To me, the movie felt like a fan tribute film to the late actor. Tons of cheesy CGI and and effects in this film. The acting in this film is a tad better than what we saw in previous Bronzi films, with Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs added to the cast. With him being a recognizable face from Welcome Back Kotter and other TV shows from the past, it brought some credibility to the film. Even the character in this movie goes by "Kovac" which is the same last name of a character that Charles Bronson played in a show called "Man With a Camera." You even see it at the end of the film when the character that Bronzi plays makes the same hand gesture that Paul Kersey makes at the end of the 1st Death Wish film. This is one of those films that you could watch once, but will not want to watch it again. A better effort than others from the production team, but nothing that you could call "great."
21 Reviews
A cheap attempt to reincarnate Charles Bronson with a B Rated film..
tyroniusmaximus20056 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Nothing outstanding here...
paul_haakonsen5 November 2021
Right, well with a movie such as "Escape from Death Block 13", then I have to admit that I wasn't really expecting much of anything grand. But still, I opted to sit down to watch it, since I hadn't already seen it.
And while I can't claim to be much of a fan of Robert Bronzi, whom apparently made an acting career out of looking like Charles Bronson, then this particular movie was not really one that brought me to the edge of my seat.
Sure, "Escape from Death Block 13" was watchable, but it was a low budget movie. And the movie was never shot on location in a prison. Just take a look at the horrible green or blue screen work that the movie makes use of and wants to sell to the audience as taking place inside a prison. I was rather amazed that such lousy and questionable CGI would and could be seen in a 2021 movie.
The storyline told in "Escape from Death Block 13" was pretty straight forward, though it wasn't anything memorable or overly enjoyable. This was a pretty generic action movie with little solid contents to it.
The acting performances put on in "Escape from Death Block 13" were dubious at best, so don't get your hopes up.
The sound effects in the movie were shoddy. Especially the sound effects during the fight scenes. They were just so very bad that they added an element of parody and comedy to the movie, which was actually trying to take itself serious as an action movie. So those sound effects were not working in favor of the movie.
While I managed to sit through the entire movie, then I can honestly say that this is not a movie that I will be returning to watch a second time, nor is it a movie that I would recommend you rush out to get your hands on.
My rating of writer and director Gary Jones' 2021 action movie "Escape from Death Block 13" lands on a very generous four out of ten stars.
And while I can't claim to be much of a fan of Robert Bronzi, whom apparently made an acting career out of looking like Charles Bronson, then this particular movie was not really one that brought me to the edge of my seat.
Sure, "Escape from Death Block 13" was watchable, but it was a low budget movie. And the movie was never shot on location in a prison. Just take a look at the horrible green or blue screen work that the movie makes use of and wants to sell to the audience as taking place inside a prison. I was rather amazed that such lousy and questionable CGI would and could be seen in a 2021 movie.
The storyline told in "Escape from Death Block 13" was pretty straight forward, though it wasn't anything memorable or overly enjoyable. This was a pretty generic action movie with little solid contents to it.
The acting performances put on in "Escape from Death Block 13" were dubious at best, so don't get your hopes up.
The sound effects in the movie were shoddy. Especially the sound effects during the fight scenes. They were just so very bad that they added an element of parody and comedy to the movie, which was actually trying to take itself serious as an action movie. So those sound effects were not working in favor of the movie.
While I managed to sit through the entire movie, then I can honestly say that this is not a movie that I will be returning to watch a second time, nor is it a movie that I would recommend you rush out to get your hands on.
My rating of writer and director Gary Jones' 2021 action movie "Escape from Death Block 13" lands on a very generous four out of ten stars.
Interesting movie, not original, but almost ghost from the past revisiting
Micke_Eriksson8 November 2021
I had to see this movie since I've missed the rise of Robert Bronzi.
His look is uncanny to that of the late Charles Bronson. At some angles you would easily think it is him. Almost creepy.
However, about this movie.
Hardly original concept. Guy gets in trouble, framed, goes to jail, gets a promise of reduced sentence, gets into fights and everyday prison dilemmas.
As far as the story goes, it's not that bad, in spite not being an original idea (in any way), what's particularly bad with it, is the acting, or should I say lack of it.
I do appreciate the use of non-actors as they usually shows more realistic expressions, but unfortunately some over-act, smirks and just doesn't give that feeling that they know how to act. You notice this with the most of the inmates when they're in frame. Can't help to almost focus more on their so called acting rather than the movie itself.
Choreography is also really really bad. Clearly someone haven't seen enough fight scenes (while filming, from other angles etc) to make it believable and authentic looking. You can see blows a mile away, almost in slow motion in some scenes and clearly see them missing by inches.
We can only hope that some director sees this and it's potential (Not a bad story, really, just poor writing) and do a remake with Bronzi. Maybe even make it play out during the 80-90's so that it would fit better with Bronzi's fighting style, then hire someone who can write a proper plot, re-cast a few of the inmates, and above all, direct the actors so that they look the part.
