UNDISPUTED
US, 2002, 96 minutes, Colour.
Wesley Snipes, Ving Rhames, Peter Falk, Michael Rooker, Jon Seda, Wes Studi, Fisher Stevens.
Directed by Walter Hill.
Undisputed is a boxing film, tough and brutal as might be expected from the tough films by Walter Hill. He treated the boxing theme, bareknuckle, in the 1976 Streetfighter with Charles Bronson. This time the film is set in a prison.
The film is basically the preparation for a fight between two champions. Wesley Snipes portrays a convicted murderer who is a boxing champion, and the champion of the prison. Ving Rhames portrays a world champion heavyweight who is accused of rape and imprisoned (parallel to the story of Mike Tyson in 1992). Each has his own way of doing things in the prison, his own following. A match is engineered by an imprisoned gangster, played by Peter Falk (trying to get in enough four-letter words to make up for all that he could not say in the whole series of Colombo!). Michael Rooker is the guard who controls the fight. Jon Seda is the supporter of the gangster. Fisher Stevens the supporter of Snipes. Wes Studi the cellmate of Rhames.
The film uses names and dates, information about crimes and punishment, signals the days in preparation for the match. The culmination is the battle between the two champions.
1.The films of Walter Hill? Strong, tough, macho? Boxing and prisons?
2.The prison setting, the interiors, the cells, the common area, the yard, dining room, showers…? An authentic feel? The warden’s office, solitary? The musical score?
3.The names and dates technique, the introduction to each of the characters, background, crimes, sentences? The blend of ordinary criminals and gangsters? The indication of days and countdown to the final match?
4.The prison film, the expected portrait of inmates, the guard’s comment that they had seen too many prison films? The cells, the appearance of the prisoners, their garb, tattoos, tough? The brawls? The companions in the cell? The language?
5.Mendy Ripstein, Peter Falk as an imprisoned gangster? His memories of the past, his work with Meyer Lansky, the threats to the mayor, the threats to the warden? His imprisonment, Campos as his aide and assistant? Words of wisdom? His angers, outside deals, the pressure about the betting? His support of Monroe Hutchen?
6.Monroe Hutchen, a Wesley Snipes character, convicted of murder, champion within the prison, his accepting his punishment, the fights, his defeat initially of the big opponent? His confrontation with Chambers, put in solitary? The interview with the prison staff? His training, Ratbag as his supporter? The confrontations with Chambers? The build-up to the fight, the fight itself, his seeming to lose, the expected victory? Finishing out his sentence?
7.Chambers, the background of the rape accusation? The frequent returning throughout the film to the interview with the victim, on the media, her explanation of what happened, the effect on her? Chambers’ disregard? Tough attitudes, the transfer, his throwing his weight around, Mingo Pace as his cellmate, support? His work in the kitchen, the confrontation with Hutchen, his deal, the betting? Preparation, the fight itself, his defeat? His being transferred out, his continued fighting career, the victory at Las Vegas, world champion?
8.The staff, the governor and his administration, confrontations with Hutchen, with Chambers? The confrontation with Ripstein and the threats? Mercker and his management of the fights? His attitudes towards the men?
9.Campos, his support of Ripstein, doing the right thing, getting the money for his family? Pace and his friendship with Chambers? Ratbag, his support of Monroe, the confrontation with Chambers, punching him and his being punched back? The final victory?
10.The announcer, the initial fight, the final fight and his enthusiasm?
11.The auxiliary staff, their handling of the men? The woman on the staff, her interviews with Hutchen and Chambers?
12.The overall effect – the appeal of the film and its theme to a male audience rather than a female audience?
