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Brawl in Cell Block 99
2017 132 min United States of America 18+
★7.4
Action, Crime, Thriller
Director: S. Craig Zahler
Trailers
Description
After working as a drug courier and getting into a brutal shootout with police, a former boxer finds himself at the mercy of his enemies as they force him to instigate violent acts that turn the prison he resides in into a battleground.
Budget:
$10M
Worldwide:
$64,453
Starring
Vince Vaughn
Actor
Jennifer Carpenter
Actor
Don Johnson
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 2018
— Best Thriller
Saturn Awards 2018
— Best Actor
Key opinion
Brawl in Cell Block 99 is a polarizing, ultra-violent crime thriller that divides audiences between those who appreciate its deliberate, stylized direction and those who find its narrative thin and its protagonist unbelievable. While Vince Vaughn’s transformation into a cold-blooded anti-hero is widely hailed as a career-best performance, the film's extreme aesthetic and slow-burn pacing remain significant points of contention.
| Acting | Vince Vaughn delivers a career-defining performance, shedding his comedic persona to portray a cold, determined, and physically imposing anti-hero. | |
| Direction | Director S. Craig Zahler expertly blends gritty realism with grotesque, stylized violence and black humor, creating a distinctively abrasive atmosphere. | |
| Emotion | The film’s extreme, bone-crushing violence is praised by many as visceral and impactful, while others dismiss it as gratuitous "trash" that lacks narrative substance. | |
| Pacing | The deliberate, slow-burn pacing rewards viewers who enjoy contemplative tension, but it frustrates those who find the early stretches sluggish and repetitive. | |
| Screenplay | The protagonist’s motivations and lack of traditional character depth are seen as either a bold, minimalist stylistic choice or a fatal flaw that renders his actions unbelievable and hollow. |