It's not TV, it's HBO. That's as good an explanation as any as to what makes UNDEFEATED a step above most boxing-themed movies. It has a great cast of little known actors, decent visuals and fight choreography, and the appropriate level of sex, drugs, and in-the-ring rock & roll. The storyline and character development is the film's only real weakness. But what a weakness to have.
*** SOILERS ***
John Leguizamo, in his directorial debut, stars as a welterweight boxer named Lex Vargas who goes from nothingness to world champ through the course of the film. Along the way he loses touch with what should have been truly important to him, his close-knit support group of friends who were there with him from the beginning. They get cast aside in favor of a high-powered management team composed primarily of a crooked record executive and a crooked promoter. Hmmm, have you ever heard of a record executive or promoter who WASN'T crooked?!? Bad choice Lex. He finds that out for himself when his new team plots for him to throw his upcoming title defense fight in order to secure massive paydays for the rematches. Feeling lost in the world and remembering the "good old days", he returns to the old neighborhood (the Bronx, I think) seeking his discarded friends. After a few touching moments with two of them, he learns another has died and another is wasting his life away in a drunken stupor. He realizes he is facing the true fight of his life in having to decide whether to go along with his old team or the new one.....
*** END SPOILER ***
All that story, but none of it new. What a shame. This would be a good time to say that I think Leguizamo is far too good of an actor (and he's made a rather impressive directorial debut as well) for this material. The only problem is that he's responsible for the material, having co-wrote the story. Actor, director, writer. Well, two out of three ain't that bad.
Note: The ending may be somewhat controversial, but I thought it was great! ANY other ending would have been anti-climactic.
Rating: gets a solid 7/10 for being a solid production of a (sub)standard story.
*** SOILERS ***
John Leguizamo, in his directorial debut, stars as a welterweight boxer named Lex Vargas who goes from nothingness to world champ through the course of the film. Along the way he loses touch with what should have been truly important to him, his close-knit support group of friends who were there with him from the beginning. They get cast aside in favor of a high-powered management team composed primarily of a crooked record executive and a crooked promoter. Hmmm, have you ever heard of a record executive or promoter who WASN'T crooked?!? Bad choice Lex. He finds that out for himself when his new team plots for him to throw his upcoming title defense fight in order to secure massive paydays for the rematches. Feeling lost in the world and remembering the "good old days", he returns to the old neighborhood (the Bronx, I think) seeking his discarded friends. After a few touching moments with two of them, he learns another has died and another is wasting his life away in a drunken stupor. He realizes he is facing the true fight of his life in having to decide whether to go along with his old team or the new one.....
*** END SPOILER ***
All that story, but none of it new. What a shame. This would be a good time to say that I think Leguizamo is far too good of an actor (and he's made a rather impressive directorial debut as well) for this material. The only problem is that he's responsible for the material, having co-wrote the story. Actor, director, writer. Well, two out of three ain't that bad.
Note: The ending may be somewhat controversial, but I thought it was great! ANY other ending would have been anti-climactic.
Rating: gets a solid 7/10 for being a solid production of a (sub)standard story.