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Blu-Ray : Recommended
Ranking:
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Release Date: August 26th, 2008 Movie Release Year: 2008

Redbelt

Overview -

Set on the westside of the Los Angeles fight world, a scene inhabited by bouncers, cagefighters, cops and special forces types, Redbelt is the story of Mike Terry (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a Jiu-jitsu master who has avoided the prize fighting circuit, choosing to instead pursue a life of honor and education by operating a self-defense studio with a samurai's code. Terry and his wife Sondra (Sonia Braga) struggle to keep the business running to make ends meet. An accident on a dark, rainy night, between an off duty officer (Max Martini) and a distraught laywer (Emily Mortimer) puts in motion a series of events that will change Terry's life dramatically introducing him to a world of promoters (Ricky Jay, Joe Mantegna) and movie star Chet Frank (Tim Allen). In order to pay off his debts and regain his honor, Terry must step into the ring for the first time in his life

OVERALL:
Recommended
Rating Breakdown
STORY
VIDEO
AUDIO
SPECIAL FEATURES
Tech Specs & Release Details
Technical Specs:
Regions A, B, C
Video Resolution/Codec:
1080p/AVC MPEG-4
Length:
99
Aspect Ratio(s):
2.40:1
Audio Formats:
Thai Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Subtitles/Captions:
Dutch Subtitles
Special Features:
Theatrical Trailer
Release Date:
August 26th, 2008

Storyline: Our Reviewer's Take

Ranking:

I have to admit, the first trailer I saw for 'Redbelt' left me puzzled to say the least. David Mamet, the playwright and filmmaker famed for his intellectually challenging plots and convoluted dialogue in such works as 'Glengarry Glenn Ross' and 'Wag the Dog', made a movie about Ultimate Fighting of all things… and Tim Allen's in it? Come again? That can't be for real. It's got to be some sort of parody, right? But, no, it's entirely real, and it turns out to be a rather good movie too. Little did I know that Mamet has been studying Jiu-Jitsu for a few years and takes the sport known as Mixed Martial Arts very seriously. The film is much in keeping with his past efforts, a tale of conflicted men struggling to define themselves. And Allen, whose role is actually only a small part of the film, plays nicely against type, just as Steve Martin did in Mamet's thriller 'The Spanish Prisoner'.

Chiwetel Ejiofor ('Serenity', 'Children of Men') plays Mike Terry, a respected Jiu-Jitsu instructor whose martial arts studio has been failing to make ends meet. Mike could earn a lot of money by competing in a flashy MMA tournament, but is much too honorable and high-minded for that. He believes that competition spoils the purity of the art. His wife Sondra (Alice Braga) is meanwhile growing frustrated by his inflexible ideals. A chance encounter finds Mike rescuing drunken movie star Chet Frank (Allen) from a bar fight. Although Mike doesn't seek recognition, Chet is eager to reward him. A conversation about the instructor's innovative training techniques leads Chet to offer him a job as producer on his latest movie project, which could benefit from having its action scenes spiced up a little. Normally level-headed, Mike allows himself to be seduced by the Hollywood scene. Sondra is likewise enamored with Chet's wife, who wants to become a partner in her clothing design business. The couple believes that their financial problems will soon be over.

Naturally, things don't quite work out as planned. Not only do the Hollywood douchebags fail to live up to their promises, they steal Mike's training ideas and drive him further into debt, leaving him no choice but to fight in that MMA tournament he was avoiding. Even there, things aren't exactly what they seem. Now this honorable man must make a decision. Does he abide by his strict moral code, or compromise his values to protect his family?

Like most of Mamet's films, 'Redbelt' is a man's movie -- by, for, and about men. It's a story set in a world of men where the women are mainly peripheral characters or obstacles to their progress. The author has frequently been labeled a sexist. I can't really disagree with the charge, but I don't know that I entirely agree with it either. I think he simply writes about the things he knows well, and he understands the workings of a man's mind much better than he does a woman's. In any case, 'Redbelt' examines the themes that recur throughout Mamet's works: What defines a man? What use is morality? How do people communicate when their words cannot be trusted? The script bristles with his trademark Mamet-ian dialogue, the characters continually talking in circles without saying anything, or speaking volumes without a single word. He's a writer fascinated by society's hidden codes and languages, and the martial arts subculture gives him plenty to unearth here.

