Blood and Bone
Reviews
John Chard
Profanity is a brutal vice. He who uses it, is not a gentleman. Michael Jai White is one of the baddest men on the planet, so it was inevitable that he would follow in the footsteps of Van Damme, Seagal, Norris etc etc into movies. A martial artist of supreme skill and deadly grace, White brings not only his imposing physique and skills to the film, but also a moody poise to the role of Isaiah Bone, an ex-convict who infiltrates an underground fight circuit to avenge the murder of a friend. There is absolutely no surprises in store here, narratively speaking, but the action, the choreography and the editing are high grade stuff. So strap yourself in and roll with it, let the kinetic fury grab you, and rejoice as another martial arts expert enters the fray late in the day. A terrific action film, hoo-hah! 7/10
tmdb28039023
Blood and Bone reminds me of a character in The Boondocks who had an irrational fear of going to jail and being anally raped. Here's an action movie where the difference between success and failure, victory and defeat, ultimately lies in the ability, or lack thereof, to avoid being sodomized. From the very start, writer Michael Andrews and director Ben Ramsey put the hero, Isaiah Bone (Michael Jai White), in a situation that could potentially get quite tight. In the prison lavatories, Bone is ambushed by a group of inmates with less than honorable intentions. Bone is of course a euphemism for the male organ (Isaiah is the name of an Israelite prophet from the 8th century BC, but I don't think there's much symbolism there), so we know that the hero is all man, and as such, he's not about to let anyone make him their bitch. Bone takes care of the would-be cornholers in typical MJW fashion, and I have to assume this happened immediately before his parole hearing, because by the time the opening credits have rolled, Bone is a free man. Basically, the whole point of this scene is to establish the main character's uber-heterosexuality. Bone goes to Los Angeles, where underground fights are taking place. One of the participants is gay, and in fact wins his fight, but don’t expect this to be some kind of 'empowerment'; the character, called Mommie Dearest (Ernest 'The Cat' Miller), is billed as "the homicidal homosexual, the crazy savage, the fear-inspiring queer [and] the battle-butt bandit," and fights in a wig with curlers. Fortunately, we never see him again. Bone makes a deal with street promoter Pinball (Dante Basco) to get him into the fight scene. That same night, Bone meets mob boss James (Eamonn Walker). Over the next few nights, Bone makes a name for himself on the underground fight circuit, defeating every fighter in his path and winning thousands of dollars in cash for himself and Pinball — though one guy refuses to pay, stuffing the money down his crotch presumably under the impression (and I don't blame him for trying) that this is where Bone draws the proverbial line in the sand; sadly for the dude, greed trumps homophobia. To make a dumb story short, James wants Bone to fight for him, Bone refuses, James coerces him by threatening someone else, Bone agrees while conceiving a plan to betray James, yada yada yada. There’s other stuff, but the climax is the highlight of the movie because it features the diabolical Julian Sands, as well as a Final Battle between Bone and a Badass in a Nice Suit (the outcome of the fight itself is also rather clever, as it turns out). When the smoke clears and the dust settles, James is arrested and thrown in the same prison from the opening where, during the closing credits, he is attacked in the showers and sodomized with a makeshift dagger — a fate that James, whom Bone has figuratively emasculated (even amputating his hand with a sword, very unsubtly emphasizing the idea of castration), lacks the physical or moral fortitude to avoid. Perphaps they should have called this Don’t Drop the Soap: The Movie.
Movie Recommendation
Undisputed II: Last Man Standing2006-04-11Heavyweight Champ George "Iceman" Chambers is sent to a Russian jail on trumped-up drug charges. In order to win his freedom he must fight against the jailhouse fighting champ Uri Boyka in a battle to the death. This time he is not fighting for a title, he is fighting for his life!More...
Breaking News2004-06-10After a disastrous failure to stop a robber gang, the police attempt to redeem themselves through a series of publicity stunts and shootouts.More...
Born to Fight2004-08-05When a remote Thai village is overrun by terrorists armed with a nuclear missile, an elite undercover operative leads the most unique fighting force ever assembled in a heroic bid to save their nation.More...
Check Point2017-03-07In Port City, North Carolina, a vagrant discovers plans for an invasion. His attempts to warn law enforcement are ignored but when the Sheriff notices odd interactions with other townsfolk, he begins to look into the claim of a sleeper cell living amongst the locals.More...
4Got102015-09-11Brian Barnes (Johnny Messner) wakes up in the desert wounded and with no memory and no idea why he's surrounded by eight bodies, a van with four million in cash and a van full of cocaine. Brian is pursued by not only notorious drug lord Danny Perez (Danny Trejo) who desperately want his money back, and DEA Agent Rooker (Dolph Lundgren), but also a by the corrupt Sheriff Olson (Michael Pare) who will stop at nothing to get his hand on the new found fortune. On the run, Brian discovers the more he remembers the less he wants to know about who he really is.More...
