Synopsis
The Canadian policeman Louis Burke is assigned in a jail to investigate the murders of prisoners and jailors. When in jail, Louis, using his outstandings martial arts skills, is able to save his life and make himself respected in that violent world. At least, helped by two another prisoners, he succeded in finding the truth about the dreadful crimes. In a violent and corrupt prison, decorated cop Louis Burke must infiltrate the jail to find answers to a number of inside murders. What he finds is a struggle of life and death tied in to his own past.
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Cast
- Jean-Claude Van DammeLouis Burke
- Robert GuillaumeHawkins
- Cynthia GibbAmanda Beckett
- Patrick KilpatrickChristian 'The Sandman' Naylor
- Art LaFleurSergeant DeGraf
- George DickersonTom Vogler
- Joshua John MillerDouglas Tisdale
- Hank StoneRomaker
- Conrad DunnKonefke
- Jack BannonBen Keane
Recommendations
- 60
Empire
Utterly mindless, but on its own snap, bang, and wallop terms, it works well enough. - 60
Tampa Bay Times
Death Warrant holds more interest than many of its genre. [21 Sep 1990, p.7] - 50
TV Guide Magazine
Although Death Warrant resorts to several familiar plot devices, its storyline is a little more complex than those of most films of this genre. Moreover, secondary characters like Hawkins and Priest are believable and likable enough that we care what happens to them. - 50
San Francisco Chronicle
Jean-Claude Van Damme is the best part of every movie he's in. Then again, when you consider the pictures he's been in, maybe that's not saying enough. [15 Sep 1990, p.C3] - 38
The Seattle Times
Death Warrant has two colors: dark red, dark blue. It has two moods: brooding and brutal. It makes prison look more attractive by adding fog machines and then filming everything in slow motion. [15 Sep 1990, p.C7] - 30
Washington Post
All the characters mumble, perhaps out of sympathy for the Dutch Van Damme's ongoing struggle with their native language. As for plot, it unravels more quickly than the mystery facing Van Damme. - 30
The New York Times
All of the performances are terrible, but Joseph Porro's costume design is arresting. Mr. Van Damme and the other prisoner look as if they had been outfitted by an upscale outlet of a Banana Republic-type men's boutique. - 25
Miami Herald
Director Deran Sarafian and cinematographer Russell Carpenter give Death Warrant a great gloomy feel and know how how to use extreme close-ups as effective eye candy. But candy is about all we get. [18 Sep 1990, p.C3]
