It's just a rather routine formula B action flick; passably engrossing if admittedly not the kind of thing you'd watch more than once. The filmmaking isn't that terrible, and at least some of the acting is basically competent. It just all reeks of familiarity. Die hard action junkies certainly have seen this plot rehashed numerous times before. None of the fights are what one could consider spectacular, and unfortunately even the big finish fails to really deliver on a visceral level.
The "Circuit" of the title is an underground fight club with no rules, and Dirk Longstreet (ever likable Olivier Gruner) is the only man who was ever able to walk away in one piece. Now the scum promoting the Circuit, particularly Vixton Hack (Bryan Genesse), want Dirk back, and bait him by allowing his younger brother Jeremy (Ilya Melnikoff) to get in over his head while betting on the fights. Dirk eventually agrees to return, vowing to the bad guys that he will take down the Circuit for good.
You get pretty much what you expect with this movie. It's mostly predictable, uninspired stuff, only really recommendable to people who just can't get enough of this sort of thing. Producer / director Jalal Merhi, who's also been a star in such movies, doesn't bring any style or wit to the proceedings. Some of the performers do whatever they can: Gail Harris as snoopy reporter Nicole, Loren Avedon as federal agent Sykes, real life twins Simon and James Kim as the villainous Kwans, and especially Billy Drago, who actually has a more sympathetic role than usual. Merhi has a small role as Nicoles' hard-driving editor.
All in all, this low budget effort may not be that hot but it proved to be watchable enough for this viewer.
Five out of 10.
The "Circuit" of the title is an underground fight club with no rules, and Dirk Longstreet (ever likable Olivier Gruner) is the only man who was ever able to walk away in one piece. Now the scum promoting the Circuit, particularly Vixton Hack (Bryan Genesse), want Dirk back, and bait him by allowing his younger brother Jeremy (Ilya Melnikoff) to get in over his head while betting on the fights. Dirk eventually agrees to return, vowing to the bad guys that he will take down the Circuit for good.
You get pretty much what you expect with this movie. It's mostly predictable, uninspired stuff, only really recommendable to people who just can't get enough of this sort of thing. Producer / director Jalal Merhi, who's also been a star in such movies, doesn't bring any style or wit to the proceedings. Some of the performers do whatever they can: Gail Harris as snoopy reporter Nicole, Loren Avedon as federal agent Sykes, real life twins Simon and James Kim as the villainous Kwans, and especially Billy Drago, who actually has a more sympathetic role than usual. Merhi has a small role as Nicoles' hard-driving editor.
All in all, this low budget effort may not be that hot but it proved to be watchable enough for this viewer.
Five out of 10.