1 of 4 | Michael Jai White attended the Big Bad Film Festival in Los Angeles on Saturday. Photo by Fred Topel/UPI
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 23 (UPI) — Michael Jai White celebrated the 20th anniversary of Undisputed II: Last Man Standing at the Big Bad Film Festival on Saturday. He still remembers behind-the-scenes pressure to deliver martial arts kicks in the sequel.
White played George “Iceman” Chambers, the character Ving Rhames played in the 2002 Undisputed about two incarcerated boxers. In the sequel, Iceman is framed so he can be imprisoned with MMA fighter Yuri Boyka (Scott Adkins).
In an interview with UPI, White said he insisted that Iceman remain a boxer. White, 58, is a martial artist in films like Black Dynamite, Blood and Bone and As Good as Dead, but said it would have hurt the story to make Iceman a martial artist.
“I finally convinced them to make me just a boxer so I had a hill to climb having to learn to overcome this devastating MMA fighter,” White said. “Their idea was they wanted me to be like the late Howard Jackson who was a professional boxer and a professional kickboxer.”
Boyka kicks, flips and grapples with Iceman. Iceman only humbles himself to learn grappling for their rematch, but still doesn’t kick his foot in Undisputed II.
“I throw a knee but my character doesn’t kick,” White said. “I really tried to stick to being a believable boxer who learned some grappling to win.”
Fight choreographer J.J. Perry also attended the screening. He told UPI he supported White’s decision, and the film reflects all the martial artists in front of and behind the camera, including director Isaac Florentine.
“Beuase Mike is so good at boxing, it’s easy,” Perry, 58, said. “Undisputed II was made by martial arts filmmakers. All of us are lifelong martial artists.”
Adkins would continue to play Boyka in Undisputed III: Redemption and Boyka: Undisputed. He and White both have thrived in action movies for the video market where they also have creative freedom.
“I work really well with Isaac Florentine,” White said. “He allowed me to work on the script. I really wanted to create a story that would really resonate with everyone.”
Undisputed II filmed in Bulgaria’s Vrasta Prison. White said filming conditions were pleasant, but the cold depicted in the film was real.
In one scene, guards chain Iceman outside in the snow. Filming those scenes took longer because of the snow.
“I had to be stuck there for them to erase all the footprints of the crew from the snow,” White said. “Then we had to do the crane shot over and over until it was right. I was literally freezing. That wasn’t acting.”
Perry has one regret about Undisputed II. He would like to redo a fight in the prison’s septic system.
“I would have put a couple of deadmans in there,” Perry said, explaining the stunt term. “You put somebody on a wire that’s tied to a hard point. When they’re running at you, you hit them and it’s a hard stop. It’s almost unnatural.”
White will next be seen in Why Did I Get Married Again? reprising his role in the Tyler Perry series.
“I do equal parts action and drama and comedies,” White said.
He has also completed As Good As Dead 2, once again writing and starring. White was most excited to praise his returning co-star.
“Tom Berenger does an amazing performance in this one,” White said. “It’s something I’m very proud of.”
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