Among Dead Men

I've heard rumblings of this film for the past few years as it was shot in and around The Gold Coast and my home town of Brisbane. Was pleased to see that it finally got a release, albeit everywhere else but Australia! Got a copy off Amazon and I would have to say I was quite impressed by what I saw.

The story is pretty simple, former street fighting champ goes to jail for killing an opponent. Upon his release, he wants to go straight, but the powers that be are trying to force him back in the ring.

For a debut film I would have to say I was very impressed with what the filmmakers were able to pull off with what looked like quite a low budget. The piece is tightly edited together with some great camera work, especially in the action pieces. The film moves along very nicely, with enough action to keep everyone pleased. The fight scenes are a plenty,most of them very brutal and frenetic. The film shows of the Gold Coast well, with plenty of exotic locations and exotic woman to keep everyone interested.

The acting on the whole was pretty decent, lead man El Rico plays it well as the ex-fighter just wanting to go straight. The bad guys are very imposing, with main enforcer Wade Bull giving the film some of its most brutal and violent moments.

On the whole, Among Dead Men is definitely worth a watch. There are some plot inconsistencies and love interest does feel forced at some points, but all in all this is a great debut film. With his eye for sharp dialogue and even sharper action scenes, director James Richards may be one to watch. Here's hoping one day it will be available here in Australia!!