I think they could do better with CGI which is really visible at times, and also leave out some of the gore or at least not have it in frame like they did. Instant lowering of the movie expectations!
I rated this 5, but that extra star was for Bronzi and that he's a near copy of Bronzon, 4 is for the story, which I would've given otherwise.
As far as directing and thereby controlling actors, I'd rate 3, possibly 2.
His look is uncanny to that of the late Charles Bronson. At some angles you would easily think it is him. Almost creepy.
However, about this movie.
Hardly original concept. Guy gets in trouble, framed, goes to jail, gets a promise of reduced sentence, gets into fights and everyday prison dilemmas.
As far as the story goes, it's not that bad, in spite not being an original idea (in any way), what's particularly bad with it, is the acting, or should I say lack of it.
I do appreciate the use of non-actors as they usually shows more realistic expressions, but unfortunately some over-act, smirks and just doesn't give that feeling that they know how to act. You notice this with the most of the inmates when they're in frame. Can't help to almost focus more on their so called acting rather than the movie itself.
Choreography is also really really bad. Clearly someone haven't seen enough fight scenes (while filming, from other angles etc) to make it believable and authentic looking. You can see blows a mile away, almost in slow motion in some scenes and clearly see them missing by inches.
We can only hope that some director sees this and it's potential (Not a bad story, really, just poor writing) and do a remake with Bronzi. Maybe even make it play out during the 80-90's so that it would fit better with Bronzi's fighting style, then hire someone who can write a proper plot, re-cast a few of the inmates, and above all, direct the actors so that they look the part.
I think they could do better with CGI which is really visible at times, and also leave out some of the gore or at least not have it in frame like they did. Instant lowering of the movie expectations!
I rated this 5, but that extra star was for Bronzi and that he's a near copy of Bronzon, 4 is for the story, which I would've given otherwise.
As far as directing and thereby controlling actors, I'd rate 3, possibly 2.
What a Load of Crap.
lakes-490685 November 2021
What do you do when movie legends die out...
speedemon-119975 November 2021
...and what do you do when you're like the rest of tinseltown in the 21th century - got no new ideas, innovation and creativity in movie art? Ya resurrect them in the shape of actors who look like these passed movie legends and continue milking a concept, story and style in order to get easy money and please the modern hipster virus with legs in a true trendvictimized manner, but of course.
The 1980's called, they want their Charles Bronson movie posters back.
Top_Dawg_Critic5 November 2021
I've reviewed over 1,200 films and rated over 2,200, and this has to be in the top 10 worst films of all time. However, as far as the worst acting of all time, the legendary Charles Bronson look-a-like wannabe Robert Bronzi wins first place. There is not one casting agency that will use their name to say they represent Bronzi, so I'll assume he won the Hungarian lottery jackpot; this horrible nonsense was his 6th starring role, so clearly his winning jackpot was huge enough to fund all his cringeworthy films to make him feel like he's an "action movie star". I'm guessing he forgot to spend at least half his winnings for acting classes.
One would think this was a horrible film from the 1980's - CGI and laughable action scenes and special effects, but sadly this is a 2021 production. What's even worse, is that this was directed by an experienced director, Gary Jones. Was he medicated and/or drunk directing this garbage? I've never heard of Jones, but I'd be embarrassed to have my name on this film even as a first-time director, let alone an experienced one.
The 104 min runtime was excruciatingly painful to watch. Every cliche imaginable for this genre was present, but only in their worst versions possible. This entire production, including 99% of the acting, was worse than a 5th grade drama class play. The only (barely) entertaining actors were Nicholas Turturro, and Chris "Bunyan loves trees!" Hahn, who was hilarious, especially his laughing. Bronzi's action scenes looked like he was suffering arthritic pain and had no clue how to fight. All the S/VFX were the worst I've ever seen, including that one attempt for gore after a fall. And since when does blood turn into red smoke lmao?
If you really want to get even with someone, convince them to see this mess. Thankfully, I saw this with a bunch of friends with lots of beers and bongs, and because we couldn't stop laughing out loud how terrible this was, I'm giving this a very generous 2/10 for comedic value. Mr. Bronzi, please spare all of us, and yourself the embarrassment, and use whatever lottery winnings you have left to buy a yacht and some babes and never speak of acting again. Thanking you in advance.
One would think this was a horrible film from the 1980's - CGI and laughable action scenes and special effects, but sadly this is a 2021 production. What's even worse, is that this was directed by an experienced director, Gary Jones. Was he medicated and/or drunk directing this garbage? I've never heard of Jones, but I'd be embarrassed to have my name on this film even as a first-time director, let alone an experienced one.
The 104 min runtime was excruciatingly painful to watch. Every cliche imaginable for this genre was present, but only in their worst versions possible. This entire production, including 99% of the acting, was worse than a 5th grade drama class play. The only (barely) entertaining actors were Nicholas Turturro, and Chris "Bunyan loves trees!" Hahn, who was hilarious, especially his laughing. Bronzi's action scenes looked like he was suffering arthritic pain and had no clue how to fight. All the S/VFX were the worst I've ever seen, including that one attempt for gore after a fall. And since when does blood turn into red smoke lmao?
