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The Condemned

Vivid Entertainment

Genre: Feature

Director: B. Skow

Cast: Nikki Jayne, Ben English, Kimberly Kane, Anthony Rosano, Faye Reagan, James Deen, Vanessa Leon, Mr. Marcus, Krissy Lynn, Mr. Pete, Kagney Linn Karter, Tory Lane, Marco Banderas, Billy Glide, Jerry, Meggan Mallone, Randy Spears
Non-sex roles: Heidi Mayne, Rachel Frank, Karlie Montana, Alyssa Reece, Sky Ryder, Celeste Star, Catherine Taylor, Charlie Laine, Melissa Jacobs, Louisa Lanewood, Mark McQuarrie, Jasper Night, Darth Franklin, Cherri Trie, Sterling Silver, Jake, Richie Bagadonuts, Demi Noor, Mark Meadows, Linzie Dee

Length: 233:32 minutes (118:23 minutes & 115:09 minutes)

Nikki Jayne with Ben English

Date of Production: 8/21/2009

Extras: The first disc offered up two bonus scenes from The Nikki Jayne Experiment, the first lasting 53:10 minutes where Nikki Jayne and Mick Blue had a lot of fun and the second was only the warm up portion of another scene, this one starring Nikki Jayne and Meggan Mallone in a bathtub that lasted 10:51 minutes. There were also some trailers and spam, the rest of the extras spread out on the second disc with the rest of the movie. The second disc had some fun too, the usual trailers, spam, and photogallery being supplemented by a very well made 42:52 minute long Behind the Scenes feature. The BTS gave the cast and crew a chance to talk about the movie, even usually camera shy Skow stepping up to discuss matters at times. It added value and replayability to me, enhancing the already solid package of extras.

Condoms: None

Kimberly Kane with Anthony Rosano

Audio/Video Quality: The Condemned was presented in a 1.78:1 ratio anamorphic widescreen color it was shot in by director B. Skow for Vivid Entertainment using the standard definition MPEG-2 codec in 480 resolution for this DVD. The flick was shot in 1080i/60 high definition awhile back, though presented in the SD format in a short feature playing off his skills best. The lighting was well handled and this added to the pleasure of watching the gals in play as the lengthy scenes gave them enough freedom to explore their sexuality. The composition of the camera angles was almost always optimal this time, Skow seeing fit to try and enhance the look of the ladies at every turn as possible, the minor grain not bothering me nearly as much as it could have in less capable hands. The fleshtones were accurate too and the DVD mastering was well done (the bitrate hovering around 4.2 Mbps), even if the lighting was off at times (the company watermark will be bothersome to some out there but only some given its location). At times there appeared to be multiple cameras used on some scenes, the resulting footage looking matched up and nicely edited (by Fletcher Martin) compared to some of the competition but some may fuss about the company watermark on the lower right corner of the screen. The audio was presented in a 2.0 Dolby Digital English (in 256 Kbps with a 48 kHz sampling rate) offering with the vocals sounding good and the music pretty decent. The aural qualities of the movie appeared to offer some separation and increased dynamic range, the vocals easily heard in most cases and mixed in with the ambient noises as well as music much better than usual. As a team effort, this was one of the best feature releases to date regarding technical matters using a host of challenging settings, even the audio standing well above the pack in most cases; certainly a rarity these days.

Faye Reagan with James Deen

Body of Review: B. Skow has undeniably brought gonzo-styled sex to Vivid Entertainment on a scale that many thought was impossible, the resulting encounters a far cry from the Vivid of yesteryear. As predicted last year by the team of Xcritic observers, this helped make the company better than ever and the resulting movies have shown a lot of improvement as the longer scenes have been integrated into numerous titles. The latest is the yearly blockbuster release poised for awards, a compelling double disc release called The Condemned, a showcase for former contract hotty Nikki Jayne where she stars in about half of the nine new scenes the movie provides (she is also featured in the two bonus scenes). While the sex includes all sorts of heated trysts that are sure to win over the raincoater crowd, the story was dark enough and well handled enough that it added a new dimension to the entertainment value, the movie being billed as Skow's "First Big Event Feature" in response to media inquiries. Though it has some rough edges, it was enjoyable and the type of high quality movie I've come to associate with Vivid when they are focused, hopefully this is a sign of things to come as well. The company website described the movie like this: "Vengeance is a bitch. Jesse is a fighter who is kidnapped and taken to an abandoned building where she is indoctrinated into a group of female vigilantes who exact a brutal justice on men who commit crimes against women and get away with it. Jesse is reluctant to join them, but eventually she sees the wisdom in their ways...until the day their next victim is Jesse's last love. And then Jesse must make the ultimate choice...between love and lust, and crime and punishment. B. Skow has created a masterwork that has been labeled a "modern classic." With no less than 11 sex scenes, four anals, a DP, and two of the hottest Vivid girls to ever grace an adult camera. If you see only one movie this year, make it The Condemned, B. Skow's redefining of the Vivid Big Event." Here's a brief look at the scenes by cast and action, noting that no condoms were used for those still interested:

