Tatum and Howard in "Fighting"

[TNC9852002]

Release Date: April 24, 2009
Studio: Rogue Pictures
Director: Dito Montiel
Screenwriter: Dito Montiel, Robert Munich
Starring: Channing Tatum, Terrence Howard, Brian White, Luis Guzman, Zulay Henao
Genre: Drama
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for intense fight sequences, a sex scene and brief strong language)
Official Website: Fightingmovie.net
Review: 5.5/10 rating
DVD Review: Not Available
DVD: Not Available
Movie Poster: View here
Production Stills: View here
Plot Summary: Small-town boy Shawn MacArthur (Channing Tatum) has come to New York City with nothing. Barely earning a living selling counterfeit goods on the streets, his luck changes when scam artist Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard) sees that he has a natural talent for streetfighting. When Harvey offers Shawn help at making the real cash, the two form an uneasy partnership.

As Shawn's manager, Harvey introduces him to the corrupt bare-knuckle circuit, where rich men bet on disposable pawns. Almost overnight, he becomes a star brawler, taking down professional boxers, mixed martial arts champs and ultimate fighters in a series of staggeringly intense bouts. But if Shawn ever hopes to escape the dark world in which he's found himself, he must now face the toughest fight of his life.

I just saw this movie today and at first, I thought it was one of the worst movies I've seen this year among Dragonball Evolution and Street Fighter.

Then, as the movie sank in, I realized that this movie is meant to be a sort of callback to the 70's blaxpoitation, reminiscent to the Rocky films. Then, as the movie sank in some more, I realize that the movie is actually pretty decent at what it does.

But sadly, there's hardly any fighting at all, which may disappoint a lot of people. The writing and the script seems thrown completely thrown together and sloppy, but within that, there's a naturalistic style and tone to the movie where it feels like the actors appear less like they always bored and have no charisma, but more like real people or actors completely adlibbing in their roles.

But even with that, the are still some cringeworthy dialogue in this movie, but then it goes back to creating that blaxpoitation sort of feel to it. Couple that in with awkward film pacing and its cheesy plot twists, you'll realize that it's a movie trying to be so real and natural, but at the same time, not take itself too seriously. Using that, along with its so-so story and this uneven balance in tone presents a movie that just isn't worth 'fighting' for. It's saved by the eye-catching presence and likable character presented by Terrence Howard, but I feel that for a movie called "Fighting", it should've done a better job at marketing it for what it truly was.`

I give it a 6/10.

 

[TNC9852002]

Opened at #3 with $11,441,000 this weekend, just behind...17 Again!