If you really want to get even with someone, convince them to see this mess. Thankfully, I saw this with a bunch of friends with lots of beers and bongs, and because we couldn't stop laughing out loud how terrible this was, I'm giving this a very generous 2/10 for comedic value. Mr. Bronzi, please spare all of us, and yourself the embarrassment, and use whatever lottery winnings you have left to buy a yacht and some babes and never speak of acting again. Thanking you in advance.
Ridiculous, loved
BandSAboutMovies6 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Bronzi's back! That's right - the sixtysomething Hungarian action star born Robert Kovacs who was performing in a European Wild West stage show when director Rene Perez saw his photo on the wall of a bar and thought it was an undiscovered Bronson movie. Since then, he's been in From Hell to the Wild West, Death Kiss, Cry Havoc, Once Upon a Time in Deadwood and now this movie.
After the death of his brother, Mick Kovacs (Bronzi) heads to America to get justice and get sent directly to the Pleasant Hill Penitentiary where he learns that his brother's death was no accident. So he does what he does best: he kills everybody.
Much like The Shawshank Redemption, this movie was filmed in Ohio's Mansfield Reformatory. Unlike The Shawshank Redemption, this movie is filled with CGI bullet wounds and a thin plot, but come on. You know what you want, this movie has it and you're going to probably love it as much as I did. This is the kind of movie perfect for a lazy weekend afternoon or late night drinking session.
Gary Jones also directed Mosquito and Boogeyman 3, as well as working on the visual effects for 68 movies in the last decade of so.
As for Bronzi, his next movies include Mat Rats, a wrestling movie in which he plays The Dago and two Scott Jeffrey-directed movies, Exorcist Vengeance (yes, Bronson and exorcism combined, as they always should have been) and The Gardener.
After the death of his brother, Mick Kovacs (Bronzi) heads to America to get justice and get sent directly to the Pleasant Hill Penitentiary where he learns that his brother's death was no accident. So he does what he does best: he kills everybody.
Much like The Shawshank Redemption, this movie was filmed in Ohio's Mansfield Reformatory. Unlike The Shawshank Redemption, this movie is filled with CGI bullet wounds and a thin plot, but come on. You know what you want, this movie has it and you're going to probably love it as much as I did. This is the kind of movie perfect for a lazy weekend afternoon or late night drinking session.
Gary Jones also directed Mosquito and Boogeyman 3, as well as working on the visual effects for 68 movies in the last decade of so.
As for Bronzi, his next movies include Mat Rats, a wrestling movie in which he plays The Dago and two Scott Jeffrey-directed movies, Exorcist Vengeance (yes, Bronson and exorcism combined, as they always should have been) and The Gardener.
Charles Bronson is bustin out of jail - sorta
therealdklo10 December 2022
A very low-budget movie that is chock-full of really, really bad (and really, really slow) fight scenes, bullets that look cheaply done, and a Charles Bronson-lookalike which I'm pretty has had half of his lines re-dubbed.
The plot is simple: man goes to claim his dead brother's money, man gets sent to jail on false charges, man breaks out of jail, man gets his final revenge. Now the story is schlock and the acting of EVERYONE is amazingly bad. But there is something satisfying about the final vengeance kill. THAT gives the movie one extra star in my book. Otherwise, it's really, really mediocre. Not insultingly worthless mediocre, but mediocre as all hell regardle
Finally, what's with the film's fascination with poorly digitized birds? Seriously, look for it. Just so very odd.
The plot is simple: man goes to claim his dead brother's money, man gets sent to jail on false charges, man breaks out of jail, man gets his final revenge. Now the story is schlock and the acting of EVERYONE is amazingly bad. But there is something satisfying about the final vengeance kill. THAT gives the movie one extra star in my book. Otherwise, it's really, really mediocre. Not insultingly worthless mediocre, but mediocre as all hell regardle
Finally, what's with the film's fascination with poorly digitized birds? Seriously, look for it. Just so very odd.
A Solid Fun Extremely Low-budget Old School Action Style B-movie
lukem-5276021 March 2022
Robert Bronzi (Death Kiss) is back in another low-rent 80's style action flick & it's damn good fun.
Charles Bronson lookalike Bronzi plays Mike Kovacs a foreign man in America to find out why his brother died & it leads him to a drugs smuggling operation & into the prison system. Bronzi is sent into a deadly prison as an undercover informant for the US government & must face the brutality of it's corrupted guards & evil warden. Death Block 13 is a prison action film crafted in the style of those Awesome old school one's we grew up watching on video like Tango & Cash & Fortress & Lock-up & Death Warrant, but this one is made on a very tiny budget. The effects are ridiculously cheap & tacky & the fight scenes are slow & bizarre just like most of the weird characters here but it's fun in it's cheap grindhouse type of way. I couldn't help but enjoy it's craziness. Of course this isn't as good as the blood soaked Masterpiece Death Kiss but it's still a fun retro action flick.
