Den of Lions

"Den Of Lions" has been sitting on the shelf for years. It finally came out in March 2006. I don't know why it took so long to release it straight to video. Maybe it had competition from all the Seagal flicks cluttering stores. The plot: Mike Varga is an FBI agent who goes undercover to infiltrate the Russian Mafia. The head boss is Darius (Hoskins) who, like all kingpins, lets him in his circle. Mike eventually falls in love with Darius' daughter (Laura Fraser).

This is the junky version of "Donnie Brasco" which means there's a scene where Mike can't take the pressure and starts yelling and smashing things. It doesn't have much action until the end, but it's worth seeing for the performances of Dorff and Hoskins.

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Few movies offer the senseless violence and absence of artistic skill that is evident in this movie. Why anyone would want to spend the necessary hours/minutes viewing something so devoid of entertainment value as this presentation is beyond my sense of comprehension.

Don't waste your positive energy and desire for entertainment on this one. Unless, of course, you are seeking misery, frustration and are bent on despondent expression of hopelessness. The sorrow that this film evoked was simply not worth the time it took to watch it.

I, myself, will seek a film with plot, substance and creativity that is worth my time and expense of life energy.

How this movie is earning a 4.9 I'll never know. It is boring and dull enough to where settings, recording quality and such really don't matter.

We were attracted to this movie because of the cast. Bob Hoskins, David O'Hara, Stephen Dorkk, and Ian Hart were all recognizable. However nothing ever feels like it melds, nothing really paces and all the characters just come across as uncomfortable. Except perhaps for O'Hara, he seems to have a good grasp on his role, and can be excused for perhaps turning in a lackluster effort...after all, it is very difficult to not be affected by having to share scenes with Dorkk.

So while there is no sign of Uwe Bohl directing (not nearly enough copious amounts of blood) nor any appearance of Wings Hauser (who probably would have fit well), this movie still sucks. Don't waste your time or money on it.

I had such a joy, watching this movie, because there is possible to make great movies, without big budgets, Stephen Dorff plays well and Bob Hoskins has a really great role as the Russian godfather,the movie is very authentic and deals with matters such as trafficing of refugees, who is to be prostitutes against their will, of course. There are moments of very strong violence, think what you can accomplish with a pool cue. The scenery and photography is used very well. This one earns to be remembered.

I gave it 9/10 IMDB rating system

American B-movie favorite Steve Dorf plays a Hungarian-American FBI agent working undercover as a henchman to a Russian mob boss (a very fat Bob Hoskins) living in Budapest. The movie consists largely of Dorf and others tooling around Budapest, with several time outs so that Dorf can reassure Hoskins, who never leaves his study presumably because of his great girth, that he is not wearing a wire. The movie was shot on the cheap in Hungary, and like all such productions employs the typical mix of American, British and local actors. It is truly terrible. You will be kept waiting in vain for something to happen. This one of those films that depends on the actors to work without benefit of real direction. Even the best actor cannot work without a decent director. Just watch Hoskins stumble around throughout this.