Girls of Geek Movie Review: Arena

Written by Scotty

Trying to be your own person is hard enough, but when others are trying to change you into what they believe you should be just makes it that much harder.  Losing one’s self can be one of the hardest things to come back from, especially if you do not have a friend or a loved one there to bring you back.  Not giving into others can be difficult, but if you are strong enough, you can rely on yourself for better things.

David Lord and Lori are driving home from one of David’s soccer games when his car is broadsided twice causing his SUV to flip over.  Trying to get Lori out of the beat up car, David finds that his pregnant wife is dead.  Moving into depression, David tries to kill himself, but cannot bring himself to pull the trigger.  Moving his way south of the border, David finds little comfort but tries to drink his sorrows away.  Being picked up by a lonely woman in Mexico, he is in for a night that will change his life forever.

Being shot by a Taser, David finds himself alone in a cell with no windows and only a hole in the wall to talk to his adjoining prisoner.  Getting to know the man being held on the other side of the wall, David discovers that he will not be rejoining the world of the living.  His keepers have something out of the ordinary in store for him as they are running a website that shows two men battle to the death, in a gladiatorial arena.  Trying to defy the reason he was brought in, David tries to save his first victim rather than kill him.  Not being what the powers in the prison are looking for, David is brought before the man the runs the site and comes up with a deal.

Ten matches, ten wins and David will gain his freedom.  The stage is set and David will have to battle his own inner demons to survive, along with nine other men looking for the same way out.  David embraces his killer force when he takes to the arena floor but does not accept the new name of Death Dealer as he is being hailed.  Making a promise to kill the man who runs the site when he gains his freedom, David takes to training, drugs and women to keep himself straight before the next fight for his life.

Arena follows widowed David Lord as he has been taken against his will and put on the internet’s biggest stage.  Fighting for his dead wife's honor and the chance to get even with the ones who have put him in this hell house is the only reason he will not back down.  Having his recruiter Milla on his side as she cares for his wounds after every match and ends up falling in love with him, David will not allow the arena to get the best of him.  Although he will not give in and call himself Death Dealer as his holders are wanting, David speaks his name after every victory and keeps a count down until he gets his day of reckoning.

This could go down as one of the bloodiest fighting movies of all time.  Although all of the fights are meant to be seen on the internet by the millions of viewers, plenty more takes place behind the scenes.  David Lord battles for his own survival and tries every way he can to get free.  When the men take to the arena, different types of weapons are dropped in front of them to make sure none of the viewership diminishes if the fights get boring.  Beheadings, gut shots, sword play and many other methods are shown in this straight to video flick.  If you pick this up for the blood, you will not be disappointed, but be warned, there is a twist at the ending that will leave you in disbelief.  

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