The Challenger (2015)

the audience applauded

People are voting emotionally.

Brilliant and touching

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

I noticed Justin Hartley's name in the credits, so the first 5 minutes of the film I thought I was seeing Hartley on the screen. Then when there was more light in the next scene, I thought this actor "can't be" Justin Hartley, and I wondered why does he look so similar?! The film's protagonist is actually Kent Moran, who's several years younger than Hartley and has a similar hair color, hairline, hair style, eye color, face shape, chin cleft, and body type as Justin Hartley. It was like watching Sylvester Stallone fight Frank Stallone in a Rocky movie. Other than the film's main characters looking so similar, the movie was decent. It depicts a black woman who adopted a white son, and that's something you don't see every day.

absolutely nothing original about this movie. its a knock off of rocky, or like a bunch of other boxing movies, but very poorly made. The build up is rushed, the boxing training is short, he goes from boxing in a local club to fighting for a title after 7 fights, lol, its almost embarrassing to watch. anyone who has watched real boxing, will find this ridiculous. The main character, the boxer, is sort of lame, he show no real hunger to either train or fight. it feels weird. the main fight of the movie, is poorly made, you don't see, not even half a round; you only get some silly glimpse of the roundsAnd both take damage way beyond what they would ever be able to handle in reality, which makes it look even more ridiculous. I urge you not to waste your time or money.

I and a friend watched this movie on a late Friday night in Madrid, Spain. I must say that usually boxing movies bore me to death but my flat mate likes action movies so we settled for this on the internet, and yes surprisingly I found this movie well paced and convincing and very well scripted and acted. That the lead actor also wrote and directed the movie is very commendable. It was a job very well done. The performances of Duncan and Merkerson were exceptional. So, in all, we two men in Madrid on a late Friday night really enjoyed this boxing movie set in the Bronx as we felt it was made with feeling and sensitivity. It will definitely keep my eyes open for Kent Morgans future works.

This movie has many more good things than not so good things which I'll mention in a bit but first I can't help but say RIP Mr. Duncan. You were a fantastic actor and will be missed. The challenger was a well written story that could be very motivational if watched with an opened mind. Kent Morgan I am sure will be seen again and hopefully with a little more energy. Now the not so good. The fighting choreography was totally unrealistic but I gave it a pass based on the movie kept my attention the entire time. If only it got more of a budget than there is no doubt in my mind that The challenger would of been huge