Fine flick with more than a semblance of an enjoyable and entertaining story without being excessively cerebral , including thrills , chills, spectacular fighting , mayhem and prison revolts . In spite of its violence, and adding some wholly as well as corny moments , this is an acceptable yarn with interesting storyline enhanced by the romantic relationship between Van Damme and wife depicted by means of flashbacks with full of feeling touches and freshness . Jean Claude Van Damme is pretty well as a brave and two-fisted hero , an American working overseas in Russia named Kyle LeBlanc showing his gentle/tough side and who learns his wife has been attacked , as he rushes home to find that he's too late. But the murderer who killed his wife (Marnie Alton) is found not guilty on lack of evidence , so Kyle takes the law into his own hands . He is sentenced to life in prison without parole . Kyle must survive a dangerous prison where hardened killers battle to the death for the wardens' entertainment . As he attempts his freedom by illegal fighting , then his rage unleashed . Kyle begins to break and go insane, so he is forced into these fights because of the wardens know he is a champion and a sure thing . He must confront brutal criminals and their cruel prison chief , General Hruschov (Lloyd Battista) . Meantime, Kyle's cellmate 451 (Lawrence Taylor) starts to make him think what he struggles for . Eventually , Kyle thanks to 451 , learns he must fight another battle : the fight to find redemption and for his own inner peace . It is the only way he can become the man he once was .
This violent film contains thriller , suspense , action , tension and spectacular/well choreographed fights . Entertaining movie , thanks to tight pace , skillful edition and well mounted combats . It's tense and exciting , at time glossy enough action movie and the breathtaking struggles and combats are well done . Depicting the hard and violent conditions of a Russian prison in which our starring is sent and where the wardens amuse themselves by putting on fights and filling their pockets with money by betting on the bloody combats . Jean Claude is nice in this middling budget picture as a valiant hero who killed the man to avenge his wife's death . Support cast is attractive , such as : Lawrence Taylor as the philosophic and strange inmate 451 , Lloyd Battista as ruthless General Hruschov , Carlos Gómez as Tolik and Marnie Alton as gorgeous wife . Furthermore , two secondary actors regular in prison and action thrillers : Robert LaSardo and Juan Fernandez , both of whom use to play violent prisoners , killers panderers and other mobsters .
Appropriate musical score fitting to action movie , as well as atmospheric cinematography by cameraman John Aronson . The motion picture was professionally directed by Ringo Lam . In 2015 , Hong Kong director Ringo Lam received the Star Asia Lifetime Achievement Award at the 14th New York Asian Film Festival. He was a craftsman who made a trilogy for Van Damme : Maximum Risk , Replicant and In Hell . His film City on Fire (1987) was the inspiration for the plot and some of the scenes in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1992) . Ringo was a a nice Chinese director who recently passed away , and filmmaker for Jackie Chan : Double dragon . And was hired in US for Jean Claude Van Damme vehicles . He also directed ¨On fire¨ trilogy : the first is titled ¨City on fire¨ , the second titled ¨Prison on fire¨ and the third titled ¨ Prison on fire 2¨. Pointlessly energetic and excessively violent , this In Hell (2003) will appeal the true devotee of main actor . It's a must see for Van Damme fans . Rating : 6/10 . Decent prison movie .
This violent film contains thriller , suspense , action , tension and spectacular/well choreographed fights . Entertaining movie , thanks to tight pace , skillful edition and well mounted combats . It's tense and exciting , at time glossy enough action movie and the breathtaking struggles and combats are well done . Depicting the hard and violent conditions of a Russian prison in which our starring is sent and where the wardens amuse themselves by putting on fights and filling their pockets with money by betting on the bloody combats . Jean Claude is nice in this middling budget picture as a valiant hero who killed the man to avenge his wife's death . Support cast is attractive , such as : Lawrence Taylor as the philosophic and strange inmate 451 , Lloyd Battista as ruthless General Hruschov , Carlos Gómez as Tolik and Marnie Alton as gorgeous wife . Furthermore , two secondary actors regular in prison and action thrillers : Robert LaSardo and Juan Fernandez , both of whom use to play violent prisoners , killers panderers and other mobsters .
Appropriate musical score fitting to action movie , as well as atmospheric cinematography by cameraman John Aronson . The motion picture was professionally directed by Ringo Lam . In 2015 , Hong Kong director Ringo Lam received the Star Asia Lifetime Achievement Award at the 14th New York Asian Film Festival. He was a craftsman who made a trilogy for Van Damme : Maximum Risk , Replicant and In Hell . His film City on Fire (1987) was the inspiration for the plot and some of the scenes in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1992) . Ringo was a a nice Chinese director who recently passed away , and filmmaker for Jackie Chan : Double dragon . And was hired in US for Jean Claude Van Damme vehicles . He also directed ¨On fire¨ trilogy : the first is titled ¨City on fire¨ , the second titled ¨Prison on fire¨ and the third titled ¨ Prison on fire 2¨. Pointlessly energetic and excessively violent , this In Hell (2003) will appeal the true devotee of main actor . It's a must see for Van Damme fans . Rating : 6/10 . Decent prison movie .