Grudge Match

Retired from boxing, Henry “Razor” Sharp (Sylvester Stallone) works in a steel mill, supporting his curmudgeonly former trainer (Alan Arkin). Razor's perennial Pittsburgh rival, womanizing Billy “The Kid” McDonnen (Robert De Niro), owns a car dealership and steakhouse, where he continues to milk his fleeting fame in a nightclub act. As light heavyweights, the pair fought each other twice—back in the 1980s—with each scoring a victory. But then Razor abruptly quit, leaving McDonnen yearning for that elusive third battle for the crown. Cue a fast-talking promoter (Kevin Hart) who manipulates the aged pugilists into participating in a videogame. Their unexpected brawl during a motion-capture session becomes a viral sensation, leading to a real re-match, dubbed “Grudgement Day.” Adding emotional complications, the woman who once came between them (Kim Basinger) resurfaces, along with McDonnen's now-grown son (Jon Bernthal), who becomes his trainer. Peter Segal's flaccid direction encourages Stallone and De Niro to unabashedly ham it up, and watching these two wrinkled, leathery grandfathers strip to the waist and duke it out in a big showdown in front of cheering crowds is not only callously cruel but also pathetic (and adding the CGI placement of Stallone and De Niro's youthful faces on other actors' bodies is visually ludicrous). Optional, at best. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include deleted scenes (7 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is “The Bull and the Stallion” featurette with costars Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone (15 min.), an alternate opening (7 min.), “In the Ring with Kevin Hart” (5 min.) and “Kevin Hart Unedited” (4 min.) behind-the-scenes segments, a “Blow by Blow with Larry Holmes” interview with the boxer (4 min.), two alternate endings (4 min.), a “Ringside with Tyson & Holyfield” interview with boxers Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield (3 min.), and bonus DVD and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid Blu-ray extras package for a lame film.] (S. Granger)