Vanessa Leon with Mr. Marcus

Scene One: Nikki Jayne, the beautiful Brit seen featured on the front cover, was up first with Ben English after her big underground fight. She kicked ass and looked great doing it, the sweaty babe wearing a tiny blue top and black booty shorts as she cleaned up in the locker room. They kissed and moved over to the couch, the gal dry humping him as he sucked on her tits, soon aggressively sucking him off before bouncing vaginally on his pecker. Nikki has long been one of the most active riders of cock in porn, her vocals expressing her appreciation for the fun she was having, her eyes sparkling as she looked up towards him during the various positions. Both did some intermittent oral on one another, moving almost seamlessly into the anal that followed though she was not as active there until she warmed up a bit. Nikki did ATM and looked even better as she sweat some more, her lean but curvy figure gleaming in the well lit location. The chemistry filled scene ended when he tossed out a wad of genetic juice to her face and tits, Nikki looking up at him as she provided some post coital head.

Kimberly Kane and Krissy Lynn with Mr. Pete

Scene Two: Kimberly Kane, the attractive redhead/brunette featured to the right of Nikki on the front cover, was up next as she had a tryst with promoter Anthony Rosano in his seedy office. His hands were all over her tits as was his mouth, Kimberly dropping down to slob his knob in a very talented manner as she looked up at him. Her energy was similar to Nikki's and added some replay value, her work for the last few years making her one of the most valuable players in all the major genres but no less successful when it comes to inhaling a cock like here. The two have worked really well in the past and continued to do so here, the streamers and eye contact making this a special BJ-only scene, Kimberly looking up at him as she sucked the population pudding straight out of his balls into her mouth for swallowing.

Kagney Linn Karter and Tory Lane

Scene Three: Faye Reagan, a redhead with more freckles than you can shake a dick at, was up next as she was examined by James Deen in a medical setting, her blue gown offering scant resistance to his probing hands and tongue. He was thorough and sucked her toes, spending some time on her tits before eating her ass. Faye then knelt down to blow him enthusiastically, spitting on his rod and jerking him off as she serviced him aggressively. He fucked her face before moving to some active vaginal positions, Faye not in the same league as Kim or Nikki but adding an appealing dynamic all her own for fans to enjoy. Her tits flopped around and there was some taste testing, the gal kicking in at times to really impale herself soundly as she worked his cock over. The scene showed some chemistry too and ended when he beat off a load of spunk to her crotch, the story pulling Nikki into the scene a little as she watched what was going on.

Nikki Jayne and Faye Reagan

Scene Four: Vanessa Leon, a curvy gal with nice DSL's was up next, Mr. Marcus pawing her as he bent her over the stair railing. He snacked on her crack briefly and they kissed passionately (as if an item), his hands freely roaming around her body to get her snatch moist. He then tore into her pussy with some athletic positions, horny Nikki masturbating in the background as she watched the tryst unfold. Vanessa blew him and they boned some more, Marcus unleashing his spunk on Vanessa's head to relieve some tension.

Nikki Jayne with Marco Banderas and Jerry

Scene Five: Krissy Lynn, Kimberly Kane, and Mr. Pete were up next in a messy file library, the ladies helping him undress before they double teamed his cock orally. Their passion for dick made this another fine scene to appreciate, Kimberly expanding on the scope of the tryst by stuffing her face in Krissy's sweet ass to rim her. Pete smacked Krissy's ass roughly and she jerked him off as he fingered her, the various permutations of oral pleasuring leading to some active riding by both women. Kimberly was up first as she truly impaled herself on his pecker, Krissy masturbating beside them but also adding her oral talents as needed before it was her turn to get some penetrative love. Pete gave some oral along the way too, Kimberly showing as much ability during her anal riding as she did when her pussy was on fire, Krissy's tight pussy augmented by Kim's tongue finally pushing Pete over the edge to launch his spew to Kim's face. Kimberly then spit it out onto Krissy's tits, the gal licking the semen off her own tits with a smile in the chemistry filled scene.

Krissy Lynn and Nikki Jayne

Scene Six: Nikki Jayne, Faye Reagan, Kagney Linn Karter, and Tory Lane, were up next in the large industrial bath, Nikki pairing off with Faye as Tory and Kagney got together. There was some serious soap suds and a lot of additional women in the background, the main action centering on Tory and Kagney but some exceptional moments by the others as well. Nikki and Faye masturbated as they watched their peers' athletic tryst, Kagney keeping up with Tory really well as they alternated eating each other out. There was a lot of slightly rough lesbian action here by those two while Nikki and Faye barely kissed and caressed, providing both sides of the lesbianism coin (as it were).

