stephen dorff

DEAD MAN’S HAND: Grindstone Nabs Newly Wrapped Western Revenge Thriller From ‘The 2nd’ Helmer

Grindstone Entertainment Group has acquired the North American rights to Dead Man’s Hand, the new Western thriller that just completed production in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pic hails from Milestone Studios and stars Stephen Dorff (HBO’s “True Detective”), Jack Kilmer (The Nice Guys, Val), and Cole Hauser (“Yellowstone”). Written, directed, and produced by Brian Skiba (The 2nd, Pursuit) under his banner SkibaVision, the film is based on the story of popular graphic novel, “No Rest of the Wicked – Dead Man’s Hand”, from authors Kevin Minor and Matthew Minor. Producing are Laurie Love and Jim Burleson, with Alan B. Bursteen, Dawn Bursteen, Barry Brooker and Stan Wertlieb exec producing. Kilmer plays Reno, a newly married gunfighter, hangs up his six-shooters when he says “I do” to his bride, Vegas. But when Reno kills a bandit in self-defense, the bandit’s brother, the ruthless Mayor Clarence Bishop (Dorff), will not let his […]

EMBATTED Brings The Pain To The UK This July From Dazzler

Movie Review: Embattled (2020) – “FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY”

Vance Ang

Given its popularity MMA has become the go-to subject matter for various films of varying qualities, with the variety of styles as diverse as the fighting methods presented in the cages around the world. Case in point ‘EMBATTLED’ (2020) which uses the MMA theme as a backdrop to tell the story of a fractured father-son relationship, and the tragedy that is often associated with broken familial ties. The troubled family presents an abusive and greedy MMA fighter Cash (Stephen Dorff) who despite mistreating his family is still somehow idolised by his young son Jett (Darren Mann), who seeks to don the gloves and fight like his father. Ultimately, this is a serviceable story about family dynamics with the MMA theme, with familial conflict playing out in a literal adversarial environment complete with actual combat. There is somewhat of a neat paradox, as the mending of a broken link is mended […]

EMBATTLED Brings The Pain To The UK This July From Dazzler

Lee B. Golden III

Director Nikolay Sarkisov’s MMA drama, Embattled, is coming to UK DVD on July 18 from Dazzler Media. The official trailer is here with performances by Stephen Dorff and Darren Mann. Raised by an abusive father, Cash (Stephen Dorff) channels his aggression to become a World Champion MMA fighter. Now accustomed to wealth, adulation and global popularity, he faces a new challenge when his second son is born with Williams Syndrome. But this time, rather than stand and fight, he runs. While Cash continues to make his fortune in the ring, his eldest son Jett becomes the care-giver to his younger brother Quinn. When Jett decides to follow his father’s footsteps and take to the fight game, he faces his past head on, embarking on a course inevitably pitting father versus son in a battle which, no matter the outcome, neither can win.

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News Briefs: LAW ABIDING CITIZEN Sequel, Saban Nabs AMERICAN METAL, SISTER DARKNESS For Proyas; KID SNOW Gets In The Ring

Lee B. Golden III

• Rivulet Films and Village Roadshow Pictures are pairing up for a sequel to F. Gary Gray’s 2009 thriller, Law Abiding Citizen. The original starred Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx in the story of a prosecutor in a battle of wits when a frustrated father commits a grisly act of vengeance for the murder of his wife and daughter ten years earlier. Plot details are under wraps but Kurt Wimmer is back to pen the sequel along with Butler who will produce with his partners via G-Base. (Deadline) • Nicholas Maggio’s feature debut now has a home at Saban Films with American Metal. The film stars John Travolta and Stephen Dorff and “tells the story of a desperate and struggling family man who robs a pill mill. However, when the theft turns violent, he finds himself hunted by both the police and the Dixieland mafia.” Shiloh Fernandez, Ashley Benson and […]

EMBATTLED Trailer: Father And Son Size Each Other Up In The Octagon

Lee B. Golden III

Talk about emotional… MMA and fight dramas certainly take the cake when it comes to this aspect of storytelling, and we’ve seen it quite a few times in films like Gavin O’Connor’s Warrior, David O. Russell’s Mickey Ward biopic, The Fighter, and even the upcoming Jungleland; When done right, they never disappoint, regardless of box office returns. Enter Krasny director Nick Sarkisov, back at the helm for his sophomore feature, Embattled, as of a few summers ago, with David McKenna’s script, and a cast led by Stephen Dorff and Darren Mann. IFC Films acquired the movie back and July, and we now have an official trailer along with key art ahead of a November 20 release. Raised by an abusive father, Cash (Stephen Dorff) channels his aggression to become a World Champion MMA fighter. Now accustomed to wealth, adulation and global popularity, he faces a new challenge when his second […]