if you make a genre flick in the late 80 and you basically have a 50/50 chance it would either be set underwater or in a prison ( sadly and we never get an underwater prison flick ) . frame for murder by mafia bos moretti ( anthony franciosa ) and derek keillor ( dennis cole ) end up on death row and right alongside the mob bos brother frankie ( frank sarcinello jr. ) . but this be the least of derek problem a rogue government agent ( and mob stoolie ) col. burgess ( john saxon and who also direct ) be use the prison a a testing ground for a new supervirus . this be the only flick saxon direct during his storied career . for a guy who have work with ton of director and it appear the only one he pick up any tip from be the cheap o italian one . sure and it be low budget and but that can not excuse the stilted staging and shoot gaffe and or clumsy exposition in the first 15 minute . to his credit and saxon do make it slightly gory and he work in a hilarious nude scene ( our lead fall asleep during a prison riot only to fantasize about a female scientist ) . cole and who look like a more rugged jan michael vincent and be decent a the stoic lead and franciosa sport a really bad rug give it his all a the cliché mob bos . the end take place at marty mckee favorite location and bronson canyon . retromedia release this on dvd a zombie death house .