American Virgin2009-10-03A Freshman College Girl on a scholarship from an abstinence group that advocates saving sex until marriage discovers that her antics on a night of debauchery, when she reluctantly got drunk for the first time in her life, were captured on camera by a sleazy video producer. Now she and her friends must travel across country to recover the incriminating footage.More...
No Retreat, No Surrender 3: Blood Brothers1990-01-25Two feuding brothers (one a policeman, the other a martial arts expert) of different political views, join forces to avenge the death of their father, a retired agent, killed by the mafia.More...
Henpecked1983-06-07Father of two kids who looks exactly like a rowdy takes advantage of this and go into different and funny events.More...
Shade2003-05-18Tiffany, Charlie and Vernon are con artists looking to up the ante from their typical scams. They figure a good way of doing this is taking down Dean "The Dean" Stevens, a well-known cardsharp, in a rigged game. However, they first need enough money to enter a game with Stevens, so they decide to strike a deal with fellow crook Larry Jennings to scam a local gangster -- which turns out to be a bad idea.More...
Dirty Deeds2005-08-26According to a high school's lore, the "Dirty Deeds" are a daunting list of dares almost no student has ever completed. To win the student body's respect and get noticed by his crush, senior Zach is determined to finish the list in the allotted 24-hour time period. As the school's bullying jocks try to thwart him at every turn, Zach embarks on a wild journey, highlighted by beer swilling, grand theft auto and the snagging of an ex-homecoming queen's bra.More...
Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown2011-09-13Four fighters from different backgrounds come together to train under an ex MMA rising star and then ultimately have to fight each other and the traitor in their midst.More...
No desearás la mujer de tu hijo1950-05-18An elderly man falls in love with a beautiful young woman, without knowing that she is in love with his son.More...
Boy Wonder2010-08-11A young Brooklyn boy witnesses the brutal murder of his mother and grows up obsessed with finding her killer. Thus begins his life as a quiet, straight-A student by day and a self-appointed hero at night. But what is a real hero? And who decides what is right or wrong? As the boundaries blur, Sean's dual life wears on his psyche and his two worlds careen dangerously close to colliding. Like a graphic novel you can't put down, Boy Wonder challenges morality, distorting perceptions of what is right and what is justified, as it races to its shocking conclusion.More...
Tyson1995-04-29The story of Mike Tyson. From his early days as a 12 year old amateur with a powerful punch, to the undisputed title of "Heavyweight Champion of the World", and ultimately to his conviction for rape. The story of his turbulent life moves quickly, never focusing for long on anything in particular.More...
Pure Country1992-10-23Dusty Chandler is a super star in the country music world, but his shows have the style of a '70s rock concert. One day he takes a walk - out of his overdone concerts to find his real country roots. He's helped and hindered by friends and staff, but pushes on in his search for a real music style as well as a real romance.More...
Thoughtcrimes2003-01-01Freya McAllister suddenly starts hearing voices in her head on the night of her High School Prom. One night Dr Michael Welles arrives telling Freya that she isn't crazy but that her voices are the thoughts of everyone around her. He teaches her to turn her telepathic powers into a powerful gift. What he doesn't say is that he works for the National Security Agency...More...
Haunted-3D2011-05-05A realtor finds himself accompanied by two ghostly entities inside a mansion. He learns of a violent event that took place years ago and is sent back in time to prevent it from happening.More...
Revenge2007-10-18When Artem Kolchin, Denis Nikiforov, arrives in the U.S. to fight for the championship, he soon finds himself fighting for his life after he sends a young, aggressive boxer, who provokes him into sparring, into a coma and ultimately killing him. That is when Artem finds out that the young boxer was none other than the only son of Felix Mendez, the powerful Mexican mafia kingpin, played masterfully by Victor Herminio Lopez, and when the real fight begins.More...
Loner2010-12-12KGB agent film about Gromova. Illegally sentenced to 12 years. His fight for justice interpretation.More...
The Insurrection2020-05-04A CEO (Wilma Elles) from the world’s largest telecommunications company is about to expose secrets of how the left wing media uses movies to control the masses at the behest of their deep state overseers in the political arena. As her secrets are revealed through a series of live broadcasts, her former associates send private military contractors to assassinate her. She hires a condemned ex-Commando (Michael Paré) to keep her alive long enough to get her crucial message out to the world.More...
Similar Movies
It's a Wonderful Life...
