K-11 (2013)

Pretty Good

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

I like the concept of how it was done and the story. Though, some scenes felt like that it was plain acting, it could have been done better or just more convincing? The Character's personality seemed inconstant at times too but I like their base character. Especially the person who played Butterfly (though I'm sad for her story...)!Also I was sure that Mousey had large junk in the shower scene, what happened to it?! (Even if she hides it, there has to be something if she wears a thong right?!) Also, that Blonde targeted Ray and then she just stopped?! Ray was so miserable with killing someone and then he is a bad ass in the end with a gangster driver?! (Or was he just sad that he killed a friend? I wish it was explained!) Plot holes people! I wish they had a time skip explaining how the person Ray killed died, if he got revenge on his ex-, or if he got Butterfly out and is caring her.Overall I enjoyed it.

I'm no film critic, a media student yes, but I've never written a review before, to be honest I've never needed to. Usually every film I come across can be expected to have hundreds of reviews by users on IMDb, most far better than any I could ever write. Disappointed by the lack I found when reading up on K-11, I decided it was time to watch the film, and share my experience. I had the usual expectations going into this film in terms of the prison film genre. It's set in a prison, there will be violence, drugs and rape. There will be top dogs, underdogs, minions, and those just trying to survive. What I wasn't expecting from the directional debut of Jules Stewart was such a captivating story. The interesting scenario our main character Raymond Saxx finds himself in, the characters that surround him and the interesting dynamic of K-11 make for a sometimes difficult but ultimately rewarding experience. I found it an important tale to tell, unlike most films out there. It had thought and meaning behind it, and the actors truly brought the film to life. Would I recommend those of you curious about this film to watch it? That's a definite yes.

Someone likely had a good idea in planning this film: place a straight man in a prison cell area reserved for homosexuals and all variations of gender role playing. That concept could prove interesting as an exploration of 'community' among the 'unwanted' of detainees. But as written by Jared Kurt and Jules Stewart and especially as directed by Jules Stewart the film loses all semblance of originality, for one reason - because it casts women in the roles of transsexuals and transvestites so as not to offend the actors or the audience with same sex variations.But that is only one reason this film sinks. The script is tepid to poor, a story is practically nonexistent, and the characters are tropes played by actors who seem embarrassed by what they are asked to do. What little story there is can be summarized as follows: a wealthy but drug addicted and alcoholic record produced named Raymond Saxx (Goran Visnjic, one of our stronger actors usually) passes out, is arrested for homicide, and thrown into LA County Jail in a unit reserved for Homosexuals and sexual deviants K-11. From there it is a power struggle run by transvestite Mousey (the first female - Kate del Castillo - cast as a male and it doesn't work). Cocaine and other drugs are readily available through the corruption of Ben (Jason Mewes) who works in the office of the deputy Sgt. Johnson (DB Sweeney) who is likewise drug addled and preys on the inmates for sexual favors. Bad things happen, such as the murder of child molester Detroit (Tommy 'Tiny' Lister) by transsexual Butterfly (Portia Doubleday) and Raymond finally comes out of his cloudy drug abused head and figures a way out of this very odd confinement, but not without a series of meaningless circumstances that serve only to point out the depravity of the inmates.Yes, it is that bad. Try as you may to find a saving grace to this film is without success. Perhaps if the writers and director had had the courage to use an all male cast instead of putting female actors in the roles of men who are range from simply nelly to butch to surgically transformed (in various stages) into transsexuals the film may have had a reason for being made. As it is, it is an embarrassment for Goran Visnjic, and DB Sweeney and the rest of the actors who for some reason signed on to this poorly conceived and made project. Grady Harp

I will write a review but what we have here is an amazingly American "pile on" by the press. What I realize after having seen K-11 is that virtually none of the critics who gave this film zero stars even saw it. If you see the term "CAMP" or "EXPLOITATION" or here them claiming "it couldn't decide what it was" you know that those critic's wrote a review on the trailer and not the film. This film has one problem only to them , Jules Stewart is Kristen Stewart's Mom . They cant get to Kristen so they attack Jules. They attack her even after Kristen was intentionally NOT cast in K-11 http://gawker.com/5990662/kristen-stewarts-mom-wanted- her-to-play-a-character-thats-raped-repeatedly. Interviewers will start asking about the film and then turn to Kristen , helpless in their own lack of imagination and drawn finally to a personality that blinds them to everything around them. Years from now when Kristen is no longer a young star people will re-examine this film. Kristen is not even in this film , intentionally. The press lie, that is what they do. K-11 is a straight film, not exploitation or camp. Portia Doubleday ,Goran Visnjic , DB Sweeny and most of all, Kate del Castillo, are brilliant. So what has the critics babbling ? They can't put it in a box. They use the term "its like " because they need something to compare it to. Its a great little film that you should compare to every great directors first films because it is vastly superior to Canmeron's "Piranha Part Two: The Spawning" ! Its an incredibly good first film. Making a film of this kind for a first time director is virtually impossible because everyone "knows better". Jules stuck to her guns, finally taking the film back from her first editor and recutting it to the original script. The films most memorable quote "Bad things happen to bad people" . If that were true a few critics here would spontaneously burst into flame. This is a great little film that stands on its own and the cast and crew did a terrific job.