The “Undisputed” franchise has a strange history. The first film had a theatrical release with big stars such as Wesley Snipes (“Blade”). It was not especially well received but the series has gained popularity with later direct-to-video sequels featuring Scott Adkins (“Undisputed 2: Last Man Standing”, “Ip Man 4: The Finale”). To date, “Undisputed III: Redemption” remains the most popular in the series.

Yuri Boyka (Adkins) joins violent inmates from around the world in a Georgian prison for an illegal fighting competition. He soon discovers that the tournament is being rigged as he will have to face off against fierce opponents while been subjecting to hard labour in-between fights. He also must overcome his weak knee, which makes him more vulnerable than ever.

Adkins is totally believable as the hardened Russian inmate. Boyka is a man that wants to fight because he knows he can be the best. His Russian accent is pretty darn convincing. I was significantly less keen on the American fighter, ‘Turbo’ (Mykel Shannon Jenkins “Double Jeopardy”). Other fighters are from places including North Korea, Brazil and France. The athleticism of all the performers is quite frankly staggering as we see them dish out some serious pain. Adkins is the best here and he demonstrates why he is one of the most impressive action stars of the modern era.

“Undisputed III” reminded me quite a bit of films such as “Bloodsport”. Both films offer a thin plot but thrilling action sequences. This film routinely gets cited by martial arts fans as containing some of the best fight scenes and I can understand why. The fights in “Undisputed III” are among the most brutal that I have ever seen. Almost every move looks like it’s capable of crippling someone. You don’t need to see the earlier films to enjoy this.