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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rocky for Zen Enthusiasts, 18 July 2008
The best thing to do is not to read any reviews for this film, go into it blind and you will be richly rewarded.
So, in effect, stop reading now!!!!
Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Mike Terry, a ju-jitsu instructor in a struggling martial arts practice, where a turn of events occurs that tumbles him into whole new situations, both good, bad and tragic.
Whatever the world throws at him, Mike tries to do the honourable thing, an ancient notion, sometimes at odds with the modern money chasing world.
I was very pleasantly surprised by Redbelt, the many twists and turns are rarely telegraphed as per much of the current hollywood fare, the soundtrack too doesn't give the game away with bombast and fanfare either, leaving the actual acting and story to do the storytelling on it's own for once.
Chiwetel, is ably supported thru this movie by Tim Allen, playing it straight, Emily Mortimer, Alice Braga, and a host of lesser known, but very able actors.
I won't give the game away, just see this film and enjoy the ride.
Honour is restored.
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Highly under-rated film!, 21 April 2009
This is one of those films that flies under the radar and I only stumbled upon it by chance. Great ensemble cast with an endearing good guy that's so-nice-it-hurts at the centre of it all!
The film revolves around a down-to-earth, kind-hearted jiu jitsu teacher who owns an unprofitable training academy. We follow him as he encounters various problems...
It's best not to know TOO much about the film because it will surprise you with its twists and reveals. Themes explored include honour, corruption, courage, truth and moral responsibility. It does seem on the face of it to be a film for the boys but it's really not - there's certainly action but really it's a quiet cerebral kind of film filled with dialogue, drama and moral sentiment. There's a tiny echo of 'Rocky' and elements of 'The Karate Kid' and even 'The Last Samurai' but I think mostly you'll love this film if you've enjoyed something like 'The Air I Breathe'
There are some enjoyable cast & crew interviews on the DVD and you are also provided with an interesting film commentary and a documentary covering the background of jiu jitsu - it's also nice to see that the Director is so passionate about the sport. I'm in my mid-twenties and female and I was amazed with this film - it's entertaining and unexpected! Definitely worth watching!
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Mametspeak And Martial Arts = Total Bust, 15 July 2009
A martial arts instructor(Chiwetel Ejiofor)whose strict code of honour prohibits him from competition fighting gets sucked into a world of movie stars(Tim Allen) and crooked producers(Joe Mantegna,Ricky Jay)and he is not helped by his ambitious wife(Alice Braga).
The first half hour passes agreeably enough but then the whole thing crashes in on itself - plot loopholes you could drive a fleet of buses through,characters disappear without trace not helped by an edit that is nothing short of laughable.Just before the climactic fight,I'm sure I saw the wife as a between the rounds card girl - which makes no sense much like the rest of Redbelt.
A first rate cast is wasted and Redbelt is promoted as part of Sony's Fight Factory series and there is very little fighting.
Redbelt is not an under-rated film - just undernourished in about every department and contrived beyond belief.
For a man with Mamet's track record,this is unforgiveably bad.
Avoid.
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