Director Gary Jones is a great movie Director within the low-budget B-movie genre & has gave us such Awesome gems as SPIDERS (a Favourite of mine) & CROCODILE 2: DEATH SWAMP (Great Sequel) & MOSQUITO (a Cult Classic B-movie) & he's done alot more good work in T. V & other flicks but those three films are GREAT Creature Feature B-movies.
Often the Audio isn't very good in the prison scenes but it's forgiven for what director Gary Jones (Spiders) managed to pull off on an obvious small budget. Bronzi is good at just looking tough & looking like Bronson & carries himself like an old school 80's action hero. There's some cheesiness of course but the action scenes are decent & the action-packed & bloody prison escape last act is well worth the wait. The big muscled bald guy called Bunyan is decent along with Bronzi & i liked the 80's retro feel to it all. The score is really good also. Other actors throughout are crappy but that really doesn't matter in a cheap action flick like this. I got 80's action vibes from Death Block 13 so it done it's job in my opinion. Bronzi does have a strong screen presence & is a perfect low-budget, B-movie old skool Action hero & i hope he has a good career ahead.
A low-budget Action B-movie that is bloody good fun.
I'm looking forward to more Bronzi action flicks.
Charles Bronson lookalike Bronzi plays Mike Kovacs a foreign man in America to find out why his brother died & it leads him to a drugs smuggling operation & into the prison system. Bronzi is sent into a deadly prison as an undercover informant for the US government & must face the brutality of it's corrupted guards & evil warden. Death Block 13 is a prison action film crafted in the style of those Awesome old school one's we grew up watching on video like Tango & Cash & Fortress & Lock-up & Death Warrant, but this one is made on a very tiny budget. The effects are ridiculously cheap & tacky & the fight scenes are slow & bizarre just like most of the weird characters here but it's fun in it's cheap grindhouse type of way. I couldn't help but enjoy it's craziness. Of course this isn't as good as the blood soaked Masterpiece Death Kiss but it's still a fun retro action flick.
Director Gary Jones is a great movie Director within the low-budget B-movie genre & has gave us such Awesome gems as SPIDERS (a Favourite of mine) & CROCODILE 2: DEATH SWAMP (Great Sequel) & MOSQUITO (a Cult Classic B-movie) & he's done alot more good work in T. V & other flicks but those three films are GREAT Creature Feature B-movies.
Often the Audio isn't very good in the prison scenes but it's forgiven for what director Gary Jones (Spiders) managed to pull off on an obvious small budget. Bronzi is good at just looking tough & looking like Bronson & carries himself like an old school 80's action hero. There's some cheesiness of course but the action scenes are decent & the action-packed & bloody prison escape last act is well worth the wait. The big muscled bald guy called Bunyan is decent along with Bronzi & i liked the 80's retro feel to it all. The score is really good also. Other actors throughout are crappy but that really doesn't matter in a cheap action flick like this. I got 80's action vibes from Death Block 13 so it done it's job in my opinion. Bronzi does have a strong screen presence & is a perfect low-budget, B-movie old skool Action hero & i hope he has a good career ahead.
A low-budget Action B-movie that is bloody good fun.
I'm looking forward to more Bronzi action flicks.
Time is too precious to waste on this!
cmckee-5588210 December 2023
Horrible movie, the plot was okay but the acting and script was horrible! I know low budget movies don't get the best actors but these were among the worst. Charles Bronson should not have associated himself with this trash. I think I would even rate Bird Box above this atrocity. It was like bottom basement porn creators decided to branch out and make an action film. Words cannot express how much I am disappointed in myself for watching as much of this as I did. It's too late for me but please, save yourselves. If after this you still watch it, all I can say is you only have yourselves to blame, you were warned!
Back to retro love
iceartstudio10 November 2021
A Slam Bang Tribute to Charles Bronson!!!
