User Reviews

I'm not particularly a wrestling fan. However, there seems to be a growing trend introducing wrestlers to cinema. It's worked in the past for both Steve Austin and Dewayne Johnson, but it's not a set in stone formula.

This was not a flick that followed the formula of a successful action film. The plot moves quickly at the beginning, but then stops, takes a few sharp (and typical for this genre) turns. Stops, and then takes a few more wide turns before finally coming to a stop. For this being billed as an action/drama movie, it really doesn't have the characteristics of those.

The action and choreography is dull. Right down to it's core. I'd have rather them be too far out there than simply not enough, especially from a man like Bautista who has such a large physique, and a reputation in wrestling for being especially action-packed.

There were some cheesy moments with the action, as well. CGI rendered bullet holes, for instance - which I normally don't have a problem with if they're difficult to detect. However, these are laughably noticeable.

The acting was pretty atrocious for the most part. There were two saving graces: Amy Smart and Dominic Purcell (Danny Trejo's character doesn't have enough scenes to justify his role). Both Smart and Purcell played their parts very well. Their interaction with the main character is what you would expect for two seasoned actors talking to a dull brute.

Bautista cannot act. I'm sure he's excellent at tossing people around the ring and being overly intimidating (I have to admit, he is an incredibly large fellow). However - he should stick to the over dramatization of wrestling and leave acting to people who are actually good at it.

The plot was extremely cliché'. Nothing that I haven't seen before, this was just done much more poorly than previous renditions of the same story.

I'd suggest staying away from House of the Rising Sun.

The plot: After a violent heist, a dirty ex-cop/ex-con is tasked with recovering the stolen money and avenging the death of a mobster's son, only to face increasing pressure and suspicion from both the cops and mob.

While undeniably clichéd, the story had some real potential. The movie even starts off well, introducing all of the stereotypical characters that you expect to find in a traditional crime drama. Obviously, I wasn't expecting anything groundbreaking or unique, but, for what it was, it looked like an above-average entry. Somewhere around the middle of the movie, however, they just give up and decide to hit every cliché they can, while half-heartedly shooting a bunch of boring action sequences.

The biggest problem is the fight choreography. When you cast a giant bruiser as your protagonist, people are going to have certain expectations. This movie does not meet them. There aren't enough fight scenes, and the few that do exist are terrible. None of them are believable. The action sequences suffer from similar problems.

The acting was alright. There are a few B movie veterans that you'll probably recognize. Dave Bautista, the star, gives a decent performance, but I can't really say that I see him going anywhere but direct-to-video action movies.

If you're a fan of gritty, urban crime drama/thriller/action movies, you might like this, but there are much better choices.

The major issue with this film is the script. Its awkward, flabby dialogue, when played out by already-mediocre actors, results in something that is painful to watch. People just don't talk to each other in the way this film portrays. Its story is (by design, it seems) completely predictable.

The sad thing is Bautista comes across as one of the better actors in this. I haven't seen any of his wrestling but I'd have the guess that his signature move was diving over a table to escape bullets.

You occasionally get some okay music (but this is a film, not an album) and the camera work and production values are generally pretty good. It looks and sounds like it should be a good film but it's really just a well-polished turd.

Avoid it. You won't get that 80 minutes back.

In the very beginning, say, maybe 10 minutes, the movie seemed to be quite promising and I really thought at that moment, Bautista might pull through like Stone Austin or the 'Rock' to become the next WWE superstar turned movie star. But after ten minutes, I have realized that this was a very hollow boring movie due to a very weak elementary level screenplay so boring, so clichéd and so contrived. What I saw was a chain-smoking down-and-out ex-cop and ex-con who could not find a decent job after a 9 years sentence and was released from prison. So of course he became a mob's night club's doorman+bouncer+floor manager, got the authority to give credit to gambling loser. And of course, lousy things always happened to bad luck chain smoker, the night joint was robbed by a bunch of ....then, of course....then, "you lost my money on your watch, and my son was killed during your watch. I want you find out who did this, who killed my son and, I want my 300G back!" Wow, what a junior high school script. The only thing I liked in that movie is the leather coat that Bautista wore and some of the pretty night scenes of the city. That's all.

Well, I tried. I sat right thru 'til the end. For a while, I was OK with the script, and then, for a while, I thought it was the directing that made this pretty mediocre effort work. 'Til I saw him trying to sneak about, which made him look like a gorilla...

OK. Off the fence. It doesn't work. Reviews have said the first bit is slow - well, it is. Slow but pretty tight.

