AniInterview
Sorry, this movie sucks
SpuffyWeb
Sadly Over-hyped
Robert Joyner
The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one
Wizard-8
A good action director knows that the best way to start a movie is with something spectacular that will leave the audience in their seats wanting more. "The Circuit 2" starts off with a fight that lasts just a few seconds! Things don't improve that much after that opening scene. I suppose the movie looks good for what must have been a microbudget - there is some location shooting, and the movie looks okay for the most part, though we get stuff like visible shadows of the camera crew, and a hospital room where they couldn't get a hospital bed and used a gurney instead. But the movie has more faults than positive stuff. Despite having Lamas and Merhi in the cast, they are pretty much wasted (if you can call them "wasted" after witnessing their horrible acting). The movie takes forever to get started - Gruner doesn't get to prison until more than half an hour has passed. Movie is poorly edited and directed, with scenes seeming to start midway through instead of having a proper beginning. The story also doesn't make sense at times, with one character suddenly announced that is dead with no explanation why. Some fights later in the movie are okay, but there are times when you feel the participants are holding back instead of going all out. Gruner has made some good movies, but "The Circuit 2" isn't one of them.
Frank Markland
Olivier Gruner stars as a kickboxer who goes undercover (Using the alias Jim Morrison) behind bars to take down the bad guys who injured his reporter girlfriend. Also on board is Lorenzo Lamas who doesn't really have much to do. Much fighting ensues in this completely botched fight flick. One of the major problems with the movie is just how ridiculously stupid it is. We have Gruner looking more like Yul Brynner trying to kick ass, completely oblivious to the fact that a fight sequence needs a director who can hold the camera steady. I must admit I watched this movie, only because I found it for one dollar and I admit that the movie had me in stitches at regular intervals. It's just too bad the movie is meant to be so serious because it was just laughable. The fight sequences are also so sloppy and indeed i'm shocked that martial arts experts choreographed this fight sequences. I mean you take a B.grade action flick like Kickboxer 2:The Road Back (Seriously comparing this to even Kickboxer 3, is just too good for a movie like this) and you have fight sequences pumped up with much blood ready to flow. Circuit 2 comes off as if the choreography was done by people who don't know the difference between martial arts and disco dancing. Some unintentional laughs aside this is very bad stuff. However it's frequently hilarious and is a must for fans of goofy cinema. Watch the ending and note that we never learn the girlfriend's fate! * out of 4-(Bad)
frankwhat
While slightly better than the first rendition of this series that's not to be taken as a compliment either, only because the first one was just so God awful! The sequel was just as bad, the fight scenes were boring and hosted some of the worst acting my eyes have ever laid sight upon. They seriously might as well just hold the script right in front of them and do a cold reading that's how heinous it comes out. The only thing that this had somewhat going for it was that the plot had a little bit better of a background and could have been turned into something interesting had the right screenwriters gotten their hands upon it. The other part was that there were one or two quotes that were cool, but make no mistake; it didn't save this movie in the least bit. They even brought back those corny tiki-torches for the end fight scenes that were used in the first one that any person can pick up at the dollar store easily. It goes without saying that the body count adds up once again with no one giving it a second thought. I really hope someone eventually breathes life back into the direct-to-video action movie genre soon...it needs revitalization horribly!Final Queue:Movies: Never quite made it there, luckily for the rest of us.DVD Purchase: You've gotta be kiddin' me!Rental: I wouldn't if I were you.
CitizenCaine
Olivier Gruner, world kick-boxing champion, is at it again in this sequel to The Circuit. I think 3 characters repeat from the original; otherwise, it's a sequel in name only, as its story has nothing to do with where the first one left off. Gruner is still Dirk Longstreet, a college physical education guru, who gets involved in, what else, another low budget circuit with bad acting. This time he goes behind bars to find out what happened to his girlfriend from the first movie. That plot thread is badly handled, and it merely serves as an excuse for us to watch a host of fighters engaging in after hours money fights for the benefit of the warden, etc. Gruner shows off some impressive skills while beating a succession of fighters to a pulp during the fights. The only problem is none of them are worthy opponents. The only two who would be are left with none fighting roles: Lorenzo Lamas is wasted as a reporter that gets Gruner into the prison and Gary Hudson is also wasted as a sadistic prison guard. Director Jalal Merhi again plays Bill the reporter for a total of about 5 minutes. Forget the ridiculous plot in here and enjoy the almost none-stop barrage of fighting, some of it brutal. Gruner looks like a much better fighter in this one than in the original, but the ending is again not that satisfying. * of 4 stars.
