Gridlocked (2016)

Gridlocked is the kind of lean, old-school action movie that remembers the simple pleasure of watching pros under pressure improvise their way through chaos, and it does so with a crackling, no-nonsense momentum. Director Allan Ungar stages the siege of a police training facility like a playground for tactical mayhem—tight corridors, improvised defenses, and choreography that’s easy to follow even when it’s brutally fast. Dominic Purcell brings a grounded, bruised authority, while the movie-star sidekick angle adds just enough swagger and friction to keep the adrenaline from turning monotonous. Fair warning: it’s proudly hyper-violent and loudmouthed, so if you want subtlety, look elsewhere—but if you’re craving efficient, crowd-pleasing carnage that prioritizes fun, this one delivers.

Gridlocked is clearly aiming for a throwback “trapped in a building” action ride: a tough ex-SWAT guy, an obnoxious celebrity sidekick, and a mercenary siege that keeps the bullets flying. The problem is it plays like a checklist of familiar beats, with thin character conflicts and a buddy dynamic that can feel more grating than funny, so the constant gunfire ends up doing the heavy lifting instead of real suspense. The violence is nasty and frequent, and without stronger stakes or sharper writing, it can start to feel like noise rather than tension. If you just want a brisk, low-frills shootout movie and you like Dominic Purcell’s no-nonsense presence, it’ll pass the time; if you need originality, smart escalation, or characters you actually care about, this probably isn’t your night.