Product Details

• Actors: Christopher Lambert, Ice-T, Michael Halsey, Deborah Van Valkenburgh, Tina Cote
• Directors: Albert Pyun
• Writers: Andrew Witham
• Producers: Andrew Whitham, Christopher Bates, Darren B. Turbow, Gary Schmoeller, Paul Rosenblum
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Vidmark / Trimark
• VHS Release Date: January 26, 1999
• Run Time: 104 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 1573623725
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #384,277 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Direct-to-video stylist Albert Pyun sets this plotless, gun-crazy frenzy to the mambo beat of Prez Prado and runs with it. Mobster Ice-T calls dozens of associates to a newly built prison the day before it's dedicated, locks them in, and pits them against one another for a prize of $10 million, which the last three survivors will split. Bleached blond Christopher Lambert is a grinning psycho having a little too much fun, while the soul of the group belongs to the craggy-faced Michael Halsey, a ruthless killer with an odd sense of purpose and a code of honor. The story is merely an excuse for unending gunplay and giddy violence and Pyun rises to the occasion, executing everything from riotous free-for-alls to elaborate chases to Western-style standoffs (complete with a haunting spaghetti Western style guitar and trumpet theme). The video titles, dingy lighting, and dusky color give away the low budget and ultimately the script doesn't make any sense, but Pyun wisely avoids the confusing plot (which he himself sometimes loses) and concentrates on his particular strength: wild, wicked, practically nonstop action driven by a restless camera and rat-a-tat editing. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars In a Nutshell: Mambo Murder, August 26, 2004

By 

J. McCarthy "HazeProphet" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mean Guns (DVD)

I've now seen the film Mean Guns twice and I have even purchased the DVD (albeit off of a bargain rack). This isn't a great film, it isn't even really a good film, but it can be entertaining if you like violence and mambo.

The story behind the movie is weak at best and the cast (consisting mostly of Ice-T and Christopher Lambert) really doesn't do much to improve the film. There are some interesting action moments, all to the beat of Mambo music.

If you can find it for a cheap price I'd suggest it, but I wouldn't pay any more than a couple of bucks for this film. Of course if you're a diehard Christopher Lambert fan or if you really love Mambo and Violence, this might be something you want to invest in.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't call it a "B" Movie!!!, March 16, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Albany, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mean Guns [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Despite an obviously limited budget (no building-busting explosions, cars plunging off freeways, or helicopters flying through train-tunnels) and some lack of realism (not as bad as most action movies, but noticable), this movie is a screen gem. Imagine a modern day version of "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" with individuals and teams chasing after a cash prize of millions; only this time it's hidden inside a prison complex instead of underneath a pair of palm trees and the losers end up pushing up daisies. When the chase begins you'll find yourself picking favorites and rooting for them to win. The movie also borrows tastefully from "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" and "The Wild Bunch", with it's many showdowns and shootouts. The main characters are surprisingly well written and acted out (especially Marcus and Lou)in such a way so that you get a very good look into the personalities of each one without seeing a great deal of personal history on screen. And, of course, if you do watch it and wind up agreeing with none of this, the least you'll have to admit is that the musical score rocks! The mambo music playing over the prison PA system was a wonderfully original touch. Check this movie out. The violence may not make it everyone's cup of tea (I personally loved it, fast paced and gritty yet not bloody), but it has more than enough pluses to make up for it.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A surprisingly entertaining and rousing actioner, August 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Mean Guns (DVD)

A group of thugs who betrayed a syndicate are put in a new prison with weapons and 10 million cash promised to the last 3 survivors. It centers on the various groups that form and partialy on various moral conflicts. It's obviously low budget direct to video, but the action is entertaining and big action fans will see a few scenes intentionally taken from other movies (One scene has the table-roll-to-gunpoint from Hard-Boiled). The characters are certainly entertaining, and have more then one dimension to them. My favorite was Christoper Lambert, who insisted to Moon (the organizer) he be allowed entrance. Marcus was good and that actor had the best performance. The only bad thing about this was it's length: it was to short. That might sound weird, but it seemed like some explanations had to be cut short for length purpouses or budget constraints and I was confused at some points due to it. I'd like to see this remade big budget with Chow Yun-Fat, as Lou, and John Woo directing. Maybe Samuel Jackson as Moon.. And perhaps Sam Orbach (though he'd need to lose weight) as Marcus. That would be great.