I generally hate remakes, but I enjoyed "MEAN MACHINE".
Comparisons are unavoidable with a remake to a popular film, and this is no exception, yet it maintains it's own in a way that an American remake might have not.
This time, our superstar is Danny Meehan played by Vinnie Jones. He's a far cry from Burt Reynolds' Paul Crewe, but he's rowing in the same boat, nonetheless.
Danny is a has-been sports idol, who lost his stardom due to shaving points off a critical game in his career. After getting arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct, he meets up with the sport all over again, by coaching a team of inmates to go up against the prison's guards in a major/minor game of football.
The situation is basically the same, yet there are a few twists here and there to keep things from getting too familiar. The largest of which is that we're dealing with Britain's football, soccer. It is this turn that proves beneficial in giving this film it's own identity.
Albert S. Ruddy, the producer of the original, has arranged for this revision, and seems to know all the right chords to make this an effective feature, as well. The performances are key. Jones does a great job carrying the picture, and it's nice to see Jason Statham joining in the fun, although his role seems a bit hampered by too little screen time. The "holier-than-thou eyebrow performance-of-the-year" award must go to David "Oh, my God, is that really him?!" Hemmings as the crooked warden. He's no Barbara Steele, but he'll do.
Overall, the "MEAN MACHINE" is an entertaining film and definitely worth a look.
Comparisons are unavoidable with a remake to a popular film, and this is no exception, yet it maintains it's own in a way that an American remake might have not.
This time, our superstar is Danny Meehan played by Vinnie Jones. He's a far cry from Burt Reynolds' Paul Crewe, but he's rowing in the same boat, nonetheless.
Danny is a has-been sports idol, who lost his stardom due to shaving points off a critical game in his career. After getting arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct, he meets up with the sport all over again, by coaching a team of inmates to go up against the prison's guards in a major/minor game of football.
The situation is basically the same, yet there are a few twists here and there to keep things from getting too familiar. The largest of which is that we're dealing with Britain's football, soccer. It is this turn that proves beneficial in giving this film it's own identity.
Albert S. Ruddy, the producer of the original, has arranged for this revision, and seems to know all the right chords to make this an effective feature, as well. The performances are key. Jones does a great job carrying the picture, and it's nice to see Jason Statham joining in the fun, although his role seems a bit hampered by too little screen time. The "holier-than-thou eyebrow performance-of-the-year" award must go to David "Oh, my God, is that really him?!" Hemmings as the crooked warden. He's no Barbara Steele, but he'll do.
Overall, the "MEAN MACHINE" is an entertaining film and definitely worth a look.