Then there's a long, (a really long), pause, then, well, it finishes.

And, well, it's really all down to casting. I mean, if it's not script (thin, but, well, OK), or direction, (transparent, after about 40 mins in), it's gonna be casting.

Danny Trejo. Lazy casting? Hmmm. You decide....

In the end, I was honestly looking forward to Craig Fairbrass being on screen, 'cos at least he can act... And I'm a Brit, and usually I think he's rubbish, but this time he took all the scenes he was in, which said, well, something...

So. Dave Bautista. Better than some ex WWF debuts, but learn to act, get a better fight coreog, and stop creeping around like a gorilla who filled his pants. Oh, and Amy Smart? (who did a passable job), she's tiny. A third your weight. I mean, what were you THINKING?

Well, "House of the Rising Sun" proves to be no grand thespian experience. I mean, just look at the cast ensemble, and you essentially know what you are in for.

The story is about former dirty police officer Ray who is now working security detail at an illegal casino and brothel. After a robbery Ray finds himself framed for the robbery and murder and must go to extreme lengths to clear his name.

It should be said that the movie is entertaining enough for what it was; a somewhat bland action movie that was running on autopilot and offering nothing to challenge the intellect of the audience.

Now, I mentioned that this is not a grand thespian experience earlier, and with names like Dave Bautista and Dominic Purcell at the lead, well, enough said. Bautista moves about with the grace of a bull in a China shop, and Dominic Purcells hair just gets taller and taller with each movie.

There were a couple of adequate action sequences here and there, but it was not sufficient to lift up the movie and bring it above mediocrity.

If you enjoy action movies, then your money is better spent elsewhere if you want a movie with just an ounce of content. However, if you enjoy pointless and predictable movies that are devoid of anything to stimulate your intellect, then by all means spend an hour and a half on "House of the Rising Sun".

This movie after watching 10 minutes myself also realized that it was a very bad b class movie that had no real story line to it. Then if you watch the movie you will see almost every time you see Batista, he has a smoke sticking out of his face.After sitting and watching the entire movie, I wondered one question, "WHY". It was very very bad to watch and even consider as a good movie. This shows me with the quality of movie, why it was or never made it to he theater. It is almost the same as watching a class b movie in Canada. I give it about a 4/10 rating for it's quality.This movie should have been left without even being done.

I watched this movie because, based on the name, I was expecting it to be set in New Orleans. So I was a bit disappointed when it was set in Michigan, but I couldn't hold that against the film. However, there was still plenty else I could legitimately hold against the film.

Unlike every other reviewer on here, I had no idea who Dave Bautista was and that he was a wrestler. What the other reviews don't mention is how distracting Bautista's size is throughout the movie. Because he is so huge, dwarfing every other actor, I kept expecting him to hulk out and start smashing things. I didn't understand why they would have cast someone with that ENORMOUS size if it wasn't a requirement for the role (à la early Schwarzenegger as Conan). I also couldn't understand why any serious, dramatic actor (and this is a serious role) would do that to his body as I kept wondering how many steroids it took to get that big. Finding out he was a professional wrestler at least explained that apparent contradiction. I suppose the producers thought they were cashing in on Bautista's "fame."

I'll give Bautista credit for trying and trying very, very hard to act this part which was reminiscent of a film noir detective. Unfortunately, he just didn't have the acting skills to pull it off. (Just because someone like a wrestler, model or singer "performs" as part of their job doesn't mean they can act. News flash: Acting is its own unique specialty. It takes talent and practice to be able to act well.) Instead of restrained, he comes across as wooden. Maybe they thought they'd cast against type by putting Gigantor into a role where he's supposed to be low key, intelligent and only resorts to violence when he's forced to instead of just grabbing the bad guy by his shirt, lifting him off the ground and threatening to pound him back into the ground with his ham-sized fist. As the noose draws tighter and tighter around Bautista's character, you're supposed to feel sorry for the guy, but it's nearly impossible to feel sympathy for the biggest guy in the room. (The one character I did feel sympathy for was the hit-man friend.)

To make things worse the script was bad. Tedious, predictable except where it didn't make any sense at all, and far too slow moving in spots --- deadly dull even. Great acting can salvage a thin script. But this wasn't great acting from anyone. It was mediocre acting with performances as flat as the pages of the newspaper comic strip it felt like the story came from.

