He was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his performance in Arthur Kopit's 1969 production of Indians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitey Bulger</span> American gangster and crime boss (1929–2018)

James Joseph "Whitey" Bulger Jr. was an American organized crime boss who led the Winter Hill Gang in the Winter Hill neighborhood of Somerville, Massachusetts, a city directly northwest of Boston. On December 23, 1994, Bulger fled the Boston area and went into hiding after his former FBI handler, John Connolly, tipped him off about a pending RICO indictment against him. Bulger remained at large for sixteen years. After his 2011 arrest, federal prosecutors tried Bulger for nineteen murders based on grand jury testimony from Kevin Weeks and other former criminal associates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lester Speight</span> American professional wrestler and actor

Lester Speight, also known as Rasta, is a former American football player who has had subsequent careers as a professional wrestler and then actor. He achieved significant recognition for his portrayal of Terry Tate: Office Linebacker in a series of Reebok commercials that debuted during Super Bowl XXXVII, and received further recognition for his portrayal of Augustus Cole in the Gears of War series of video games.

<i>Johnny Dangerously</i> 1984 film by Amy Heckerling

Johnny Dangerously is a 1984 American crime comedy film, and a parody of 1930s crime/gangster movies. It was directed by Amy Heckerling.

<i>Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison</i> 1951 film by Crane Wilbur

Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison is a 1951 American film noir crime film directed by Crane Wilbur and starring Steve Cochran and David Brian. Set in Folsom State Prison in California, the film was seen both in the United States and Europe.

Johnny Messner is an American film and television actor best known for his portrayal of a muscular military man in the 2004 film Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid.

<i>Smokin Aces</i> 2006 film

Smokin' Aces is a 2006 action thriller film written and directed by Joe Carnahan. The film centers on the chase for Las Vegas magician turned mafia informant Buddy "Aces" Israel, on whom a one-million-dollar bounty is placed. The ensemble cast includes Ryan Reynolds, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Common, Andy García, Alicia Keys, Taraji P. Henson, Ray Liotta, Chris Pine, and Matthew Fox, all co-starring as the various individuals attempting to either capture, kill or protect Israel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brad Bellick</span> Character on American television series Prison Break

Bradley Bellick is a fictional character from the American television series, Prison Break. He is portrayed by Wade Williams. As one of the principal characters of Prison Break, he has been featured in the first four seasons of the series. The character was introduced in the series' pilot as Captain Brad Bellick, the leader of the correctional officers at Fox River State Penitentiary. Originally, he was the main antagonist of Michael Scofield and the escape team. In the second season, the character's role changes as the main plot moves away from the prison setting, which allows him to remain as one of the main characters in the series. While not possessing the educational rigour as Scofield or Agent Mahone, he has shown himself to be highly cunning and even been able to outsmart Scofield on numerous occasions and he must not be underestimated, and in Season 2 was able to track down several of the Fox River escapees and travel across America on a low budget. In season three, he is a prisoner in the Panamanian prison, Sona. In season four, Bellick became a member of Scofield's team dedicated to locating Scylla, but sacrificed his life to protect their mission.

<i>Prison</i> (1987 film) 1987 horror film directed by Renny Harlin

Prison is a 1987 horror film directed by Renny Harlin and starring Viggo Mortensen, Tom Everett, Kane Hodder, Lane Smith, and Tommy Lister. It was filmed at the Old State Prison in Rawlins, Wyoming, with many residents on the cast and crew.

<i>Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All</i> 1989 film by John Nicolella

Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All is a 1989 mystery crime thriller television film. It starred Stacy Keach, Lynda Carter, Lindsay Bloom, Don Stroud, Michelle Phillips, Lyle Alzado, and Jim Carrey. It was respectively filmed in Culver City, California and Las Vegas, Nevada.

<i>Half Past Dead 2</i> 2007 American film

Half Past Dead 2 is a 2007 American action film directed by Art Camacho and starring Bill Goldberg and Kurupt. It is a sequel to the 2002 film Half Past Dead. Kurupt and Tony Plana are the only actors to return from the first film. The film was released straight to video in the United States on May 15, 2007.

"Ol' Red" is a song written by James "Bo" Bohon, Don Goodman, and Mark Sherrill. The song was originally recorded by George Jones on his 1990 album You Oughta Be Here with Me and covered by Kenny Rogers on his 1993 album If Only My Heart Had a Voice. Rogers' version was released as a single in August 1993. It was later recorded by Blake Shelton, and his version of the song was released in March 2002 as the third and final single from his self-titled debut album. Shelton's rendition was also a Top 20 hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, having peaked at number 14.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Missouri State Penitentiary</span> Former prison in Jefferson City, Missouri, United States

The Missouri State Penitentiary was a prison in Jefferson City, Missouri, that operated from 1836 to 2004. Part of the Missouri Department of Corrections, it served as the state of Missouri's primary maximum security institution. Before it closed, it was the oldest operating penal facility west of the Mississippi River. It was replaced by the Jefferson City Correctional Center, which opened on September 15, 2004.

<i>Dark Alibi</i> 1946 film

Dark Alibi is a 1946 American mystery film directed by Phil Karlson featuring Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan. It is also known as Charlie Chan in Alcatraz, Fatal Fingerprints and Fatal Fingertips.

<i>Alcatraz</i> (TV series) American television series

Alcatraz is an American television series created by Elizabeth Sarnoff, Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt, and produced by J. J. Abrams and Bad Robot Productions. The series premiered on Fox on January 16, 2012, as a mid-season replacement. Switching between eras, the series focuses on the Alcatraz prison, which was shut down in 1963 due to unsafe conditions for its prisoners and guards. The show's premise is that both the prisoners and the guards disappeared in 1963 and have abruptly reappeared in modern-day San Francisco, where they are being tracked down by a government agency, to prevent them from committing further crimes while also determining the reasons for their return. The series starred Sarah Jones, Jorge Garcia, Sam Neill, and Parminder Nagra.

<i>Mickey Spillanes Mike Hammer</i> (1984 TV series) American crime drama television series

Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, with Stacy Keach in the title role, is an American crime drama television series that originally aired on CBS from January 28, 1984, to May 13, 1987. The series consisted of 51 installments: 46 one-hour episodes, a two-part pilot episode, and three TV Movies.

<i>Death Race: Beyond Anarchy</i> 2018 American film

Death Race: Beyond Anarchy is a 2018 American science fiction action film directed by Don Michael Paul. It is the fourth and final film in the Death Race remake series and a direct sequel to the 2008 film Death Race. The film was released on DVD and digitally on October 2, 2018.