You're as maniacal as a box of kittens. A remake of Robert Aldrich's 1974 film The Mean Machine, which starred Burt Reynolds, this version sees Peter Segal direct and Adam Sandler headlining. Also starring are Chris Rock, Burt Reynolds, James Cromwell and William Fitchner. One time gridiron superstar Paul Crewe, now disgraced, gets himself sent to a prison run by a gridiron fanatical warden. Coerced into being part of a match between the guards and the cons, Crewe has his work cut out to make a team out of misfits, runts and near idiots! Adam Sandler has always proved divisive, and this film has proved to be no exception. Massively popular at the box office (over $100 million profit), it's a film that anyone with an aversion to Sandler should stay away from. I mean if by 2005 you hadn't realised he's not for you then why would you watch this? Coming from someone who absolutely adores the original film, I had no hesitation in watching this, I like Sandler and I don't mind remakes as I'm always intrigued to see how they pan out. This is full of prison stereotypes, close to the knuckle humour and meaty violence, but is it funny? From my perspective yes it is, very much so, with some of the dialogue sparkling and delivered with comedic grace by a fine cast. But that's me, others, as we know, don't feel the same. The action is well put together by Segal, the convicts training sequences are great fun, while the main game that crowns the pic is exciting, dramatic and yes, great fun. The support slots contain more beef than an Aberdeen Angus stew, with the likes of Michael Irvin, Terry Crews, Steve Austin and Brian Bosworth fronting up, while David Patrick Kelly playing a weasel is never a bad thing. A lot of people loved it in 2005, I'm now one of their number. 7/10

John Chard

27/06/2016