The nicest things I can say about the movie are at least it was shot on location in Michigan (and didn't take the usual cheap route of Vancouver, British Columbia) and I somehow made it to the end of the movie. But I don't recommend you make it to the end of this movie or even to the beginning. Just do yourself a favor and skip this one.

Alright Everyone i Am Series I Do Like This Movie So Much, I Thought Dave Baustia Had Really Good Acting In This Movie Hey Script Might be bit doggedly, but doesn't make movie SO BAD Like what another people say, this movie is actually pretty good written, i don't understand what everyone problems about this movie, expect Officer Down was Pretty Boring Then This movie, this movie is full on thrilling then Officer Down Believe Me. I Thought Story of this movie is really good theirs good twist. i thought it was really well done like it's simple movie and very short like Rush Hour Movies. Ray (Dave Baustia), an ex-con AKA EX Cop, is starting a new life looking to stay out of trouble. He Is Bouncer nightclub he works for, got robbed buy thugs robbed and the Vinnie Marcella (Lyle Kanouse) he is a owner, and his son got shot dead. Ray criminal past is exposed Ray hunts for the person responsible for this crime in an effort to clear his own name. Ray must get to the bottom of this as both the mob and cops start to close in on him as their target suspect. and Villain as always Tony (Dominic Purcell) as everyone knows him and he's character is pain in butt a lot he is not really good villain that much. his in it there and there not much in this movie. to cameos like i always loved (Danny Trejo) as Carlos wasn't much in movie sadly i really wished if Dave and Danny would have scenes together more of them together. Jenny Porter (Amy Smart) Crank & Crank High Voltage. she is in it a lot in movie helps Ray out of his case. now in all movie it's more of Dave Bautista and he play's really of series role but ok their is little problems of movie it may look funny not not funny as in Parody movie But It's One of These Movies Where Bad guy try's to shot lead character but misses well First of All Dave is lead character and if his character dies in movie then who is lead role ? who would be hero at of day his character is hero they all do that in movies, it's Not a big problem with that it's movie forks it's all movie but Dave Character Ray is in really series case and going threw dangerous situations, finding out all these mystery all that but witch is good it's thrilling keeps you watching and watching until end it's not very long movie at all . script would be bit silly all that i understand writing is bit confusing but doesn't make movie everyone confusing leaving them with depends how you understand it. but there's not much confusing in this movie then to Officer Down. When you watch Officer Down Same director Brain A Miller directed this, well look this is more of simply story and script that's it, it doesn't go for longtime slow burning movie. well Slow Burning movie is Officer down for example that's most confusing movie you will ever watch then this believe me i would say give this movie a watch noting really confusing expect for script a bit, but doesn't make you feel your lost in direction. Dave Bautista in this movie is soo great in this movie strong performance because most of his another movies he play's cameo not much of lead role but hey Bushwick good luck with it, it's most disappointing movie then this, if you like happy endings go for this one, Bushwick i understand it's Dave but this movie is better then that.

theirs not much i could write because i don't want to spoil movie it has twist in middle of movie makes you watch a lot more, believe you will enjoy it, it's not really bad as it looks to be with annoying Critics, believe it's not waste of your life long as you don't check out Officer Down that's another Brain A Miller movie witch he did House Of Rising Sun then he did Officer Down, This movie is a lot better. Dave not be best actor like Dwayne Johnson but he is great actor has a lot of strong performance in this movie now it's not Oscar's award winning movie. this movie it's great give it a look running time is 1h 30min but at end of credits it would be 1h 29mins of movie.

OK, I knew that one cannot expect too much from a flick that headlines Dave Bautista, but the DVD was cheap and the cover suggested a tag team of him and Danny Trejo. And they had a few decent B-movie stars to back them up. It looked like uncomplicated fun.

Unfortunately, Trejo has no more than a cameo in this movie and plays virtually no role in the action at all. Bautista lacks the acting skills to carry the movie on his own, especially since the role does not exploit his considerable physical assets.

The title also put me on the wrong foot, leading me to think this might be a precursor to Badasses on the Bayou. Nope, a lifeless wronged-cop-gets-retribution flick is what I got. Too bad about my one Euro.

"You find the men who murdered my son and bring them to me." After the club he works at gets robbed on his watch ex-cop Ray (Bautista) is told by the owners that it is up to him to find and retrieve the money and get the man who killed the owners son. When the clues he follows leads him to question everything he wonders who's side he is really working for. This movie surprised me a little. The main reason is that nine times out of ten movies with wrestlers as the main star are not that exciting. They seem fun and good for the first twenty minutes then really drag and become repetitive. This one is the opposite. The last twenty minutes in this one are good, the build up to them is a little slow. For a B-rate action movie starring a wrestler I have actually seen much worse. This is not a great movie, but it was much better then I expected it to be. I did feel that the fighting could have been better, being that Bautista is the lead actor. Overall, not a bad movie. Better then I expected. I give it a B-.

