There is certainly no shortage of straight to video action flicks that usually star former Hollywood heavyweights that can't carry a blockbuster anymore, or some variation of wrestler or athlete. The good news is that it doesn't always mean they are total write offs. However, most of them clock in at the same level as a made for TV movie without a lot of power, money or talent put behind them. One In The Chamber is entertaining. Its probably the most mediocre of entertainment but I still didn't hate every minute of it. At most I can say I was just really disappointed at what could have been if they had a better writer, a better director, just all around a better crew behind the film. If they had this it could have actually been a mainstream theatre released action flick. There are enough well shot action scenes, and some solid gory R Rated kills to make this worthy. But the plot chugs along and never really fills in some key gaps to make the characters worthy of your time. The supposed battle of the titans between Gooding Jr and Lundgren never really happens and instead its almost two separate stories being told of two hit men.
There are few former Hollywood stars that seem to have slipped from greatness like Cuba Gooding Jr. He won the Oscar and then gradually began to fall. Now he's a straight to video action fiend. I'm not sure I've seen many of them until this one but I don't imagine any of them are much different for him. He's quiet and brooding and stalking some woman throughout the film. He has no depth and honestly looks bored in the role. However, he does carry a gun well, and he pulls off action scenes pretty good. With all his negatives he does still have good charisma on screen. Cult favourite Dolph Lundgren plays a cheesy, Hawaiian-shirt wearing hit-man known as "The Wolf." Lundgren is old school fantastic at action flicks. He's brooding, barks one liners perfectly, and a talented martial artists. Watching him kick butt is always fun. His character sadly gets too little screen time and not enough arc to be significant. The rest of the cast is made up of a host of B-Movie inevitable "scar on the cheek" type Russian mobsters who all serve their purpose but do not stand out whatsoever.
Director William Kaufman has had a little experience but all with basically the same time of picture...this one. According to IMDb his trademark is brutally realistic action scenes and he does indeed score on that aspect. There was some truly brutal action scenes in this film. The problem is that he does nothing to drive the story. Key plot points are missed or ignored. So the film can be enjoyed especially for Lundgren fans but you really have to turn off your brain and ignore the glaring issues with the film. There is a lot of weakness to find the very few strengths. 6/10
There are few former Hollywood stars that seem to have slipped from greatness like Cuba Gooding Jr. He won the Oscar and then gradually began to fall. Now he's a straight to video action fiend. I'm not sure I've seen many of them until this one but I don't imagine any of them are much different for him. He's quiet and brooding and stalking some woman throughout the film. He has no depth and honestly looks bored in the role. However, he does carry a gun well, and he pulls off action scenes pretty good. With all his negatives he does still have good charisma on screen. Cult favourite Dolph Lundgren plays a cheesy, Hawaiian-shirt wearing hit-man known as "The Wolf." Lundgren is old school fantastic at action flicks. He's brooding, barks one liners perfectly, and a talented martial artists. Watching him kick butt is always fun. His character sadly gets too little screen time and not enough arc to be significant. The rest of the cast is made up of a host of B-Movie inevitable "scar on the cheek" type Russian mobsters who all serve their purpose but do not stand out whatsoever.
Director William Kaufman has had a little experience but all with basically the same time of picture...this one. According to IMDb his trademark is brutally realistic action scenes and he does indeed score on that aspect. There was some truly brutal action scenes in this film. The problem is that he does nothing to drive the story. Key plot points are missed or ignored. So the film can be enjoyed especially for Lundgren fans but you really have to turn off your brain and ignore the glaring issues with the film. There is a lot of weakness to find the very few strengths. 6/10