While not as good as the previous entry, 'Undisputed: Fight For Freedom' (or 'Boyka: Undisputed IV' depending on where you live) is another surprisingly decent film. Much like its protagonist, the 'Undisputed' franchise is an underdog that refuses to stay down. Other action series may have bigger budgets, more famous names and better publicity, but there's something reliably entertaining about these films. They're stripped back and efficient movies, with plenty of bone-crunching fight scenes and the fourth doesn't disappoint.
This one tells the story of what happens to Yuri Boyka (Scott Adkins) after his escape from the Russian prison system in the previous film. Trying to rebuild his life in Ukraine, things turn sour when he takes part in an MMA fight and accidentally kills his opponent. Wanting to make amends, he tracks down the fighter's widow, only to discover she's in debt to the Russian mob. In an attempt to help her and ease his conscience, Boyka agrees to take part in more illegal fights, leading "the most complete fighter in the world" to once again have to smack the living daylights out of several people.
It's a bit disappointing that neither Mykel Shannon Jenkins nor Marko Zaror return, but otherwise the fourth Undisputed doesn't put a foot wrong. The Earth's gravitational pull once again decides to go easy on Scott Adkins and he continues to leap through the air, delivering bone-crunching kicks to heads and chests in the increasingly violent fight scenes. It's also the first time that the climactic fisticuffs spill out of the ring; Boyka's brawl with the cartoonishly oversized Koshmar (Martyn Ford) turns into a baseball bat rampage through a nightclub, the stoic Russian hero using a gun for the first time as he battles his way to the End Of Movie Boss.
If there's one criticism to be had, it's that 'Fight For Freedom' doesn't have a genuinely stand-out fight - there's nothing to match the dizzy heights of the Alain Moussi versus Dave Batista scene from the 'Kickboxer' remake for instance. However, the punch-ups are all reliably entertaining and it's hard not to cheer for Boyka as he continues to overcome the odds. His relationship with Alma (Teodora Duhovnikova) meanwhile is quite touching, even if she doesn't get much to do besides wait to be rescued and shout at him occasionally.
At the time of writing this is the last film in the series, but even after four similar movies, 'Undisputed' doesn't feel like it's overstayed its welcome. This is a movie where gore and sweat fly in slow motion as chiselled, ultra-men beat one another into bloody messes and it's never boring. As the years go by, 'Undisputed 5' seems less likely but if this is the finale, it's a good one to go out on.
This one tells the story of what happens to Yuri Boyka (Scott Adkins) after his escape from the Russian prison system in the previous film. Trying to rebuild his life in Ukraine, things turn sour when he takes part in an MMA fight and accidentally kills his opponent. Wanting to make amends, he tracks down the fighter's widow, only to discover she's in debt to the Russian mob. In an attempt to help her and ease his conscience, Boyka agrees to take part in more illegal fights, leading "the most complete fighter in the world" to once again have to smack the living daylights out of several people.
It's a bit disappointing that neither Mykel Shannon Jenkins nor Marko Zaror return, but otherwise the fourth Undisputed doesn't put a foot wrong. The Earth's gravitational pull once again decides to go easy on Scott Adkins and he continues to leap through the air, delivering bone-crunching kicks to heads and chests in the increasingly violent fight scenes. It's also the first time that the climactic fisticuffs spill out of the ring; Boyka's brawl with the cartoonishly oversized Koshmar (Martyn Ford) turns into a baseball bat rampage through a nightclub, the stoic Russian hero using a gun for the first time as he battles his way to the End Of Movie Boss.
If there's one criticism to be had, it's that 'Fight For Freedom' doesn't have a genuinely stand-out fight - there's nothing to match the dizzy heights of the Alain Moussi versus Dave Batista scene from the 'Kickboxer' remake for instance. However, the punch-ups are all reliably entertaining and it's hard not to cheer for Boyka as he continues to overcome the odds. His relationship with Alma (Teodora Duhovnikova) meanwhile is quite touching, even if she doesn't get much to do besides wait to be rescued and shout at him occasionally.
At the time of writing this is the last film in the series, but even after four similar movies, 'Undisputed' doesn't feel like it's overstayed its welcome. This is a movie where gore and sweat fly in slow motion as chiselled, ultra-men beat one another into bloody messes and it's never boring. As the years go by, 'Undisputed 5' seems less likely but if this is the finale, it's a good one to go out on.