Would I watch again? - I don't think I will.

*Also try - Blood Out

Ex wrestler Dave Bautista has been cast as Ray, a former cop and now ex- con working security in a nightclub. After he gets blamed when the club is robbed, he sets out to clear his name by trying to prove the robbery was an inside job. The crooked family who owns the club is trying to pin the crime on Ray, leaving Ray with little time to avoid being framed and eventually killed.

Bautista should have stuck with wrestling, as his acting is flat, emotionless, and generally not believable. He looks like a useless meat head trying to get through his lines from the script while the rest of the actors slow down their pace so he can try and keep up. Even Amy Smart, who is usually pretty solid in her roles, is useless here. The one bright spot in the movie is actor Dominic Purcell, who plays Tony, part of the corrupt machine looking to take over the club's operations. I first watched Purcell in "Assault on Wall Street", and found his everyman character to be both understated and effective. But even he was limited in what he could do with such a weak script and weak leading actor.

Is this a tobacco or cigarette commercial? There is hardly a scene where Bautista is without a cig in his mouth. For me that was a serious turn off. One scene after another and he is smoking, which really ruins the mood of the film.

In most of those scenes there is little else going on; I could understand if an actor uses a cigarette to draw attention as a plot device, but here it just takes away from the film.

Bautista has an excellent stage presence, he is so large he just draws the eye, and dominates which ever scene he is in. He has almost a primal presence, lots of animal magnetism. I thought the director missed a lot of opportunities to make use of those qualities.

If the entire film was as good as the first twenty minutes I would say it was a decent movie. Sadly it's not.

Nighttime shots of Grand Rapids, Michigan in winter. Huge Hulk talks to other people, then fights with them. Some fights he wins, others he loses. Then he talks to someone on a pay phone. (Where the hell did they find all those pay phones? I don't think there are that many pay phones left in all of the Midwest, much less Grand Rapids, Michigan. I swear they had to go buy some and tie them to streetlights with coat hangers.) Then he drives. Then there's some more nighttime shots of Grand Rapids, Michigan in winter. Then Hulk talks to some other people, then fights with them... repeat for 90 minutes. There, I just saved you the necessity of watching this dreadful movie. I watched this one late insomniac night on HBO because I noticed right away it was shot in Grand Rapids, and I'm a West Michigan guy. But the location is all it has going for it. There are just flat out ridiculous occurrences in the script -- the hero goes from driving a 1980s Oldsmobile from driving a 1990s Firebird or Camaro; no explanation given for the vehicle switch. Another time, he takes punches that would leave an actual human's face looking like lasagna, pro wrestler or no. He goes to visit his ex- girlfriend, who remarks that he looks like crap. Camera cuts to his face, and he has one tiny smidge of blood on his chin. Yeah, that's just awful. Finally, I'm a little surprised the city fathers in Grand Rapids didn't complain about the portrayal of their city -- who knew there was a gigantic four-story illegal casino and whorehouse in the middle of downtown, and the entire police force was among its best customers??

This film tries again to score with wrestling stars and fails, like most of those who dared to try it. A stupid movie that nobody needs.

Wasted 2 hours of my life watching this straight to DVD turd. Bad lighting. Awful acting. Horrible dialogue. Bautista as the lead was a terrible idea.

A good movie if you are looking to kill some time. A movie with few surprises. I found the the love interest a bit unbelievable. Amy Smart did not deliver a convincing performance. One star for lots of breasts. Can't beat a topless bar for a local. Soundtrack was annoying. Some copy band screaming nonsense over and over was distracting. Fights...gun play..nudity and a short lived sex scene. Yes you could ask for more.

Watching Dave Bautista ruining his lungs sucking on cigarettes to try to look cool; Shows no emotion, no skill, no humor, no action, no reaction, as if he had a lobotomy Gratuitously raunchy and lousy acting all around. Gave it enough time to develop into something worth watching but it was going nowhere to the point of it becoming pointless to continue watching so now I'm padding this review to reach the number of required characters for this worst-of-Dave-Bautista and no other actor worth mentioning in this dark, dreary, hopeless, hapless, ho-hum, hum-drum example of a warning to not waste your time.