Movie review: Fighting

May 27 2009 by Ian Bunting, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

‘FIGHTING’ features Channing Tatum as Shawn MacArthur, a young counterfeiter who is pulled into the brutal landscape of underground street fighting by Harvey Boarden (played by Terrence Howard).

Harvey decides to manage Shawn and each brawl puts his life in more danger. Not a good thing considering Shawn is falling for feisty Zulay Valez (played by Zulay Henao).

‘Fighting’ might have one of the most unsubtle titles of any film ever but do not let it fool you. The movie is more snore-inducing than punch-packing.

I couldn’t get over how dull it all was. Its been a long time since I’ve looked at my watch so many times during a cinema trip... and that hand just didn’t seem to move at times.

This is only director Dito Montiel’s second film (after 2006’s ‘A Guide to Recognising Your Saints’, which also starred Tatum) and I wouldn’t be in a hurry to pay his work a third visit.

There are elements of ‘Rocky’ and ‘Fight Club’ but even last year’s mediocre, similarly-themed ‘Never Back Down’ was a better watch.

Tatum is regarded as an up-and-coming talent with a lot of potential and will also be seen in this summer’s ‘G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra’ and ‘Public Enemies’ but he is dreadful here.

He spends most of the film acting punch-drunk (even before a fist has flown) and only seems to posses one look. His romance with newcomer Henao also doesn’t convince.

Shawn’s courting techniques would see us normal guys kicked to the kerb but it has to be said that Henao is the best thing in the film. She is down to earth and feels real.

Howard is often a safe pair of hands (‘Iron Man’, ‘Crash’) but he sounds drugged and lacks the charisma for his ‘mentor’ role. He is no Mr Miyagi.

‘Fighting’ suffers from having characters we have no reason to care about. Tatum is one underdog that I couldn’t root for and this lack of emotion hinders the film’s fights. Howard even states, in reference to one battle, “Nobody cares about it.”

The brawls may glorify violence but they are quite ‘PG’ in tone. There is virtually no blood, despite people being kicked and repeatedly punched in the head.

It is all very predictable, you can see the ‘final showdown’ coming a mile off, and the rooftop-set climax often resembles two kids rolling around in a playground.

The idea of rich people making money from these fighters is relatively fresh but, playing one of the money-men Jack Dancing, Roger Guenveur provides the film’s worst performance.

‘Fighting’ rates as the lowlight of the year so far. It is unforgivably mundane and features some poor acting. Far from punching above its weight, it suffers from a first round knockout.

Rating 3 out of 10.