30 Responses to “BLOOD AND BONE came out this week”

1. 

   Vincento

   September 17th, 2009 at 3:59 am

   Good stuff. The fights are strong and you can tell what the hell is going on. I did not know that Michael Jai White was so badass. He didn´t deserve to be killed by The Joker, he should be Killer Croc.

2. 

   Ma Xiao

   September 17th, 2009 at 5:19 am

   Thumbs up from me. Eammon Walker is a great baddie, Michael Jai White is cool, the comedy sidekick is tolerable. Its got a plot which 90s JCVD would be proud to call his own. Definitely worth watching but don’t expect Ong Bak style carnage: the fight scenes are good and are filmed the right way (long takes, no shakeycam) but they are not jaw dropping.
   I would be very happy if they made an Undisputed-esque sequel starring the Eammon Walker character in the lead called Blood & James.
   Vern, do you prefer Undisputed 2 or Blood & Bone?

3. 

   Mr. Majestyk

   September 17th, 2009 at 8:49 am

   He would be a great Killer Croc, now that you mention it. Unfortunately, racist comics nerds would be all, “A black guy can’t play Killer Croc he was clearly green not black that would fuck up the continuity MJW has touched my childhood in its bikini area.”

4. 

   Patrick

   September 17th, 2009 at 10:13 am

   Great movie, thanks for the heads-up. I thought the final fight was awesome, when MJW forfeits against the pretty boy, and then so clearly owns the sword fight.

   I think this should be a franchise, where it turns out that Bone had half a dozen prison buddies who all got wronged. Each sequel has a villain with a different thing: first street fighting, the second one maybe dynamite fishing and MJW is the best dynamite fisher they’ve ever seen or something.

   I really enjoyed that film. It could have been tighter or a little more over the top, but on the other hand, it’s good they played it straight. I also enjoyed that in the end, they didn’t kill James but sent him to prison.

5. 

   bullet3

   September 17th, 2009 at 11:16 am

   By the way, have you seen that on imdb, Michael J White is listed as “Rumored” for the new predators movie?!
   I know imdb rumors are probably bullshit, but if its true, this could be pretty badass.

6. 

   Vern

   September 17th, 2009 at 11:51 am

   Ma Xiao – I was trying to figure that out. I think I have to re-watch both of them to be sure, but if I had to choose now I would go with BLOOD AND BONE. UNDISPUTED II maybe has more fights (and Scott Adkins) but the story of BLOOD AND BONE is more my style. Both topnotch DTV though, that’s for sure.

   bullet3 – I saw that too and since it’s IMDb and I haven’t heard it anywhere else it does sound like bullshit. On the other hand Robert Rodriguez is producing, and you saw the cast he put together for MACHETE. I’ve also noticed in interviews that he understands the importance of the cast in the original PREDATOR. Anyway I hope it’s true.

7. 

   Sorry512

   September 17th, 2009 at 12:58 pm

   It’s in my list. Is Outlaw any good? the British one with Bob Hoskins and Sean Bean I think?

8. 

   Mr. Majestyk

   September 17th, 2009 at 1:08 pm

   Outlaw is the worst fucking vigilante movie of all time. They spend the whole movie talking about all the ass they’re gonna kick, then they change their mind about 50 times and don’t actually do it. Then they get killed by the cops without ever accomplishing a fucking thing, yet the movie wants us to look at them as heroes. It has exactly one good baseball bat beatdown and the rest is a total waste of time. I’m not usually this harsh on a low-budget action movie, but I really hated this one.

   Also, it has that pointless jittery camera work that looks like they left the camera on top of the dryer. Wow, yeah, it sucks.

9. 

   Stu

   September 17th, 2009 at 2:47 pm

   Re:MJW as Killer Croc- There was an original “Joker” graphic novel brought out not that long ago that did it’s own thing and was more of a grounded gangster/crime story and in that, Killer Croc was one of Joker’s lieutenants/buddies and was basically just a huge black guy with a skin condition.
   I’d personally love to see him as Luke Cage, rather than Tyrese who’s reportedly waiting for the role.

10. 

    Mr. Majestyk

    September 17th, 2009 at 2:54 pm

    Killer Croc is one of those characters who changes drastically depending on who’s drawing him. The character is supposed to be just a big dude with a skin disease that gives him scales, yet most artists draw him with a lizard tongue and yellow eyes and triangular teeth. I have no problem with that (you can’t go wrong with a giant gator man) but I liked the toned-down ghetto-fab version from JOKER. The works of Brian Azzarello are something I would point to as a way to get Vern to start reading children’s funnybooks.

11. 

    Stu

    September 17th, 2009 at 3:55 pm

    I reckon Vern would probably like a lot of Preacher (though also find some of it a bit much), and I’ve wondered if being a Parker fan, he got the Graphic Novel version of The Hunter yet.