zardoz-1317 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Watching the nostalgic, but violent, 1980s' era prison break yarn "Escape from Death Block 13," a polished, R-rated, pastiche of pugnacious Charles Bronson tough-guy movies with lookalike Bronson actor Robert Bronzi, is a lot of cheesy fun. Unlike his four earlier epics made under L. A. filmmaker Rene Perez, in "From Hell to the Wild West" (2017), "The Death Kiss" (2018), "Once Upon a Time in Deadwood" (2019), and "Cry Havoc" (2020), the burly Hungarian born actor is now allowed to utter his own dialogue rather than have somebody else dub him. Not only does "Escape from Death Block 13" mimic Charles Bronson movies, but it also exemplifies Cannon Pictures' quintessential exploitation fare from 1979 to 1989. Anybody who went to the movies during that decade when Cannon released its films would have gotten their first glimpse of Bronson along with Chuck Norris, Michael Dudikoff, and David Bradley. Basically, "Ballistica" director Gary Jones' 104-minute melodrama amounts to harmless but hyperbolic hokum for those who crave actioneers with larger-than-life escapades. Like most synthetic 1980s' sizzlers, which emphasized brawn over brains, this cliché-riddled saga is as bombastic as anything Cannon ever made. Meantime, one of the chief attractions of Jones' independent, low-budget, B-movie knockoff is its landmark setting. Jones shot exteriors at The Mansfield Reformatory, also known as The Ohio State Penitentiary. Apart from "Escape from Death Row 13," this historic property has enlivened a number of Hollywood movies, most notably "Harry and Walter Go to New York" (1976), "Tango & Cash" (1989), the unforgettable "Shawshank Redemption," (1994), "Air Force One" (1997), "Escape Plan: The Extractors" (2019) and "Judas and the Black Messiah" (2021). Indeed, this austere prison with its macabre Romanesque architecture, which housed inmates between 1896 and 1990, adds ominous atmosphere to Jones' competently made but by-the-numbers spectacle.
Events not entirely brought about by him unravel our naïve hero's best laid plans. A Hungarian native, virtually a stranger in a strange land, Miklos Kovak (Robert Bronzi) came to America to collect $12,750 in death benefits his late brother's boss, Renda (Nicholas Turturro of "The Longest Yard"), never paid up. Naturally, Renda refuses to compensate Kovak and mistakes him for just another chiseler. Mick won't leave without the loot. Predictably, Renda's goons gang up on him, and a bruising fistfight ensues. One hare-brained Renda henchmen aims at Mick but winds up plugging one of his own pals! Sneaking up behind Mick during a lull in the mêlée, Renda coldcocks him with a shotgun. When our protagonist regains awareness, he finds himself under arrest. Naturally, when the cop-in-charge, Detective Borelli (Lyindaa Russell of "Black Mamba"), grilles him, Mick asserts his innocence. Meantime, an obnoxious FBI Agent named Langley (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs of TV's "Welcome Back, Kotter"), berates Mick as just another numbskull. Struggling to smash an opioid smuggling ring, Borelli and Langley convince Mick that he can serve his own best interests if he acts as a snitch for them while in prison. According to Borelli, the judge presiding over the trial is married to Renda's sister-in-law. Not even a miracle can keep our wrongly accused hero from being railroaded into prison. Indeed, "Escape from Death Block 13" proves blood is thicker than justice, and Mick lands in the slammer. Before Mick's transfer to prison, Borelli reveals that his ill-fated brother Laszl0 died under suspicious circumstances at Renda's tire factory.
Mick's first night in Pleasant Hill Prison is no picnic. Three guards with taser batons march him from his cell after lock-down and stun him into submission. Naturally, Mick's first impulse is to fight back. An adjacent cellmate, Tex (Tim Lovelace of "Legion of the Night"), has already advised Mick to accept all punishment without resistance. Singeing multiple holes in Mick's chest and shoulder blades with their tasers, the sadistic guards batter him senseless, then drag him off to solitary where they dump him without ceremony. The next morning, arrogant Warden Jaclyn Barzini (Debbie Scaletta of "White Boy Rick") serves Mick decaf for breakfast and stresses his need to cooperate with her. Later, Barzini discovers Renda had Mick arrested on charges of attempted murder and extortion. When Mick enters the cell block, writer & director Gary Jones exploits Bronzi's similarity to Charles Bronson. One inmate hollers, "We got ourselves a real movie star tough guy!" Another bellows, "This cat is a real super-star." Jones appropriates all the venerable cliches and stereotypes of prison movies. He orchestrates the agile celluloid violence for maximum impact, but he relies on obvious CGI technology to make the bullets fly and the blood spurt. Ultimately, our brawny protagonist confronts the pistol-packing warden during the prison riot showdown. Mick brandishes an awesome Milkor MGL M32 A-1 grenade launcher that lobs low-velocity 40mm rounds. Cunning harridan that she is, Warden Barzini thinks Mick won't use it on her. "You'd never shoot a woman," she sneers. Before he pulls the trigger, Mick delivers a line the late Charles Bronson would have cherished. "You are a woman, but you are no lady." WHAAM!
Mind you, Robert Bronzi could have been Bronson's middle-aged stunt double. He dresses like Bronson did in "Mr. Majestyk" (1974) wearing a golf hat. He slugs it out in a bare-knuckled boxing match with an inmate in the tradition of "Hard Times" (1975) where Bronson duked it out as a Depression Era underground brawler Finally, at fadeout, Bronzi makes the same finger pistol with his hand that Bronson used at the end of "Death Wish" (1974). Of course, anybody who has seen an actual Bronson movie won't be fooled by Bronzi's facsimile resemblance. Mostly, "Escape from Death Block 13" qualifies as the kind of larger-than-life, low-budget kitsch that should cater to B-movie afficionados.