Meggan Mallone

Scene Seven: Nikki Jayne, wearing a crop top shirt pulled up to reveal her tits and ready to rumble, was up next as she sucked off Marco Banderas, Billy Glide, and Jerry, one at a time in a small, makeshift gym. She began by kneeling before Billy and blowing him while using both hands and her impressive rack, her dirty talk enhancing it for me substantially. Marco and Jerry then took over and would eat her and vaginally bone her while she reciprocated on the other, the guys bending her over a stool to allow her ass in the air for better positioning. She blew them, allowed them to drill her pussy and ass, and taste tested her own juices from both holes though the scene was not her most active. They eventually gave her a DP (double penetration), Marco busting a nut on her face while Jerry beat off to her crotch, Billy's nut inhaled much earlier in the scene before she went over to his friends (she jerked Billy off to completion with her tits).

Scene Eight: Krissy Lynn, the busty blond ringleader, was up next in a lesbian scene with Nikki Jayne, the two gals admiring each other as much as they hated their rival (each other). Nikki was the initial sexual aggressor this time, pushing her mate down to the shitty bed to warm her up, but Krissy was no slouch in that regard either. There was some titty play but each wanted to go down on the other, some rimming and fingering giving me wood as their chemistry became ever more evident. There were a lot of nice touches here, the plain setting allowing the scene to be about the sex and their relationship in the movie alone, but no toys were used here either (for me, this was a good thing).

Scene Nine: Meggan Mallone, the cute gal featured on the far left side of the front cover, was up last with Randy Spears in bed, the gal wearing her shirt and some panties as she towered over him. They kissed and he sucked her tits, Randy going down on her before some vaginal plowing took place. While she wasn't exactly an active rider in most positions, she did a good job of fucking the hairy man, some additional head punctuating the scene along the way and the ending wad of spunk going to her face without chemistry.

Bonus Scene 1: The Nikki Jayne Experiment: Nikki Jayne, the sexy blond gal featured on the front cover, was up first as she described what she intended to do in the movie, sitting in an interview chair as she flashed her chest until Skow called for her to start the scene with Mick Blue on a bed in an industrial setting. The music was a bit heavy to start but the camera loved her, Nikki teasingly revealing glimpses of her chest and other body parts in a playful manner, her hair flowing as she caressed herself. Her yellow top and matching panties did not last long either, the short skirt disposed of even faster to allow access to her goodies. She masturbated for awhile and as the music stopped, Mick came into the picture, both of them feeling each other up until he went to finger her biscuit. Nikki provided some aural stimulation as he did so, the gal dropping down to slob his knob well before she positioned herself over him to get some oral from the well liked guy. Nikki was an active cock rider too, bouncing on his rod as she impaled herself soundly, her lips glowing pink as they continued their horizontal mambo. Nikki did some intermittent oral between positions too but it was clear to me that she enjoyed fucking more than anything. Mick then ate her ass and oiled it up, stretching her perfect pucker with his finger until it was time for something much larger, Nikki wanting him to stop teasing her when she could have the real deal. While Nikki was not as active anally, it was still a decent opening scene with some ATM, Mick rubbing out a load of genetic juice to her open mouth at the end. The scene ended after the 55 minute mark of the movie too, showing a lot of footage for a company once known as skimpy in their length. Nice!

Bonus Scene 2: The Nikki Jayne Experiment: Meggan Mallone and Nikki Jayne, were up next after Nikki gave a short solo warm up on a pink couch using a vibrator. The two ladies were in a claw foot tub bathing as they explored each other in heated fashion, a lot of oral provided by both of them enhanced by some kissing and wet looking body parts. They rubbed, sucked, caressed, and fingered one another, leaner Meggan learning from the newcomer more than the reverse.

Summary: The Condemned by director B. Skow for Vivid Entertainment was a decidedly different type of drama by the director, the dramatic elements mixed in nicely with most of the sex scenes in a big budget manner new to the man. That his feature showcased one of the sexiest babes ever to grace porn, Nikki Jayne, certainly didn't hurt but at a time when most companies are cutting back, it was good to see a porn company successfully combine some admittedly well used mainstream elements and balance them so well with a wide variety of gonzo sex acts. The rough edges aside, the sex was often excellent and ending was definitely different, Skow's many touches making this a winner well worth a rating of Highly Recommended. In short, The Condemned has already received some spirited acclaim from two of the most respected sources in the industry, earning every bit of it even if it strikes me as just a small portion of what the talented director can do when properly supported. It wasn't perfect by any means but it was very well done on all levels, the perfect capper to the career of now-retired Nikki Jayne.