“If you refuse to cooperate, people die. If you make any attempt to contact the police, people die.”

EMT Nick Malloy (WWE superstar Randy Orton) and his wife (Cindy Busby) are driving home from the movies when they witness two cars collide. Nick rushes to the scene to help but is unable to save one of the passengers.

Cut to a year later, and Nick and his partner (Colin Lawrence) answer what appears to be a routine call. However, Nick soon finds himself an unwilling participant in a game created by a madman (Brian Markinson) seeking some sort of justice. He must race all over town completing a series of twelve timed puzzles. If he refuses, calls the cops or doesn’t finish each task in the allotted time, people will die—including his wife, Sarah. Meanwhile, Detective McKenzie (Venus Terzo), who had been investigating the disappearance of the tough-on-crime governor, finds herself following Nick’s trail of destruction and clues.

While this film is called 12 Rounds 2, there is absolutely no connection to the original film, just that the premise is extremely similar—not unlike how WWE’s The Marine franchise also works. I enjoyed the original 12 Rounds film, so I was slightly disappointed that there wasn’t any real tie to that film, and since the plot was so similar, it became a bit predictable.

There is plenty of action in 12 Rounds 2 as Nick Malloy is constantly in a rush to complete one of his tasks. From car chases to gun fights to brawling and lots of explosions, it’s got a bit of everything. However, the fact that there are 12 different tasks for Malloy to complete also causes the film to move at an awkward pace. There are just too many task, and not all of them are covered with the same level of detail or thought. Sometimes the film moves too quickly, and at other times it drags a bit. I think if they had cut down the number of “rounds”, it would have made the film feel a bit tighter. (The original film had this issue to some degree as well.)

I was actually quite impressed with Orton’s performance in his first major film role. I found his portrayal of the action hero to be believable, from both the serious and humorous sides. There was only one scene that felt a little out of place when his EMT character was suddenly performing these wrestling moves, body-slamming a guy onto the hood of a car. I know they probably wanted to utilize his skills, but it just didn’t fit with the character. I don’t know if it was the way the script was written or the acting, but after a short time, it no longer felt like Malloy’s motivation was saving his wife, but rather just trying to complete the tasks.

As for the other cast members, I thought Brian Markinson did a really good job portraying Heller, the crazy mad man bent on getting a warped sense of justice. His performance bordered on the over-the-top at times, but not unlike what you would expect in a film like this. When Tommy (Tom Stevens) enters the picture as Malloy’s unwilling travel partner, the film takes on more of a buddy action film vibe. This is something I don’t recall the original 12 Rounds really having, but I really enjoyed this aspect of the film—the chemistry and interaction between Nick and Tommy was great, and led to some really fun moments.

12 Rounds 2 is the type of film that requires the viewer to just ignore reason and sit back and enjoy the ride. If you start analyze the extremely elaborate scheme set up by Heller, it is easy to find plot holes or how impossible the whole thing would have been to both arrange and execute. However, like most action films, you have to not over-think the villain’s plot and just enjoy the action.

As for the film itself, I found the visual style quite creative. There are a lot of quick edits and some interesting camera placements. The action sequences were quite impressive—the explosions looked realistic and it didn’t feel like characters had been green screened into the action. Many of the film’s shots seemed to be designed to bring the viewer into the action of the film.

The picture and sound quality on this blu-ray are really nice—with pristine video that looks great for both indoor and outdoor scenes, and a great use of the surround and bass channels to let the viewer feel the on-screen action. The bonus features, while minimal, were interesting and provide a decent behind-the-scenes glimpse at the film. While the film isn’t the best action film I’ve seen, it does provide some solid entertainment that should at least interest Randy Orton fans and fans of the original 12 Rounds film.

What’s Included:

Film (1:34:11):

Blu-ray:
• 1080p / Widescreen 1.78:1
• Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD MA
• English SDH, Spanish, French subtitles

DVD:

• 480p / Widescreen 1.78:1
• Audio: English DD 5.1
• English SDH, Spanish, French subtitles

Digital Copy: (Redemption Deadline 6/4/2015)

• iTunes Digital Copy (transferred via the DVD)
• UltraViolet DigitalHD Copy

Extras (Only available on the Blu-ray):

• Randy Orton Reloaded (8:12)
  The cast and director talk about working with Randy Orton in his first starring role. The WWE superstar and the others talk about the casting and the chemistry between the actors.
• The Action Of 12 Rounds 2: Reloaded (8:34)
  The cast and director talk about the film’s action sequences. Includes footage of stunt training and run-throughs.
• Locations: From Heller’s Lair To The Sugar Factory (6:58)
  The director, cast and set director talk about some of the locations used for the film.
• Audio Commentary With Director Roel Reine and Film Editor Radu Ion (1:34:11)
  The two men provide an interesting behind-the-scenes look at the film, discussing how certain scenes were shot and some of the editing decisions that were made.

Final Thoughts:

12 Rounds 2 is a pretty entertaining film that provides some well-done action sequences and some fun buddy action movie banter, as long as you don’t over-think the feasibility of villain’s elaborate plot. The Blu-ray presentation looks and sounds great, and a DVD, Digital Copy and UltraViolet HD copy are also provided. There are minimal bonus features, but what is provided provides a nice behind-the-scenes look at the film and its cast. It’s worth checking out for fans of Orton or of the original 12 Rounds film.