Events not entirely brought about by him unravel our naïve hero's best laid plans. A Hungarian native, virtually a stranger in a strange land, Miklos Kovak (Robert Bronzi) came to America to collect $12,750 in death benefits his late brother's boss, Renda (Nicholas Turturro of "The Longest Yard"), never paid up. Naturally, Renda refuses to compensate Kovak and mistakes him for just another chiseler. Mick won't leave without the loot. Predictably, Renda's goons gang up on him, and a bruising fistfight ensues. One hare-brained Renda henchmen aims at Mick but winds up plugging one of his own pals! Sneaking up behind Mick during a lull in the mêlée, Renda coldcocks him with a shotgun. When our protagonist regains awareness, he finds himself under arrest. Naturally, when the cop-in-charge, Detective Borelli (Lyindaa Russell of "Black Mamba"), grilles him, Mick asserts his innocence. Meantime, an obnoxious FBI Agent named Langley (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs of TV's "Welcome Back, Kotter"), berates Mick as just another numbskull. Struggling to smash an opioid smuggling ring, Borelli and Langley convince Mick that he can serve his own best interests if he acts as a snitch for them while in prison. According to Borelli, the judge presiding over the trial is married to Renda's sister-in-law. Not even a miracle can keep our wrongly accused hero from being railroaded into prison. Indeed, "Escape from Death Block 13" proves blood is thicker than justice, and Mick lands in the slammer. Before Mick's transfer to prison, Borelli reveals that his ill-fated brother Laszl0 died under suspicious circumstances at Renda's tire factory.
Mick's first night in Pleasant Hill Prison is no picnic. Three guards with taser batons march him from his cell after lock-down and stun him into submission. Naturally, Mick's first impulse is to fight back. An adjacent cellmate, Tex (Tim Lovelace of "Legion of the Night"), has already advised Mick to accept all punishment without resistance. Singeing multiple holes in Mick's chest and shoulder blades with their tasers, the sadistic guards batter him senseless, then drag him off to solitary where they dump him without ceremony. The next morning, arrogant Warden Jaclyn Barzini (Debbie Scaletta of "White Boy Rick") serves Mick decaf for breakfast and stresses his need to cooperate with her. Later, Barzini discovers Renda had Mick arrested on charges of attempted murder and extortion. When Mick enters the cell block, writer & director Gary Jones exploits Bronzi's similarity to Charles Bronson. One inmate hollers, "We got ourselves a real movie star tough guy!" Another bellows, "This cat is a real super-star." Jones appropriates all the venerable cliches and stereotypes of prison movies. He orchestrates the agile celluloid violence for maximum impact, but he relies on obvious CGI technology to make the bullets fly and the blood spurt. Ultimately, our brawny protagonist confronts the pistol-packing warden during the prison riot showdown. Mick brandishes an awesome Milkor MGL M32 A-1 grenade launcher that lobs low-velocity 40mm rounds. Cunning harridan that she is, Warden Barzini thinks Mick won't use it on her. "You'd never shoot a woman," she sneers. Before he pulls the trigger, Mick delivers a line the late Charles Bronson would have cherished. "You are a woman, but you are no lady." WHAAM!
Mind you, Robert Bronzi could have been Bronson's middle-aged stunt double. He dresses like Bronson did in "Mr. Majestyk" (1974) wearing a golf hat. He slugs it out in a bare-knuckled boxing match with an inmate in the tradition of "Hard Times" (1975) where Bronson duked it out as a Depression Era underground brawler Finally, at fadeout, Bronzi makes the same finger pistol with his hand that Bronson used at the end of "Death Wish" (1974). Of course, anybody who has seen an actual Bronson movie won't be fooled by Bronzi's facsimile resemblance. Mostly, "Escape from Death Block 13" qualifies as the kind of larger-than-life, low-budget kitsch that should cater to B-movie afficionados.
Yeah!
Sexyjay715 October 2022
I hate to admit this, ( but I will ) the movie is not good. I don't bother reading the negative reviews, but this movie is not good at all. The acting is horrible. The plot is horrible. Even the fight scenes is not entertaining. The script is horrible. The whole movie is horrible. This is not the first bad movie I have seen, and it definitely is not the worst I have seen. No idea why I continued watching it until the end, I guess I was hoping that it would have gotten better and it never did. I did not recognize any of the actors and It is definitely a very low budget film. So, yeah this is one of the worst movies I have ever seen.
Why the hate for this movie?
itsabacus200930 January 2023
Okay, look, we all know what this movie is and honestly I don't understand why so many haters come out of the blue just to crap on decent movies. Is it because it's not woke? Is it because it's made in the traditional style? Or perhaps they thought it was a Charles Bronson film and got dooped and they're too embarrassed to admit it? Well either way Robert Bronzi is extremely underrated and deserves better to be frank. But hey, for what it is, a B MOVIE it was still pretty darn good. Yeah, okay SOME of the CGI was kinda average but it doesn't have to be great all the time! Because it's a B MOVIE! Be grateful it isn't as bad as the crappy CGI dinosaurs in Jurassic world! Now THAT CGI is EMBARRASSING!(because it's a main stream movie and there's no excuse to look that bad) This movie has that retro 80s vibe but made in the 90s style; makes it a BETTER modern day film than anything else I've seen in the past 20+ years! People can take a page from this movie on how MOVIES SHOULD be made; less chick-flick MORE action and MORE Bronson(Bronzi)!
