You wouldn't expect a lunkheaded beat 'em up starring hulking wrestler Steve Austin to go for the heart, but this virtual remake of the Van Damme vehicle A.W.O.L. (aka LIONHEART) is all feeling. Austin plays a guy fresh out of prison who finds himself engaging in a brutal gambling ring where he battles opponents to the death. His motive? To pay for an operation for an ailing girl.For the most part, the film is all about the violence, featuring a string of well-choreographed and exciting bouts between Austin and various, even more fearsome fighters. Such bouts are satisfyingly hard-hitting and unflinching, and Austin holds his own against even the toughest brawlers.What surprises is that the story outside of the violence is also engaging, with Austin delivering a realistic turn as a guy forced down a dark path in his bid to do good, and some heartfelt emotion dished out along the way with it. It's no classic, for sure, but it ably does what it sets out to do, which is entertain.

I watched the trailer for this movie and had high expectations going into this movie.... being a fan of stone cold in his wrestling days I thought I would enjoy this action movie... I was wrong. This movie doesn't know if it wants to be a drama or an action movie. The actions scenes are repetitive and theirs too much talk in between the fight scenes. If you like steve austin kickin a$$ than I recommend another B action movie and that is "hunt to kill". At least that movie knows what it wants to be.However I did buy this movie for $1 at a local movie store that was closing down, so for that much it's worth it. overall I give it a 4/10.

this is not just another brainless action movie.not that there's anything wrong with that.there's actually a story here,and a good one. there are some tender sensitive moments in which Steve Austin shows he has some real acting ability.yes there are some brutal fighting sequences,but that is not the core of the story.the core of the story is about doing the right thing,about morality,forgiveness and redemption.and that's what moves the film along.the dramatic scenes work very well here.partial credit must go to the cast,not just Austin but the supporting players as well.Walton Goggins and Laura Vandervoort are very good as well.for me,Damage is a 6/10

Why Excellent? Matrix-level (but very different) action movie. A rough, "theoretically sophisticated" action movie with an amazingly clear ethical and metaphysical dimension. On the action movie: conforming to Yin-Yang principles, use of Chin Na in a symbolic place, fighters with specific styles, brilliant reverberation of the first fight, and all this in rough, bloody street-fight, with sheer determinations and blocks of energy testing each other, at a point brilliantly nodding to Rodrigez. And all this in an amazingly clear ethical setting. Imagine that there is a man, who could be any of us. We could be this man if we believe that we have committed anything wrong. And he is forgiven. This is where the film starts. And the film is about the effects of doing everything morally correctly and responsibly. As a catalyst or alchemical amalgam this person doing the right cuts through a world not by destroying it but by forcing everyone else (i.e. all the non-fighters) to do morally right decisions. He is teaching all, like Jesus. Silently, without a word. And at the same time with all fighters he behaves as perfect gentleman - or warrior, always yielding a little, letting them show how far they go, and then adjusting the "teaching" load. Perfect for both East and West. For both believers and atheists. This amazing clarity is also true in my opinion of the filming style, and smooth transitions between levels of narrative and layers of the human psyche. The most mature action movie I have ever seen. Danny the Dog and Ong Bak Enlightened, in a guy heavier than the two of them together.