Refreshingly, the movie doesn't follow the typical sports genre structure in which the hero loses big, makes a grueling comeback, and then puts it all on the line for the One Big Game. Mamet likens it more to a samurai picture than a sports movie. Ejiofor once again proves himself to be one of the greatest underappreciated actors of our day. His performance is intense, soulful, heroic, and defeated all at once. He deserves to be a much bigger star. Backing him up are Emily Mortimer as a jittery lawyer with emotional problems, and a host of familiar Mamet players like Ricky Jay, Joe Mantegna, and Max Martini (from his TV series 'The Unit'). In order to better capture the authenticity of the MMA setting, a number of real Ultimate Fighting Championship stars fill in supporting roles, and most of them are surprisingly effective.

'Redbelt' isn't a masterpiece like 'Glengarry Glenn Ross', but it is a smart, tightly focused character drama. It has a great cast, an intriguing setting, and a compelling story. That makes for recommended viewing in my book.

The Blu-ray: Vital Disc Stats

'Redbelt' comes to Blu-ray from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. As usual for the studio, the disc opens with an annoying promo and trailers before the main menu. It also comes packaged in cover art that kind of gives away the ending of the movie.

Video Review

Ranking:

Photographed by recent Oscar winner Robert Elswit ('There Will Be Blood') in a "scope" 2.40:1 aspect ratio, 'Redbelt' has very slick and contrasty cinematography. The Blu-ray's 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer has nice film-like textures and a strong sense of depth. Mild film grain is present but appropriate. Colors are vibrant without looking cartoonish. Black levels are solid, though shadow detail is sometimes lacking. The picture is just a slight bit soft, but has plenty of detail, especially noticeable in the legibility of small text. This is a fine-looking disc.

Audio Review

Ranking:

The lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack is just plain terrific. It's crisp, clear, and expansive, with strikingly rich musical fidelity. The score features a lot of throbbing bass, as do the fight scenes. When the fighters punch each other, you can feel it in your gut. Surround usage is subtle, but becomes very aggressive during the championship match, always in an organic and natural way that never feels gimmicky. The movie has a great sound mix, and the Blu-ray's presentation is essentially flawless.

Special Features

Ranking:

All of the bonus features from the comparable DVD edition made their way to Blu-ray as well.

  • Audio Commentary – Writer/director David Mamet is joined by supporting actor (and UFC champion) Randy Couture for a commentary in which each attempts to teach the other about their respective careers. Couture learns a few things about filmmaking, and Mamet learns some more about Ultimate Fighting. Mamet does most of the talking while Couture rather gamely sits there and tries to absorb some of the director's more esoteric trains of thought. They come across as good friends with a lot of respect for one another. Couture's presence is most helpful in analyzing the fight sequences.
  • Behind the Scenes of Redbelt (HD, 20 min.) – An insubstantial EPK piece about how everybody loved working with Mamet and with each other on this "dream come true" project.
  • Inside Mixed Martial Arts (HD, 19 min.) – Mamet describes his background with Jiu-Jitsu, and we even get to see him practice a few moves. After that, various experts explain the history and philosophy of the sport.
  • Q&A with Director David Mamet (SD, 26 min.) – The director answers questions about his intentions, his influences, the use of widescreen cinematography, and fight choreography, among other things.
  • An Interview with Dana White (HD, 17 min.) – The current president of the UFC gives us a little more history about the organization, his involvement, and the challenges of taking the sport mainstream after it had been banned even from Pay-Per-View. White is a charismatic guy, but a good deal of the interview time is spent plugging his company, which gets tiring after a while.
  • Fighter Profiles (HD, 4 min.) – A cheesy montage of bio information and stats for all of the real athletes who make appearances in the film.
  • The Magic of Cyril Takayama (HD, 5 min.) – An interview with the supporting actor who played a small but critical role in the plot. A real stage magician, Takayama demonstrates the sleight-of-hand wizardry that landed him the job.
  • Theatrical Trailer (HD, 2 min.)

Also included are some random previews for other unrelated Sony titles.

A little movie that didn't get much of a promotional push during its brief theatrical run, 'Redbelt' is a fascinating martial arts drama with a lot to admire. The Blu-ray has strong picture and sound, and a selection of decent bonus features. Recommended.