The Condemned 2
Needless, dumb sequel has lots of big, loud violence.
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The Condemned 2
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Condemned 2 is technically a sequel to 2007's The Condemned, even though they have very little to do with each other aside from dealing with illegal gambling rings (the kind that gamble on human beings). Expect many scenes of rich people passing money around and laughing and shouting while they watch others on video screens get shot. Violence is strong: Many characters are killed (via shooting, stabbing, and explosions), with blood shown, as well as knives and guns. One gruesome scene has a "game" in which spectators bet on which of two homeless men -- both hooked up to IV tubes -- will die first. Language includes multiple uses of "f--k" and "s--t." Characters drink beer in social or background ways, and in one scene, two women are clearly ogled and objectified.
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What's the Story?
Bounty hunter Will Tanner (Randy Orton) leads a team of trained men to catch the leader of an underground gambling ring, Cyrus Merrick (Wes Studi). When the mission doesn't go as planned, Tanner is arrested and forbidden to hunt bounties. He goes to work as a tow truck driver, but when he answers what he thinks is a routine call, he finds one of his former team members trying to kill him. Other team members turn up, and they, too, suddenly try to kill Tanner. Eventually Tanner learns that Cyrus' second-in-command, Baccaro (Steven Michael Quezada), has started a new game, with Tanner as the target. He teams up with his father (Eric Roberts) and some trusted colleagues and launches an all-out assault -- but Baccaro still has a few tricks up his sleeve.
Is It Any Good?
Having almost nothing to do with 2007's The Condemned aside from the idea of an illegal gambling ring, this sequel is all action, with no brains, character, or emotional involvement. And the curious casting of Roberts as Orton's father yields nothing; no father-son bonding or heartfelt moments are to be found anywhere. Moreover, it's very hard to get behind Orton, since his character is so easily and repeatedly fooled.
Other characters are interchangeable, and it's a shame that dependable character actor Studi disappears from the movie so early. Director Roel Reine tries to use drones and surveillance to say something about human nature, but his message is lost among the explosions. THE CONDEMNED 2 feels like something that might have been released on VHS in the 1980s; it's a totally needless sequel, all spectacle with absolutely nothing at stake, and only worthwhile if you turn off your brain.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Condemned 2's violence. How did it affect you? Is it thrilling or disturbing? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
Who in the story is seeking revenge? Is revenge ever a defendable motive?
What is the relationship between the father and son characters like? How is it similar or dissimilar to real-life father-son relationships?
Movie Details
- In theaters: November 6, 2015
- On DVD or streaming: January 19, 2016
- Cast: Eric Roberts, Wes Studi, Randy Orton
- Director: Roel Reine
- Studio: Lionsgate
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Run time: 90 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: violence throughout and language
- Last updated: March 1, 2023
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