Fighting: It's Way Out Of ClichéWow! This one definitely surprised me. Sure, it's a B-movie, but in this case, that's an asset - - it's what sells the melodrama linking the brawls - - and it works! By God, it WORKS!!!
Fighting is just like one of those old movies you see on TCM at 3:20am. You've never even heard of it before, it's obviously a low budget production, yet it clearly shows the handiwork of a team of devoted craftsmen. Writers, cinematographers, actors, et. al....
Despite it's low rent stylings, the story managed to keep surprising me - - at least as much as jaded old cinephile like myself will permit. It really was quite fun. The aforementioned melodrama is neanderthal rudimentary and that is exactly what's needed, as you might imagine in a primitive tale such as this.
I could almost believe it was an American remake of the golden classic of this sub-genre:
Ong-Bak - - it was
that good.
I hadn't seen Channing Tatum before, but he's got the look, and of course plays loveably stupid to a tee. Luckily for him, there was some quality supporting talent in the form of the always dependable Terrence Howard, and in then also in the shapely form of Zulay Henao - - I can't wait to see more of her talents in the future.
All in all, this is a quality little film that contends way above it's weight class - -
Fighting's a winner!!!
out of