12. 

    Mr. Majestyk

    September 17th, 2009 at 4:02 pm

    Preacher is my favorite comic, like, ever. But yeah, I can see Vern having a hard time with Arseface.

    I’ll read anything Garth Ennis puts out, but I think Vern might like his war stories the best. There are surprisingly few nutsac jokes in them.

13. 

    Patrick

    September 17th, 2009 at 4:13 pm

    Being that I always hope my idols are like me, I’d say Vern would prefer Warren Ellis to Garth Ennis, though I am probably wrong.

14. 

    RRA

    September 17th, 2009 at 4:18 pm

    Mr. M – Why in the world would Vern not care for Arseface?

    Of course, PREACHER is basically a “what if?” alternative reality sequel to that one great HELLBLAZER storyline. And you all know which one I’m talking about.

    Anyway, Vern would like PREACHER if at least for the Saint of Killer’s. I mean a badass who’s hate is so intense, it causes hell to freeze?

    Or for that matter, (*SPOILER!*)…..using the ultimate gun given by God on his heavenly boss? This is why Garth Ennis is great. He doesn’t just push the envelope, he shreds it. Then recycles.

    Hell PUNISHER: WAR ZONE, for better or for worse, really tried to emulate the Ennis PUNISHER run. And I thought it did an alright good job basically.

15. 

    Mr. Majestyk

    September 17th, 2009 at 4:22 pm

    I’m not saying I don’t like Arseface. But Vern tends to balk at that kind of juvenalia, i.e. the Crank films. Of course, he’d have to shake the comic book around a whole bunch to get the full Crank effect.

16. 

    Stu

    September 17th, 2009 at 4:23 pm

    “Preacher is my favorite comic, like, ever. But yeah, I can see Vern having a hard time with Arseface.”
    Not just with the “shock value” stuff, but he might find Ennis tried a bit too hard to make Jesse a badass, and the speeches characters make regularly about how great America is could be toned down a bit too for my liking.

17. 

    Mr. Majestyk

    September 17th, 2009 at 4:28 pm

    True, but the speeches were written by an immigrant, which sort of makes them more okay in my book.

    Also, RRA, which Hellblazer storyline are you referring to? I only know a couple of them, including Dangerous Habits, the one they based the movie off of. The movie didn’t do it justice (obviously) but that’s probably my favorite comic book story of all time. Every time I read it, it makes me want to cry and call up every person I’ve ever loved in any capacity and ask them if they want to get a drink or something, because life is short, dammit.

18. 

    Marlow

    September 17th, 2009 at 4:49 pm

    Hey Vern, if you ever do give in to us comics nerds then listen to those guys. Preacher has the “Walk the walk.” moment which is true outstanding achievement in the field of pure badass in any medium.
    Also, read Criminal. Seriously.

19. 

    RRA

    September 17th, 2009 at 7:16 pm

    Mr. M – An earlier storyline before “Habits” where, if I remember right, an Angel and the demon ‘Elle do the nasty….conceive “something”…they try to get Senor Constantine to help them escape detection of hell, which they do. Except he doesn’t consider Heaven’s reaction.

    God sends down some assassin angels, they murder the angel and the offspring. Of course ‘Elle afterwards becomes a regular supporting character in the comics, and help in assassinating the First of the Fallen, aka the Devil.

    Anyway, as you know PREACHER is about the angel/demon offspring Genesis, which scares the bejeebus out of God, who vacates Heaven as a result. The popular fan thought was that PREACHER is basically if that bastard creation had survived, what would have happened?

    Plus, Ennis was a writer on HELLBLAZER. Food for thought.

    Marlow – Nevermind the hero’s spiritual mentor/sidekick/advisor is “The Duke,” who may or may not be John Wayne. Either way, what’s not to like about a comic where one of the characters carries around an Armed Forces cigarette lighter that says FUCK COMMUNISM ?

20. 

    The Picaroony

    September 18th, 2009 at 12:30 am

    Ah its funny the way the world turns …with the state of mainstream cinema today finding myself enjoying DTV movies (B & Bone, The Undisputeds ……May, the Ginger Snapses ….if they were indeed DTV ) and TV shows (Deadwood, Rome, The Wire) much more than most of the perpetual rancid box office ejaculate THEY keep spurting onto the big screen. Cunts.

    I really enjoyed this movie …… Was the O’Hara bit a nod to Enter the Dragon? and the way he fights James with a scabbard …a nod to Musashi? and the walk the earth like kane out of kung fu ending was quality ….although if he does get Predators we might not see anymore of Bone’s wandering vengeance ….so what should we wish for……

    Whats Wesley Snipes up to these days? Him and Mick should do a duet.

    Cheers!

21. 

