REVIEW: Escape Plan 2: Hades

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Well, it's not great. It is nothing compared to the articulated and well-written first film. In this one, which is pretty much a Huang Xiaoming vehicle (Stallone isn't in it much and is essentially a supporting actor until the final third), they have served up your standard Emmett-Furla actioner (think Bus 657) and your standard Steven C. Miller cut (think Marauders). It's lots of concealing closeups, choppily edited action, and a badly presented escape plan. I still don't really know how they got out, nor do I care. It is nothing like the first film where you were brought along for the ride with Breslin and Rottmayer, seeing each development and idea come to fruition to realise their eventual escape. This just powers on without you, takes a lot of cuts and conveniences, and by the time you've realised ... it's over, and Stallone sets up the third film.

Actually, whenever he is on screen it is way more watchable, but he's not used as much as his name on all the posters and trailers indicates. Same goes for Bautista. And the film totally misses Schwarzenegger's presence. I loved the prison in terms of concept, theme, layout, and costuming, and the science-fiction design makes it interesting, but this whole prison idea is not in the hands of a competent filmmaker. It had potential, but it is never explored. Never does the film give time to the rules of the prison, the internal dynamics, or to the geography and architecture. It's just powering its way to the finish line as fast as it possibly can, trying to unravel the convoluted plot they dreamed up instead of delivering enjoyment like the first did, and the film lost me because of that. Oh, and Huang Xiaoming is just a bad actor and isn't leading man material at all.

I still look forward to Escape Plan 3: Devil's Station because I'm a loyal Stallone fan and I know he makes good films when with the right director. And I obviously did not hate this film. It's just a disappointment compared to the brilliant first film and because I had been anticipating it so much. So, Hades generously gets a ...

C+

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