Best Cheese in Town
hotmasamosir25 November 2021
This ranks higher than my review for WW84 which sits comfortably at 3 stars.
I only write reviews when I am impressed, not just because how good a film is but also because of how bad it was.
This film was soooooo cheesy from the start that I never took it seriously and even considered turning it off somewhere along the 20 minute mark. But somehow, the bad acting, dialogue, soundtrack, effects and everything else kind of became interesting and kept me glued to the couch.
Yes, my very subjective 10 stars is for the appreciation towards how Prime B-Movie with extra cheese should be produced.
Even my 81 year old mom enjoyed it because of the simplicity it brings to the table. Barely any plot, dialogue was as corny as corns and the action was funny that it kept us laughing all the way.
Thank You for entertsining an 81 year old granny. God Bless.
I only write reviews when I am impressed, not just because how good a film is but also because of how bad it was.
This film was soooooo cheesy from the start that I never took it seriously and even considered turning it off somewhere along the 20 minute mark. But somehow, the bad acting, dialogue, soundtrack, effects and everything else kind of became interesting and kept me glued to the couch.
Yes, my very subjective 10 stars is for the appreciation towards how Prime B-Movie with extra cheese should be produced.
Even my 81 year old mom enjoyed it because of the simplicity it brings to the table. Barely any plot, dialogue was as corny as corns and the action was funny that it kept us laughing all the way.
Thank You for entertsining an 81 year old granny. God Bless.
the 8 is for all...
ops-525358 November 2021
Of you that likes to watch a movie at higher speeds than usual, use 1.5 ffwd and mr. Bronzi becomes the legendary charles bronson , yet again!!!! He is still the spittin' image of the cultstar of the 70's, and he must be charles bronsons twin brother born 30 years later as a result of their mums teratoma birth, and its a shame tto say, mr bronzi has become even better on the acts.
We all know the 70's spaghetti westerns, with its telephonic sounds and whipsnapping sound effects, well this is the 2020's tortellini thriller, with fist fights and gunfights and gore and splatter that just a b- movie can bring forward, its a very well done charade, a multitude of prison break movies turned into one completely new one, where the reaper man never reaches the main cast, and where retakes is an unknown procedure, and the hallelujahs of glorious hudlums covers the mould eaten prison walls and the special effects is made outta the first version of photoshop.
So a low level production it is, it has all the glitches of soundboom shadows and production crew reflecting in the pilot sunglasses, but its just a fictional rump made outta neanderthalic capabilities amd a storyline written with the commandments of prisonlife as the inspirational source. Its a funfare for all of us loving bud spencer and terrence hills brawlouts and barfights in the 1970, no more intellect is required.
Well its not a feinsmaeckers movie, let that be said from a grumpy old man, that has mr bronzi rolling up as the new vigilante favourite on the silver screen. Its fodder for the black out party, ill give it an 8 for the clichees and action comedy and choice of cast, especially the prison caracters.
We all know the 70's spaghetti westerns, with its telephonic sounds and whipsnapping sound effects, well this is the 2020's tortellini thriller, with fist fights and gunfights and gore and splatter that just a b- movie can bring forward, its a very well done charade, a multitude of prison break movies turned into one completely new one, where the reaper man never reaches the main cast, and where retakes is an unknown procedure, and the hallelujahs of glorious hudlums covers the mould eaten prison walls and the special effects is made outta the first version of photoshop.
So a low level production it is, it has all the glitches of soundboom shadows and production crew reflecting in the pilot sunglasses, but its just a fictional rump made outta neanderthalic capabilities amd a storyline written with the commandments of prisonlife as the inspirational source. Its a funfare for all of us loving bud spencer and terrence hills brawlouts and barfights in the 1970, no more intellect is required.
Well its not a feinsmaeckers movie, let that be said from a grumpy old man, that has mr bronzi rolling up as the new vigilante favourite on the silver screen. Its fodder for the black out party, ill give it an 8 for the clichees and action comedy and choice of cast, especially the prison caracters.
For Fans of mindless 90s action!
jackwolff-0645727 November 2021
Just turn your brain off and enjoy the action! There were plenty of moments that put a smile on my face. This is just a fun movie that delivers what you see on the cover! Sure this is low budget and they used CGI for the blood. But the direction is really tight and all the action is shot well! If you're looking for Shakespeare why did you watch this movie anyway. It's not a big budget Hollywood action movie. It's a fun homage to old action movies with a Bronson look alike that's having a good time playing the part because he's a fan Himself.
