Undisputed (R)

A forgettable prison boxing movie.

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Common Sense rates it
2
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Movie details
  • Studio: Miramax
  • Directed By: Walter Hill
  • Cast: Ving Rhames, Wesley Snipes
  • Running Time: 93 minutes
  • Release Date: 08/23/2002
  • Video/DVD Release Date: 11/26/2002
  • Genre: Drama
  • MPAA Rating: R
  • MPAA Explanation: language and violence

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie has extremely strong language (including the "N" word in the soundtrack), violent confrontations, references to rape and prison sex, and corrupt officials. Some viewers will be concerned about implications that the rape survivor may be lying about what happened.

Families can talk about what it meant to Monroe and Iceman to be the champion. How were their ways of coping similar and how were they different?

Message

Social Behavior:

Diverse characters, even racist characters, show respect and loyalty

Consumerism:

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Mild

Violence

Prison fight violence, boxing violence

Sex

References to rape and prison sex

Language

Very strong prison language including racist language

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Nell Minow

In UNDISPUTED, world heavyweight champion "Iceman" (Ving Rhames) is convicted of rape and sent to a maximum security prison. Monroe (Wesley Snipes), a former heavyweight contender, is the undefeated champion in the inter-prison division. They fight each other. That isn't a summary of the movie – that is the movie. There is some flash and attitude, but it is all on the surface. The boxers fight in a cage rimmed with barbed wire. That makes for some cool shots through the swirls, but it doesn't make any sense. There's also an escape risk in the middle of a boxing match with all the guards standing there watching.

Is it any good?

2
There is more plot and character development in Michael Jackson's music video for "Beat It" than in this forgettable prison boxing movie. Sports movies (and prison movies, and, come to think of it, most movies) work well when there's a metaphorical journey involving risk, learning, sacrifice and growth. There's none of that here.

Iceman and Monroe are unchanged from beginning to end. We hear that Iceman is a strong offensive boxer, so we expect to see Monroe develop a strategy to put him on the defense. Nope. Monroe says that he has learned to live entirely inside himself, rely only on himself, and stay in control at all times, so we expect to see him have to rely on himself. Nope. Some big deal is made about having the big fight according to the old rules from the bare-knuckle days, but then the guy organizing the fight changes his mind and decides they will use gloves. Except for one guy who dies, everyone ends up pretty much where they started. All that's left, then, is the boxing. There are some powerful moments, but they, too, are flash without substance, and show no real understanding of the sport.

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