1946-12-20A holiday favourite for generations... George Bailey has spent his entire life giving to the people of Bedford Falls. All that prevents rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town is George's modest building and loan company. But on Christmas Eve the business's $8,000 is lost and George's troubles begin.Mississippi Burning
1988-12-08Two FBI agents investigating the murder of civil rights workers during the 60s seek to breach the conspiracy of silence in a small Southern town where segregation divides black and white. The younger agent trained in FBI school runs up against the small town ways of his partner, a former sheriff.A Time to Kill
1996-07-24A young lawyer defends a black man accused of murdering two white men who raped his 10-year-old daughter, sparking a rebirth of the KKK.Doctor Mordrid
1992-11-02Bound by hate and a mystical amulet that holds the powers of life and death, two immortal wizards meet for the last time in an ancient struggle of good versus evil.Red Dawn
1984-08-10It is the dawn of World War III. In mid-western America, a group of teenagers band together to defend their town—and their country—from invading Soviet forces.The Karate Kid
1984-06-22New Jersey teen Daniel LaRusso moves to Los Angeles with his mother, and soon strikes up a relationship with Ali. He quickly finds himself the target of bullying by a group of thugs, led by Ali's ex-boyfriend Johnny, who study karate at the Cobra Kai dojo under ruthless sensei John Kreese. Fortunately, Daniel befriends Mr. Miyagi, an unassuming repairman who just happens to be a martial arts master himself. Miyagi takes Daniel under his wing, training him in a more compassionate form of karate for self-defense and, later, preparing him to compete against the brutal Cobra Kai.Marie Antoinette
2006-05-24The retelling of France’s iconic but ill-fated queen, Marie Antoinette. From her betrothal and marriage to Louis XVI at 15 to her reign as queen at 19 and ultimately the fall of Versailles.Star Wars: Episode II...
2005-05-17The evil Darth Sidious enacts his final plan for unlimited power – and the heroic Jedi Anakin Skywalker must choose a side.Memoirs of a Geisha
2005-12-06In the years before World War II, a penniless Japanese child is torn from her family to work as a maid in a geisha house.Stop-Zemlia
2022-09-14Hanging out with friends, smoking a lot, spinning bottles and kissing, making mistakes, playing, refusing to accept, dreaming with open eyes - life as a teenager can be overwhelmingly beautiful and difficult at the same time. In her debut, the Ukrainian director composes a deeply emotional and multi-layered portrait of a generation whilst seamlessly flowing between the fictional and the documental.Mermaids
1990-12-14Fifteen-year-old Charlotte Flax is tired of her wacky mom moving their family to a different town any time she feels it is necessary. When they move to a small Massachusetts town and Mrs. Flax begins dating a shopkeeper, Charlotte and her 9-year-old sister, Kate, hope that they can finally settle down. But when Charlotte's attraction to an older man gets in the way, the family must learn to accept each other for who they truly are.Sacrifice to Desolate...
1980-03-21Upon their invasion of Taiwan in 1874, the Japanese team up with a sinister tong to hold a martial arts tournament in a plot to root out and assassinate the region's top resistance fighters, thereby breaking the spirit of Chinese patriotism. Two local kung-fu masters prove more than a match for the invaders.Cutie Honey: Tears
2016-10-01At the end of the 21st century, the world is plagued by a mysterious virus and unusual weather. Genius scientist Dr. Kisaragi creates an android with the code name “Cutie Honey” (Mariya Nishiuchi). The android is unique in that it possesses human emotions. To save mankind, Cutie Honey goes up against an evil organization.Lady in the Water
2006-07-19Apartment building superintendent Cleveland Heep rescues what he thinks is a young woman from the pool he maintains. When he discovers that she is actually a character from a bedtime story who is trying to make the journey back to her home, he works with his tenants to protect his new friend from the creatures that are determined to keep her in our world.Holy Man
1998-10-08In a world governed by commerce, Ricky and Kate, dedicated employees, find their lives forever changed when they encounter the enigmatic stranger G. As they navigate the realm of commerce, their paths intertwine in a surreal dance of love, loss, and redemption. G's presence, amplified through the pervasive influence of globalized television, casts a spell that reverberates beyond Ricky and Kate, impacting the lives of those who bear witness to their intertwined destinies.Lower City
2005-05-16Best friends Deco and Naldinho co-own a cargo boat in Brazil's Salvador da Bahia. They give a ride to a sultry prostitute named Karinna, and soon both men fall prey to her considerable sexual charms, pushing the bounds of their friendship to the limit.Never Back Down
2008-03-04Jake, full of anger after his father's death, is just starting to find a place for himself at his new Orlando high school - until Ryan, head of an underground MMA fight club, picks Jake out as a prime opponent. After being trounced by Ryan in front of the entire school, Jake begins training under the firm, moral guidance of a MMA master, where he learns how to fight... and how to avoid a fight. But it becomes obvious that a rematch will be inevitable if Jake wants to stop Ryan and his bullying, once and for all.Ali
2001-12-10In 1964, a brash, new pro boxer, fresh from his Olympic gold medal victory, explodes onto the scene: Cassius Clay. Bold and outspoken, he cuts an entirely new image for African Americans in sport with his proud public self-confidence and his unapologetic belief that he is the greatest boxer of all time. Yet at the top of his game, both Ali's personal and professional lives face the ultimate test.The Lion King
1994-06-15Young lion prince Simba, eager to one day become king of the Pride Lands, grows up under the watchful eye of his father Mufasa; all the while his villainous uncle Scar conspires to take the throne for himself. Amid betrayal and tragedy, Simba must confront his past and find his rightful place in the Circle of Life.Dick Tracy
1990-04-05The comic strip detective finds his life vastly complicated when Breathless Mahoney makes advances towards him while he is trying to battle Big Boy Caprice's united mob.