WFG RATING: B+

Republic Pictures presents a Tiger Style Media production. Directed by Ryan C. Jaeger. Produced by H. Daniel Gross, Ryan C. Jaeger, and Shannon McIntosh. Written by H. Daniel Gross, Ryan C. Jaeger, and Stephen Niver. Cinematography by Picha Srisansanee. Edited by Brit DeLillo.

Stars Caity Lotz, Leo Howard, Michael Biehn, Hon Ping Tang, Jennifer Blanc Biehn, Ron Weaver, Ron Smoorenburg, Kelly B. Jones, Drew Connick, and Joseph Angelo.

A brother and sister are forced to fight for their freedom in the second of Tiger Style Media’s new four martial arts action films.

Journalist Charlie Hightower has been suspended for two weeks after saving a woman from a group of thugs while researching for a story. Her brother Jack, a professional fighter, has a chance to take ownership of the family gym since their father, Max, has been in prison in Myanmar for years. Charlie and Jack head to Thailand first then head to Myanmar to meet with  Max, who refuses to give up ownership of the gym. 

When prison warden Cetan learns his nephews have come up with a way to livestream the prison fights, where the champions can earn their freedom, Max comes up with an idea. Charlie and Jack are framed for drug possession and wind up in prison. They learn about the prison fights and decide if they can fight their way to freedom, they will need the help of the one man they both despise the most: their father. However, Cetan may have other plans that could end up destroying the family forever. 

If the first of Tiger Style Media’s martial arts films, Art of Eight Limbs, was seen as mediocre, call it the appetizer then. Because this second one of the pack is a step up. The story is much better and revolves more than just fighters in prison fighting for their freedom, but has a story of redemption and the action here is much better than the previous film and gets to be more sporadic as it focuses on the story as well as delve in the fights.

The film has two great leads in Caity Lotz and Leo Howard as siblings Charlie and Jack. While a movie like this would have actors training in martial arts just for a film, Lotz and Howard are actual martial artists who happen to be pretty good actors. Their chemistry as the siblings looks genuine, even when they are conflicted in dealing with their inmate father, Max, played by the great Michael Biehn, who at first seems like a not-so-great guy. In some ways, the film does give Max a chance at redemption with his family, even when Charlie doesn’t approve at all. 

Once again, Seng Kawee serves as the film’s stunt coordinator and perhaps the issue with Art of Eight Limbs lie is that he resorted to using repetitive moves in the action. At least here, he is able to utilize the various skills of Lotz and Howard and choreograph the fights to their tastes. We see Lotz take on Ron Smoorenburg in the first fight of the film, but her first ring fight shows off her skills in both Muay Thai and Taekwondo. As for Howard, his skills in Extreme Martial Arts comes off in spurts along with Muay Thai but a career doing martial arts in TV and films for years shows what a talent he can be. 

The Lockdown is a major step above Art of Eight Limbs as it is a story of redemption and fight for freedom along with much improved fight scenes. Caity Lotz and Leo Howard definitely need to do more action roles as leads as they were great in this one.