Penitentiary II Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

Penitentiary II Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 21, 2018

1979’s “Penitentiary” was no great drama, but the prison boxing film was dedicated to showcasing true grit and horrors behind bars, adding some light insanity to play up the material’s B-movie potential, welcoming people into the viewing experience. Writer/director Jamaa Fanaka doesn’t continue the steeliness for 1982’s “Penitentiary II,” taking the sequel down a bizarrely comedic path that’s more about camp than concussions, perhaps fearful nobody would show up if he dared to play the continuation straight. The guilty pleasures of “Penitentiary” are mostly gone in the follow-up, finding Fanaka out of ideas when it comes to the next chapter of the Martel “Too Sweet” Gardone saga, stripping out the inherent hardness of the setting and the participants to create a near-parody of what’s come before, only storytelling skills are severely slackened, performances are nuclear, and the central idea of pugilist redemption is now nothing more than an afterthought.

Having won his parole in a prison boxing tournament, Martel (Leon Isaac Kennedy) is now trying to put his life back in order, working as a roller skating messenger for his brother-in-law’s legal firm. He also finds love with virginal Clarisse (Eugenia Wright), hoping to secure some necessary romance to help restart his life. Standing in the way of happiness is Half Dead (Ernie Hudson), Martel’s old prison rival who’s broken out of the big house, hitting the streets on a mission of revenge. Raping and murdering Clarisse, Half Dead’s attempt to destroy Martel backfires, with the pacifist rededicating his life to boxing pursuits, receiving training assistance from old pal Seldom Seen (Malik Carter) and ex-champ Mr. T (playing himself), gearing up to claim fame and attention as he reenters the sport and his former penitentiary to take on Jesse “The Bull” Amos (Donovan Womack). Half Dead, frustrated with his inability to break Martel’s spirit, escalates his criminal interests, orchestrating a plan to ruin his target’s boxing campaign.

Things get strange in a hurry in “Penitentiary II,” which actually commences with a lengthy opening crawl, parodying “Star Wars” as Fanaka dumps an enormous amount of exposition on the viewer, hinting at an entire first act that was chopped off the film in an effort to get it up and running as fast as possible. Tonal and storytelling disorientation is immediate, and unfortunately doesn’t dissipate as the feature unfolds, watching Fanaka swing wildly as he attempts to find the rhythm of the picture, with Martel swearing off boxing, trying to enjoy the good things in life, like roller skating, domestic stability with his sister, and Clarisse, who does what no woman has done before for the ex-con: offer hassle-free sex. Sadly, Half Dead ruins the bedroom adventure, with Fanaka recreating the famous jail cell fight between the men from “Penitentiary” in Clarisse’s bathroom, with the brutes pounding each other as the steamiest shower in the history of water distribution remains on full blast. At the end of the fight, Martel loses his one true love and Half Dead ends up in police custody.

Of course, the villain isn’t going to remain chained to a hospital bed for very long, with Fanaka introducing cronies Do Dirty and Simple, two morons who add a distinct slapstick element to “Penitentiary II,” providing more confusion to the viewing experience. The sequel gets pretty outrageous at times, with a cop defecating in his own pants, and, like a cherry on top of a shaving cream cake, there’s a Rudy Ray Moore cameo, securing the helmer’s mission to transform the original movie’s iciness into silly putty for round 2. Craziness continues throughout, with Martel absolutely devastated by Clarisse’s murder, only to visit a nightclub a few days later to secure additional female attention. Half Dead attempts to humiliate his girlfriend by smooshing potato salad in her face, only to make out with her while covered in the goop (it’s a truly disgusting moment). There’s Mr. T, who becomes Martel’s corner man, dressed up as a genie clutching a smoking lamp during the boxing sequences. And little person Tony Cox (“Bad Santa”) has a brief role as an inmate obsessed with winning enough money while playing dice to secure sexual relations with a willing spectator during Martel’s fights, finding Fanaka practically bored with sporting elements, trying to amuse himself with random antics.

Penitentiary II Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Penitentiary II" is the end result of a 2K scan from the original camera negative, with Vinegar Syndrome putting more effort into the visual appeal of the feature than the filmmakers. Clarity is consistent, with sharpness valued during intense stare-downs between enemies and combatants, picking up on perspiration and teeth-gnashing reaction shots. Facial particulars are inviting, and textures extend to period costuming and interiors, getting a feel for leathery gym equipment and concrete walls. Colors are communicative, displaying tastefully refreshed primaries that bring out the power of era-specific clothing and locations, while blood reds are vibrant. Skintones are spot-on. Delineation is ideal, preserving evening encounters and threats emerging from the darkness. Source is in fairly good shape, but wear and tear is detected, including some faint scratches.

Penitentiary II Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix is troublesome, as Fanaka was never one to prize a pristine sonic experience for his movies. "Penitentiary II" doesn't offer an advanced listening event, and the track does what it can with the production's love of cacophony, finding dialogue exchanges mostly acceptable, only running into problems when scoring cues and sound effects compete for attention, drowning out a few lines. Clarity is missing, but general emphasis is adequate, best when engaged in quieter scenes that highlight performances. A brief moment of concern is found at the 49 minute mark, with an echo effect likely an inherent issue.

Penitentiary II Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features writer/director Jamaa Fanaka.

• Isolated Soundtrack is offered.

• Interview (27:39, SD) is an archival conversation with Fanaka (who passed away in 2012), who's decked out in "Penitentiary" gear, opening the chat with a discussion of distribution woes, sharing his experiences with shady studios. The helmer recalls the heyday of grindhouse exhibition, where his films built their reputations, and shares tidbits from his family history, with money from his parents helping to pay for the first "Penitentiary" movie. Fanaka also explores work around union rules, the Jewish people who've helped him along the way, the upcoming digital cinema indie revolution, future plans (talking to Snoop Dogg about a possible "Penitentiary IV"), and his own struggles with health, going into great detail about his battle with diabetes.

• Interview (16:14, HD) with Leon Isaac Kennedy continues the exploration of the "Penitentiary" series, though the star doesn't really have much to share about the making of the first sequel. Kennedy focuses on production issues, including battles over film rights and cast expendability to save some money, with new faces brought in without a second thought, including Kennedy, who took back his role with a story he's "saving for the book." The actor discusses the hiring of Mr. T and the failure of United Artists to capitalize on the icon's success after "Rocky III," also detailing the overall arrogance of the studio, who refused to trust Kennedy with the same promotional duties that made the original movie a hit. While Kennedy is charming and a passionate speaker, he seems to be dancing around his true opinion of "Penitentiary II," keeping things just vague enough to escape negativity.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:26, HD) is included.

Penitentiary II Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Penitentiary II" is supposed to build to a big showdown between Martel and The Bull, but the opponent is a non-entity in the screenplay, merely inserted to create underdog cinema without Fanaka earning the excitement. Granted, Kennedy commits to his performance, and Hudson does what he can as Half Dead, at one point trying to project menace while wearing a rainbow wig, but Fanaka doesn't have much of a game plan for thrills in his sequel, so he throws everything he can into the picture to see what sticks, making "Penitentiary II" more of a slapdash variety show than a boxing movie.