Crazy Indie Fun
dsmithpoet17 March 2022
Bronzi is back!
shagee797723 October 2021
I had the pleasure of getting an advance screener on this. DIRECTOR Gary Jones brings us the explosive non stop action packed Escape from Death Block 13. Starring the charming Robert Bonzi in the lead. Mick Kovacs (Robert Kovacs Bronzi) comes to collect on his dead brothers money owed to his family from his brothers old job. Being turned down by the owner (Nicholas Turturro), has him seek justice his way. He is arrested and charged with attempted murder, assault and sent to Pleasant Hill Penitentiary.
After a meeting with the arresting detectives(Lyindaa Russell and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs )a deal is made. To be an informant and gather information. If the Information is what they need he will be offered a lesser sentence. They also inform him his brothers death was possibly murder. The place he was working has been rumored to be part of a drug trafficking cartel. He may have been at the wrong place at the wrong time. This infuriates him and revenge is on his mind.
They send him off to prison as a mole and to gather info. Turns out this prison is anything but pleasant.
Turns out that it's not just the prisoners he has to worry about but the corrupt prison guards as well. Lead by a sadistic warden (Debbie Scaletta). But once he discovers the truth behind his brother's death, Mick's rage ignites an explosive riot as he makes a daring escape. Will he be able to get the information he needs or die trying.
You can't help but smile every time you see Robert Bronzi. His mannerisms and looks are uncanny of the late Charles Bronson. He fills the void of the lost action flicks of the 70's and 80's. This is the perfect vehicle for him to showcase his talent. It's a fun no holds barred fun time. Perfectly shot and casted this movie starts off with a bang and just gets better and better. The perfect villains and settings all come together. Sure it's been done before but this just improves on the stalled genre. Robert has the charm and talent to keep on doing these flicks. And you know what I will continue watching.
Highly recommend this for a good ole fashion fun time.
After a meeting with the arresting detectives(Lyindaa Russell and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs )a deal is made. To be an informant and gather information. If the Information is what they need he will be offered a lesser sentence. They also inform him his brothers death was possibly murder. The place he was working has been rumored to be part of a drug trafficking cartel. He may have been at the wrong place at the wrong time. This infuriates him and revenge is on his mind.
They send him off to prison as a mole and to gather info. Turns out this prison is anything but pleasant.
Turns out that it's not just the prisoners he has to worry about but the corrupt prison guards as well. Lead by a sadistic warden (Debbie Scaletta). But once he discovers the truth behind his brother's death, Mick's rage ignites an explosive riot as he makes a daring escape. Will he be able to get the information he needs or die trying.
You can't help but smile every time you see Robert Bronzi. His mannerisms and looks are uncanny of the late Charles Bronson. He fills the void of the lost action flicks of the 70's and 80's. This is the perfect vehicle for him to showcase his talent. It's a fun no holds barred fun time. Perfectly shot and casted this movie starts off with a bang and just gets better and better. The perfect villains and settings all come together. Sure it's been done before but this just improves on the stalled genre. Robert has the charm and talent to keep on doing these flicks. And you know what I will continue watching.
Highly recommend this for a good ole fashion fun time.
richphillis7@gmail.com
richphillis717 November 2021
I really enjoyed this film . Loved the special effects and Debbie Scaletta as the warden was amazing !! Debbie's character offers an opportunity for her to show her range in acting Chris Hahn continues to bring it. Great stunt work in this film as well The story was much better than most action films .The acting was overall great . Escape from Death Block 13 is a film you don't want to miss !! Very entertaining and keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to the end . I thought Robert Bronzi did a fantastic job and although I never seen him in other movies I became a fan after this movie . Ray Szuch as Pappy was a crowd favorite . I liked how the birds were used for symbolism .Plus the use of crow sounds in certain scenes were brilliant . I don't normally want to watch a film more than once but I can see myself watching this film over and over .
Produced for some quick beer money.
Jeff_Sharp1012015 July 2023
Shot like a low budget flick, to make some quick beer money.
The plot was full of holes, the acting was weak, and the special effects were anything but "special".
I was surprised this thing was filmed in 2021, it has more of an 80's feel to it.
And speaking of the 80's, a flick of this caliber may have made its mark at the box office back then, but these days, the audience expects much better than this.
Lastly, there's nothing about this movie that brings anything new, there's so many movies like this, it grows old fast.
With that thought in mind and by using a Charles Bronson look-a-like, I think it proves movie producers are out of ideas.
The plot was full of holes, the acting was weak, and the special effects were anything but "special".
I was surprised this thing was filmed in 2021, it has more of an 80's feel to it.
And speaking of the 80's, a flick of this caliber may have made its mark at the box office back then, but these days, the audience expects much better than this.
Lastly, there's nothing about this movie that brings anything new, there's so many movies like this, it grows old fast.
With that thought in mind and by using a Charles Bronson look-a-like, I think it proves movie producers are out of ideas.
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