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2008
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REDBELT
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STARRING:CHIWETEL
EJIOFOR,EMILY MORTIMER,ALICE BRAGA,MAZ MARTINI,JOSE PABLO CANTILLO,RODRIGO
SANTORO,JOHN MACHADO, RICKY JAY,JOE MANTEGNA,TIM ALLEN
WRITTEN
BY DAVID MAMET
PRODUCED
BY CHRISANN VERGES
DIRECTED
BY DAVID MAMET
GENRE:ACTION/DRAMA/MARTIAL
ARTS
RATED:AUSTRALIA:M/UK:15/USA:R
RUNNING
TIME:99 MIN
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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 action movie and one of the
more thought provoking fight flicks I have 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. |
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