Wanna Fight? Fight Me! (Redbelt (Blu-ray))

Member Name: samueltyler

Product:	Redbelt (Blu-ray)
Date:	22/10/09 (50 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karate Kid for adults

Disadvantages: Not as wise as it thinks

In my youth I suffered from a condition that plagues many children today - a chronic lack of attention span. Over the first 12 years of my life I must have joined and left over 10 different societies from Cub Scouts, fencing, badminton, rugby, football, swimming and others. I went for a few weeks then grew bored when I realised that I would never be as good as the other people so why bother? One activity that did last for a while was Karate. I liked the physicality of it and as an aggressive youth I could burn off some energy. However, like with all things I eventually grew bored as I waited to be allowed to take the next belt exam; I knew all the moves, but had not perfected the attitude. Imagine what I would be now 15 years later - a kung fu, ninja warrior, kick arse black belt! Perhaps it was this over enthusiasm that meant I never got the chance ...

Mike Terry is a Jujitsu specialist who believes in a pure form of the art and does not believe in competing against others. He runs a small school that teaches those that wish to learn and those that need self defence. When visiting a bar Mike protects Chet Frank a top movie star and finds himself a producer of a new film. Can things get any better when he is given the gift of an expensive watch? Turns out that the watch is not legitimate and when Mike hands it to a cop friend to pay off a debt the cop is suspended. Now Mike feels responsible for the cop and his family and when tragedy strikes he finds himself having to enter a new martial arts competition to earn some money. Can Mike keep his honour whilst fighting is a contest?

Actor Chiwetel Ejiofor and director David Mamet are not two names that you would associate with a martial arts film and it is for this reason that 'Redbelt' is so interesting. Ejiofor is currently one of my favourite actors and I will watch most things he is in as I know that he will provide a good performance and that he usually chooses interesting work. Mamet is known as an actor's director who specialises in films based on his own scripts or plays. Despite having a high brow director and lead actor the film has a much in common with 'The Karate Kid' as any other film. Mamet has created an adult version of 'The Karate Kid' by slowing the pace and adding some more mature themes, but when it comes down to it the structure of the film is very similar.

Does it work? To an extent as the film was entertaining. However, any sense of grandeur that Mamet is trying to add to the genre is lost in a fun, but predictable, tale. Ejiofor is as always excellent and really personifies a sense of honour and inner strength. The rest of the cast are also adequate and give the first half of the film an indie kitchen sink feel. This feel changes when the competition starts. Mamet tackles the ideas of honour and betrayal well, but overall it is just another film where the hero has to fight the bad guy.

As a writer director Mamet has to balance story with direction. To me the film was better shot than it was written. The film looks good, especially on the BluRay version. This is a drama and there is no need for over the top camera angles, Mamet does a good job of using the camera to tell his limited story. Later in the film the fighting starts to take precedence and the shots from within the arena are also excellent. A mix of hand held feel and sweeping dolly shots means that the fighting is kinetic and exciting.

In a strange was I feel that 'Redbelt' could have been a slightly better film if Mamet had given the writing or direction duties to someone else. With more time he could have polished the script to make it more than a high brow 'Rocky', and gotten an action specialist in to direct. Or he could have allowed someone to correct the script flaws for him and allow himself more time to enhance the direction of the film. Overall, 'Redbelt' fails to be a classic and is not the adult and sage film is wants to be. Instead it is an interesting film that captures the spirit of the little man does good genre and populates it with better actors. Probably most suitable for fight fans who also like intelligent movies (not a huge demographic I imagine : )


Director: Michael Mamet
Year: 2008
Cert: 15
Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor et al.
Price: Amazon uk £11.48 (BluRay)
Play.com £17.99 (BluRay)


Extras

There was a making of documentary on the disc that was interesting in telling you why someone like Mamet is a fan of the martial arts. As mentioned in the text the transfer is an excellent one and the HD does enhance the film (although DVD is acceptable for most dramas).

Summary: Action and intelligence that just about works