After a three-year hiatus from the bigscreen, Sylvester Stallone is back--with a very big chip on his shoulder. When Jack Carter (Stallone) gets word that his younger brother has died under questionable circumstances, he takes an unscheduled leave of absence from work. This task would be easy for a regular employee, but Carter is a financial adjuster for a Las Vegas hood, a job in which if you don't take care of the business, the business will take care of you. Patience not being his best attribute, Carter ignores the warning from his partner (John C. McGinley) about not leaving town and heads home to conduct a mini investigation.

   At the funeral, Carter interrogates the guests and slowly pieces together events and encounters. The outcome has false allegations becoming factual accusations. Everyone involved wants the big brother gone, but with his findings, Carter's only option is to escalate matters and take things to the next level.

   This remake of the 1971 classic, in which Michael Caine (who here co-stars) played the lead, is one big testosterone-pumping thrill ride only stopping long enough to dump the corpses. As soon as the local scum start messing with members of Carter's family, the audience knows that it's just a matter of time before they will be dealt with. Stallone looks great in his suits, but it's not until he exposes his bulging, tattooed biceps that he cements in the viewers' minds that he is capable of doing some major damage. The confrontation with Mickey Rourke's character is especially taut since both are pumped up and look like they could inflict major damage to each other. With other shady characters, Carter is downright mean, and the more ruthless he becomes, the more the audience cheers. The fast-cutting visuals may seem a bit much at times, but they add a violent flare to a violent film.    Starring Sylvester Stallone, Rachael Leigh Cook, Mickey Rourke, Michael Caine and John C. McGinley. Directed by Stephen T. Kay. Written by David McKenna. Produced by Mark Canton, Neil Canton, Kevin King and Elie Samaha. A Warner Bros. release. Drama/Thriller. Rated R for violence, language, some sexuality and drug content. Running time: 103 min.