Very disappointed :(

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

I saw this in 2009 n revisited it recently on a DVD which i own. Action fans should definitely check this out. The plot - A group of sadistic gamblers makes wagers on 30 of the world's most deadly assassins who band against one another in a battle royal. Debutante director Scott Mann did a terrific job considering the budget. The action is non stop. There are shoot-outs, gun play, bloodbaths in unlikely venues, severed limbs, exploding bodies caused by booby-trapped tracking devices, plenty of explosions, car chases, kicking, punching, heads exploding off like melons, severed limbs, wild stunts, a bus/truck chase, nudity and gore. Its really a *ucking shame that this film didn't got the recognition it deserves. The star cast is decent, the hot n attractive Kelly Hu (her sex scene from Farmhouse man), Ving Rhames, Robert Carlyle, Liam Cunningham, Scott Adkins n Sebastian Foucon (the guy from Casino royal). There's an excellent free running sequence courtesy of park-our expert Sebastian Foucon.

THE TOURNAMENT is another in the string of films 'inspired' by the success of BATTLE ROYALE which feature armed opponents battling each other to the death in a specific location. The difference? This time around, that location happens to be Middlesborough, of all places! Middlesbrough is a run-down city in the north of England that just so happens to be famous for…well, absolutely nothing. So the choice to have it as the film's setting is unusual, to say the least, and seeing Hollywood stars prowling the streets is nothing if not incongruous. But then THE TOURNAMENT is a slightly quirky British production, so we shouldn't be too surprised.As for how this all stands as a film, it comes across as a mix between THE CONDEMNED and DEATH RACE and offers little we haven't seen before (aside from the setting, of course). Robert Carlyle plays a boozy priest (is there any other kind in the movies?) who unwittingly becomes caught up in a battle between the world's greatest assassins. The storyline is paper thin so the filmmakers wisely choose to focus on the action instead, which is pretty good.The various set-pieces are explosive and ultra-violent, seemingly designed to showcase the latest effects technology of human bodies exploding into clouds of splattery gore. The camera-work isn't too shoddy, as at least we can see some of what's going on, unlike in many modern-day shaky-cam action flicks. The actors playing the assassins are a fun assortment, ranging from pretty heroine Kelly Hu to martial arts supremo Scott Adkins (sadly underutilised) and CASINO ROYALE's parkour enthusiast Sebastien Foucan. Carlyle gives good value for money as always and it's always a pleasure to see Liam Cunningham in a film, although his role as this film's villain is fairly pathetic. Ving Rhames gives a typically larger than life turn in an extended cameo.Things pick up for the ludicrous but entertaining climax, which manages to drag in a classic double-decker bus for some high-speed action before the strictly routine ending. And it's true, you know; THE TOURNAMENT is predictable in the extreme, offering absolutely nothing that hasn't already been done (and done better). But you know what? I enjoyed it. It's not something you'll want to watch more than once, but as an example of adult-orientated action cinema it works.

Wow. I was expecting a mediocre executed movie but it turned out to be awesome from the first minute in. I don't know why the movie gets so much negative feedback here.When you watch the movie it's very clear that the makers were inspired by "Battle Royale" and "Terminator 2". A solid cast: Ving Rhames (always bad-ass), Robert Carlyle, Ian Somerhalder (who does surprisingly well!) and a action-packed small role for Scott Adkins. Guns, gore, boobs and loads of stunts & action!Highly recommended for action-fans!7/10

Like I've written above this film is nothing more than a dumb but fun action movie to watch. The movie has a decent enough plot to pack a lot of blood and gore within 90 mins and is good for a low budget action film. The plots quite simple which is why I wont explain it. But the movie has a decent cast for a straight to DVD flick, a lot of cool action scenes.Just don't think too much and you'll enjoy it. I picked it up for a dollar at a movie store that was closing down for that much its worth it. overall a good movie to watch when your bored on a Sunday afternoon or to watch with your friends. if you want a good story, acting,character development, watch something else.overall: 6/10