Gridlocked (film)

Gridlocked is a 2016 Canadian action thriller film directed by Allan Ungar and co-written by Ungar and Rob Robol. It had its world premiere at Fantastic Fest on September 26, 2015, and stars Dominic Purcell, Stephen Lang, Danny Glover, Trish Stratus, and Saul Rubinek. The film was purchased by Netflix and became available worldwide on July 14, 2016.[1]

Gridlocked
Gridlocked Release Poster
Directed byAllan Ungar
Written by
  • Allan Ungar
  • Rob Robol
Produced by
  • Bruno Marino
  • Geoff Hart
Starring
CinematographyPasha Patriki
Edited byMichael Lane
Music byJacob Shea
Production
company
North Hollywood Films
Distributed by
Release dates
Running time
113 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

The film is about a former SWAT leader, David Hendrix (Dominic Purcell), who is reluctantly helping an arrogant movie star, Brody Walker (Cody Hackman), to do a justice diversion program. The pair faces a deadly challenge when the police training facility they are visiting is attacked by mercenaries seeking items from an evidence locker.

Cast

Production

Principal photography on the film began July 7, 2014 in Toronto, Ontario and lasted for five weeks.[2][5] Cuba Gooding, Jr. was previously set to play the lead role, but he was replaced by Purcell.[2][6] The majority of filming took place in an abandoned meat packing plant, which the producers turned into a studio for the duration of the shoot.

All of the effects, including gun shots and blood, were done practically with the exception of a few digital enhancements. The film set a record for the most bullets fired on screen in a Canadian film.

Release

The film had its world première at Fantastic Fest in Austin on September 26, 2015, and had its Canadian première at Toronto After Dark on October 20 where it won Best Action Film. It premièred in China on June 12, 2016 at the Shanghai International Film Festival as part of Jackie Chan's Action Movie Week, and was nominated for several awards alongside films such as Ip Man 3, Point Break and The Man from U.N.C.L.E..

It was released across North America on June 14, 2016 and became available on Netflix July 14, 2016.

Reception

Critical reception for Gridlocked has been mostly positive.[7] Variety and Twitch Film both praised the film for its approach to old school action, with film critic Chase Whale of Twitch writing that it was "a rollicking blast. It brings the pain and something a lot of action movies are missing these days: fun".[8] The Hollywood Reporter was more mixed in its review, stating that "the scenes inside the barricaded station offer plenty of tension and crazy-enough-to-work schemes with which the outgunned, outnumbered good guys might outwit their captors. But the movie can't forget the grating premise that got it to this point".[9] The Action Elite gave the film 4.5 stars and called it "one of the best action films of the year", while Shock Till You Drop described it as "a fun ride filled with fights, guns and more blood than you can fill a barrel with. It's a damn fun night at the movies".[10]

Accolades

The film won the Canadian Society of Cinematographers CSC award for 'Best Cinematography' as well as 'Best Action Film' at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival.[11][12]

References
  1. "New To Netflix For July 2016". IGN. June 21, 2016.
  2. Vlessing, Etan (June 20, 2014). "Dominic Purcell Replacing Cuba Gooding Jr. in Canadian Indie 'Gridlocked'". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  3. Vlessing, Etan (July 1, 2014). "Danny Glover Boards Canadian Indie 'Gridlocked'". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  4. Vlessing, Etan (July 21, 2014). "Former TV Wrestling Diva Trish Stratus Joins 'Gridlocked'". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  5. Vlessing, Etan (July 2, 2014). "'Dark Angel's' Richard Gunn Joins Canadian Indie 'Gridlocked' (Exclusive)". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  6. Vlessing, Etan (February 6, 2014). "Berlin: Cuba Gooding Jr. Boards Allan Ungar's Thriller 'Gridlocked'". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  7. Leydon, Joe. "Film Review:'Gridlocked'". Variety. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
  8. Whale, Chase. "Fantastic Fest 2015 Review: GRIDLOCKED Kicks Ass And Takes No Prisoners". Screen Anarchy. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  9. DeFore, John. "'Gridlocked': Film Review". Variety. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  10. Seidman, Amy. "Toronto After Dark Review:'Gridlocked'". Shock Till You Drop. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  11. Reid, Regan. "Guy Godfree wins at CSC Awards". Playback Online. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  12. Young, Andrew. "Toronto After Dark 2015: Festival Award Winners". Geek Hard. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
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