Pulitzer Prize winning playwright David Mamet writes and directs a martial arts film? As far fetched as that may sound, Mamet delivers the goods with Redbelt, a character driven martial arts movie and one of the more thought provoking fight flicks seen in a long time.

Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as Mike Terry, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor who is struggling to keep his academy open and his money driven wife (Alice Braga) by his side. After he comes to the rescue of a beaten upon movie star (Tim Allen), Terry is invited to be a consultant and producer on a new Hollywood picture.

However, it quickly becomes apparent that he has been set up by a Hollywood producer (Joe Mantegna) and a Mixed Martial Arts promoter (Ricky Jay) in order to steal his innovative training ideas. With the help of a frazzled lawyer (Emily Mortimer) Terry tries to do what is right through the legal system, but after that fails he is forced to fight in a pay per view competition in order to regain his pride, to keep his head above water financially, and to place the nobility back in martial arts.     

Although Mamet is not a typical choice to helm this type of action film, he is actually more suited than most think since he is a long time student of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, in which he has earned the rank of purple belt. As a result, Mamet approaches the genre with respect and innovation, and does not bring with him the fantastical elements found in many fight films but creates a (granted) mildly theatrical martial arts film which has its feet planted firmly in reality.

The films fight scenes – a sticking point for some critics – have not been heightened for dramatic purposes, and this works very well since Redbelt is a film which is not motivated by break neck action choreography, but by character development and Mamet’s patented rough yet rhythmic dialogue which kept me on my toes.    

Character actor extraordinaire Chiwetel Ejiofor – who has proved to be an actor of impeccable taste – delivers a great performance. Physically, Ejiofor looks every inch the martial artist, while also bringing forth the dignity, wisdom, and quiet nobility required of his character who walks a moral tight rope throughout the film, honouring the principles of his martial arts while trying not for the trappings of the corrupt nature of big entertainment found in Hollywood and the Pay Per View circuit.

What Redbelt portrays is how the purity of one man clashes with an impure world, where everyone is out to screw everyone else. It may sound cynical, but to Mamet’s credit it does not come off that way in the least.