Gridiron Gang DVD Review

Photo from the movie, Gridiron Gang, starring Xzibit and The Rock.

Courtesy of Sony

The Rock and Xzibit star as probabtion officers who turn a group of teen criminals into a football team in Gridiron Gang.

Gridiron Gang - Football Felons

Gridiron Gang is a movie based on the real story of a football team from a youth detention center in Los Angeles. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson plays the role of Sean Porter, a probation officer at the juvenile prison, where he counsels hardcore teenage criminals and gang members. As a way of teaching these kids some responsibility and discipline, he teams up with another probation officer (Xzibit) and attempts to turn the cons into a football team that'll compete against other high schools. This is easier said than done since many of the kids are rival gang members who hate each other and most of them can barely spell the name of their team, the Mustangs, let alone play football.

Gridiron Gang - Can Football Make A Difference?

As Porter tries to turn his inmates into a full-fledged football team, he realizes he's a bit over his head. The head honchos at the detention camp believe the kids are beyond hope and most of the high schools in the area don't want to play football against a team of convicted killers and car thieves. Porter starts out by teaching the kids how to tackle hard and make plays on the field and they eventually realize they can all be much more than thugs and criminals. They can make a difference on the gridiron and in life as well.

Gridiron Gang DVD Features

The Gridiron Gang DVD comes packed with bonus features including commentary the writer and director, deleted scenes, cast football training footage, multi-angle football scenes, a profile of Gridiron Gang's director, Phil Joanou,, and a featurette titled The Rock Takes the Field.

Gridiron Gang - Bottom Line

Sports movies, like romantic comedies, tend to be more predictable than a loss by the Detroit Lions. Just as we know the outcast guy, who the parents hate, will end up winning the heart of the girl that's out of his league, we also know the team of misfits with troubled backgrounds will learn a lesson and triumph over insurmountable odds. Gridiron Gang is no exception - but it's still an entertaining football flick with a good message on how even the most troubled kids can be helped. The Rock is a much better wrestler than he is an actor but he still does a decent job as the coach who cooks up equal doses of tough love and understanding. Gridiron Gang isn't in the same league as other football flicks like Friday Night Lights or Remember The Titans - but it's worth watching if you're a football fan or a teen car thief who's wondering if there's more to life than ripping off your neighbor's Benz.