    Stu

    September 18th, 2009 at 8:08 am

    More superheroy stuff I’d recommend for Vern would be the usual list of Watchmen, Dark Knight Returns, Batman Year One, Killing Joker etc. but also Ultimates 1 and 2, since it’s special-ops take on the Avengers is like the sort of movies he seems to like.

22. 

    Bad Seed

    September 18th, 2009 at 10:23 am

    All right, these are both on my list. Yet again Vern has converted me into watching something I normally would pass over; first Seagal, and now Jai White. Shit Vern, you should charge a fee.

    And I want to give props to “Preacher.” One of my all time favorites. On the Arseface issue, I think Vern might dig it, because it’s not just about being over the top. Arseface has a whole arc to him, the real rise and fall of the most improbable celebrity ever. Ennis gets a lot of mileage out of it, but that isn’t the best part of the comic. To this day I’ve never seen a more complex character then Vampire Cassidy. Who would have thought the best friend would have such a dark side to him? I really enjoyed how that played out.

    Oh, and speaking of the Fuck Communism Lighter, did any of you read Y: The Last Man? The main character has one of these lighters because he loves to read Preacher, and it gets him into some serious trouble when he travels to mainland China. One of the best comic in-jokes ever!

23. 

    Mr. Majestyk

    September 18th, 2009 at 10:28 am

    I stopped reading Y after the first four or five trades. Not because I didn’t like it, but for money reasons. Now that it’s done, do you think it’s worth the 70 or 80 bucks it’s gonna cost me to finish it?

24. 

    Bad Seed

    September 18th, 2009 at 11:08 am

    Mr. M, it’s definitely money well spent. I won’t spoil anything for you, but I got a little misty at the end. It’s very smart, very effective, and most of all, very true to the ideas presented in the narrative. You won’t be disappointed.

    And I don’t know about your area, but I was able to read the whole run through my library. They’re actually really good about stocking trades. Maybe you could go that route.

25. 

    Vincento

    September 18th, 2009 at 11:32 am

    Preacher is my favorite comic too! A lot of fans around here, but if you like Vern´s style, you gotta like Preacher too. Sorry for the Killer Croc comment, kinda off topic.

26. 

    Rantbo

    September 19th, 2009 at 10:03 am

    Sad to say I missed the original posting of you review, but having read it now, I’m glad to see you loved it as much as I did. As a fellow action aficionado, I completely agree that this is one of the best DTV movies in years.

    My Review: http://www.allouttabubblegum.com/main/?p=1350

    I had the exact same feelings about the title sequence as you, but I’m almost ashamed to say I didn’t make the connection to OUT FOR JUSTICE, though I too was thinking Bone’s character is similar to Seagal in his untouchableness. I did, however, think of the one from SHOOT ‘EM UP. It’s also very similar.

    Vern, have you by chance seen FATAL CONTACT with Jacky Wu? If you haven’t I very much recommend it. While it’s not as good as B&B, it is of the same vein and I think you’d enjoy it.

    P.S. as this is my first ever comment on your page, I have to give you props for Seagalogy, and your website. You’re a big inspiration for why I started writing about BadAss cinema. Thanks for kicking ass and writing reviews.

27. 

    Vern

    September 19th, 2009 at 12:06 pm

    Rantbo – Have not seen FATAL CONTACT. I’ll look for it.

    I think you know this but to be clear I’m not saying that the title sequence in B&B is a reference to the one in OUT FOR JUSTICE, it’s just that OFJ is my go-to example of that type of badass opening that I love. I’m sure we kind find plenty of great ’70s movies that did it much earlier.

    thanks for commenting

28. 

    Rantbo

    September 19th, 2009 at 1:02 pm

    Yeah, I smell what you’re steppin’ in. It’s a good go-to, that’s why I wish I had thought of it.

    You’re most welcome, thanks for replying. I look forward to seeing what you think of FATAL, should you get your hands on it. I personally think Jacky Wu could be the next Jet Li. (I think even the DVD box says this, and for once it’s right)

29. 

    Ocelot

    September 20th, 2009 at 6:11 pm

    Just watched it and I thought it had good action, really good fight choreography with some really visceral stuff. I liked the character of Bone and the possibilities of his future crime fighting. But it also had a deeply unpleasant, misogynistic side and kind of revelled in brutality, sadism and unpleasantness.

    That said, MJW should be a bigger star than he is. If Snipes cant be Blade he’s the sub.

30. 

    The Undefeated Gaul

    July 28th, 2014 at 11:33 am

    Falcon Rising trailer with MJW: http://vimeo.com/101029022

    The fighting bits look cool but that trailer seems to have been made by amateurs who like their cheap editing software just a bit too much. It’s cool that there’s finally some new DTV action movies coming out, with Wolf Warrior with Wu Jing and Scott Adkins (teaser http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bfrOc_LFGo) and Skin Trade with MJW, Tony Jaa and Dolph coming up too. Good times!