ESCAPE PLAN 2: HADES

Film Review by FIORE

It is immediately apparent ESCAPE PLAN 2: HADES does not have the backing of Sylvester Stallone’s production company.   Usually, Sly is akin to an octopus, dipping a tentacle into numerous aspects of assembly.  It is a good thing, for it ensures the quality film Sly wants to deliver.  On this film, he simply stars and takes no control over the rest of the project; this is why ESCAPE PLAN 2: HADES does not have a theatrical release and went straight to home video; the production values are lacking. 

The original ESCAPE PLAN was an above average action flick notable for its combining Sly with his buddy The Arnold for the first time.  It concerned a security expert who attempts a report on a new prison, only to be hornswoggled into becoming one of its permanent clients. This second outing features Sly as Ray Breslin once again running the world’s top security firm, when suddenly, his elite team members disappear ensnared into Hades, the new high tech prison, spawned by the founders of The Tomb, the prison Sly and Arnold escaped from in the first film.

While the Arnold could not be convinced to help Sly with this second film, the producers did manage to coax Dave Bautista, Curtis Jackson, Wes Chatham and Jamie King to make extended cameos.  They all add a bit of gravitas to the movie.

Like many films now, ESCAPE PLAN 2: HADES is a joint venture with Chinese studios.  The main thrust of the film features Shu, played by Huang Xiaoming, as the newest member of Sly’s security team; and Yusheng, played by Chen Tang, an IT expert who develops next generation programs, destined to be the ultimate in satellite programming.  Shu is tasked to protect Yusheng when a rival company issues a bounty on him. Xiaoming can be a major force in American action films.  His fighting style and techniques are reminiscent of Daniel Wu’s in INTO THE BADLANDS.  His fight scenes dominate the movie and his introduction to action film fans is probably the main reason for the movie’s release. 

Technically, ESCAPE PLAN 2: HADES is a comedy of errors.  The script by Miles Chapman features generic dialogue, which is only salvaged by the quality of the actors.  The SFX are cartoonish, attempting to display electronic schematics.  The largest glitch is the editing.   Editors Vincent Tabaillon and Carsten Kurpanek cut the sequences in disjointed manner.  The transitions between segments are rough and leave gaps in the storytelling.

ESCAPE PLAN 2: HADES does offer notable baubles for action film fans. Bautista and Sly work well on screen, and it would be beneficial for these two to work together again.  It is nice to see Chatham branching out from his small screen persona.  He is a cult favorite playing Amos on THE EXPANSE, one of the show’s better characters.  The introduction of Xiaoming to American audiences is beneficial.  Already a star in China as both an actor and singer, he displays all the traits essential to becoming a major action star here as well.  And, finally, Jackson drops the moot “50 cent” from his moniker. 

Other than these virtues, ESCAPE PLAN 2: HADES slips into the realm of mediocre action flicks.  Had Sly been more involved with the production instead of an extended cameo role, this could have been a decent sequel.