Peter Segal does score one in my book paying true homage to the original film in only he could, through direction that is extremely faithful to the style from the first. Segal really manages to depict much of the style from the first film including the constant split and scrolling screens that heighten the action on the football field. What the original
film has over this remake is everything in terms of quality, but the remake scores a point by the director for paying respect to the original by mimicking the style. And while it is a remake, it's about eighty percent faithful to the original with scenes that are taken right out of the original, including the scene where the football player's nose is purposely broken, and Terry snaps it back in to place. Also, while it's a shame Eddie Albert died during filming, Ed Lauter has a very subtle cameo here. Lauter was originally the abusive and sadistic guard who took pleasure in beating Reynolds' character on a regular bases. William Fichtner, I'm glad to say, is just as threatening as Ed Lauter was. I don't attribute it to the writing, I attribute it to the talented Fichtner who takes a potentially one-dimensional villain and helps improve him as a real menace.

There's that old adage, that shit, no matter how much you polish it, is still shit in the end, and this newest unnecessary, unneeded, un-requested remake is shit in spite of how much its polished. You got to give it to MTV, they have every single market covered here. For the old folks, Burt Reynolds, for the rap fans, Nelly, for the stockholders, product placements, for the film snobs, James Cromwell and William Fichtner, for the sports fans, wrestling and football stars, and the list goes on. They really know how to play the field there. But in the end, Sandler is no Burt Reynolds, Sandler turns Reynolds' fed up angry ex-athlete in to a modest buffoon. If you can believe Sandler was a tough MVP quarterback for a football team, then the rumors were true, Sandler's fans really aren't that bright.

Sandler is as believable a quarterback as Rock would be, but thankfully he does nothing much but talk a lot and stand around for the sole purpose of reminding us they were once on SNL. Rock's character is just there to spout his usual comedy routines for the sole purpose of--well--because he can. When you have to add a character for comic relief in a comedy, well, then you really have problems. Many of the jokes here fall flat on their ass with gags that range from weird, to unnecessary, to just plain curious, and for no particular reason, there are the additions of gay characters that are just running gags, and nothing else.

What was once a hardcore, violent, and gritty sports/jail film is recycled in to this watered down dribble. With the original film the prison the original character was taken in to had menace, it was frightening and mean and he had to take these psychos and attempt to turn them in to football players without having them kill him. But here, they're all just relatively harmless and mischievous. One major faux pas that could have kept this film from going to the dumps had it been done right, was turning the warden of the jail from a sinister and sadistic tool ala Eddie Albert to an inept and often sour James Cromwell. It's sad how nothing here is achieved throughout the haze of talent, and rapid fire dialogue. The film ends on a bad after taste, and it's instantly forgotten.

Yep, you know it's coming, it's only a matter of time, here it comes, shield your eyes: The original is much, much better. Yes, take an original and fun piece of sports filmmaking and turn it in to a homogenized, bland, and boring mess of a vehicle. In spite of competent directing, the jokes fall flat, the gags are tired, Rob Schneider has a criminally unfunny cameo, and talent is wasted.

• Terry Crews stars alongside Chris Rock here, he also stars in Chris Rock's series "Everybody Hates Chris" as his father.
• For the wrestling fans, Bill Goldberg, Kevin Nash, and Stone Cold appear here.
• Rob Schneider is hilarious. There, I said it, can you disappear from film now, Rob?

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