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The Lockdown

The Lockdown

2024117 minRMidcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
Director
Ryan C Jaeger
Starring
Caity Lotz, Leo Howard, Hon Ping Tang, Michael Biehn

Siblings Charlie and Jack are trapped in Myanmar's toughest prison and accused of a crime they didn't commit. Forced into televised fights against other inmates, they must work together and fight for their freedom.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Lockdown?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Lockdown to rent or buy on Apple TV, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Lockdown?

The Lockdown earns 1 badge: Overhyped.

Reception

Is The Lockdown worth watching?

The Lockdown's Midcredits score is the 17th percentile of all films, from 1.3K ratings across 4 sources. 23% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

17th percentile

Better received than 17% of films

28th percentile among Action18th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)25th
Approval (how many liked it)12th

54 /100

25th percentile of all films

40th percentile among Action28th percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

Ratings scatter across the whole scale — one of the most divisive reactions in the catalog.

Approval

How many liked it

23% liked it

12th percentile of all films

22nd percentile among Action14th percentile among 2020s
23% rated it 7–1077% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

75th percentile

1.3K ratings across platforms

61st percentile among Action74th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 16% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film has solid fight choreography but is weighed down by a slow pace and underdeveloped story.

Fans praised

  • decent fight choreography with solid contact
  • strong lead performances from Caity Lotz and Leo Howard
  • well-executed low-light fight scenes

Detractors panned

  • unconvincing female protagonist fighting larger men
  • excessive runtime spent on backstory rather than action
  • poor script and character development leading to low engagement

What stands out

Effects and spectacle50

decent but unremarkable fight choreography

ActingDivisive45

variable quality: known actors solid, others weak

Plot and story30

derivative prison-fight premise, meandering

Emotional impact30

sibling bond underdeveloped, lacks catharsis

Ending30

rushed final act undermines stakes

Characters25

thinly written, hard to care about

Pacing25

too much filler, slow before fights

Originality20

derivative of Undisputed and similar films

Watch experience

What is The Lockdown like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

No single mood: browse every movie of this kindNo one kind of watch fits it, so it is described by how heavy it is.

Watch this when you want something serious and affecting.

It takes its time and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Moods
TenseThrillingDread
Heaviest: middle
Register
Brutal · 7% of filmsBrooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its prison death-match premise straight with a serious, grim tone.
The rideReviews indicate the film is slow-paced with intermittent fight scenes, creating a tense and thrilling mood that peaks during the middle fight sequences.
StructureThe story follows a conventional linear narrative as the siblings fight their way through a tournament.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's grim setting and survival struggle leave a bittersweet but somewhat forgettable impression.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% (this title) · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Institutional injustice: A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA brother and sister wrongly imprisoned in Myanmar's toughest prison are forced into televised death matches to survive and earn their freedom.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsSurvivalJustice · 13% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeAt its heart, the film centers on the sibling bond between Charlie and Jack as they fight to survive an unjust imprisonment.
StanceThe film centers on two siblings fighting for survival and each other, with intimate stakes and a stance that celebrates their bond and resilience.

The world

ContemporaryInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Ray Angry
SettingMyanmar's toughest prison where inmates fight in televised Muay Thai tournaments
MusicThe score likely underscores the fight sequences and tense prison atmosphere.

Content guide

Is The Lockdown okay for kids?

R

The Lockdown is rated R.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • UK15
  • PRR
  • RO15
  • VIR

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does The Lockdown have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Lockdown?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Caity Lotz
as Charlie Hightower
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Leo Howard
as Jack Hightower
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Hon Ping Tang
as Warden Cetan
Michael Biehn
as Max Hightower
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Joseph Angelo
as Kukrit
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Drew Connick
as Simon Powers
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Kelly B. Jones
as Uma
Jennifer Blanc-Biehn
as Liz
Ron Weaver
as Wells
Achira Detter
as Satra

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Lockdown?

Movies like The Lockdown include The Raid: Redemption (2011), Jigra (2024) and Kill Zone 2 (2015). Two are stories about siblings; two are martial-arts films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Lockdown?

335 other films share the rarest tag below, premise: death game. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.