Pit Fighter

The movie's first scene will give you more of an idea of what I'm talking about. The film opens up to images of a South American underground fight club. The crowd is warmed up to the violence by chained dogs snarling and lashing out, held just out of range by their collars. A feeling of routine is pervasive in something we might find abhorrent. Money exchanges hands. The kind of music you'd expect from a Rodriguez film begins, but the tone instead is slightly mournful. All the while, fleeting scenes of the fighters parading towards the ring, heads covered and bowed, become the primary focus. It's fight night, and the crowd wants blood. The battle is part Ultimate Fighting Championship, part Bloodsport riff, but it's well put together, and well shot. Brutal, violent, and quick. A pile of money goes to victor's trainer, and they walk out as they came in. All in a night's work for a pit fighter.

The director didn't have to do that, he could have made a decent fight flick and left it at that. But the quality filming and the unusual little editions is what will keep me watching the people behind this film. I'll be looking up their earlier work as well. I'm afraid the film isn't great, though, just better than average, a garnet in the rough, so to speak. Look it up when you're in the mood for a little hard hitting action but aren't into the Hong Kong style.

I went into this one with at best medium expectations,and the first 7 or 8 minutes lived up to this. After that WOW.This movie was nuts,what a great story, I was absolutely riveted by the 2 main characters in this movie..Dominique Vandenberg improved as the movie went on to the point of moving me and Steven Bauer was perfect right from the get-go.

There is allot of violence in this movie, and normally North American Action/Violent movies in the B budget range lack good story's, emotion, and likable characters or even good fights for that mater. This has them all in spades, and on-top of that very stylish and watchable filming and editing in general.

Do you need to know the basic story still? OK. In a nut shell, a man has lost his memory after a big shoot out where he was gravely injured,he was saved and is now "owned" by a "want to get ahead" but nice Mexican (Steven Bauer)and since it turns out the man has fighting skills, that is were they go to make their money.But that is not the story.Just the action. The story is about a fellow who has forgotten his past, and has sort of made up one for himself that is much better then he really was, but still truthful in a twisted way until that past catches up to him.Then it is about redemption and honour.

Great effort,very good movie.

This is a hard kicking, hard punching fight fest that seems to be becoming something of a cult hit amongst genre fans. What the film lacks in frugality it more than makes up for with it's bone crunching fight scenes. This really is an action lovers film. it's simple entertainment and enjoyably violent.

The films plot involving a kick-boxing and amnesiac Christian is at times perfunctory for this type of movie. However Steven Bauer, as the Pit-Fighters manager and friend does a very good job in keeping a sense of humanity in the film, while leading man Dominique Vandenberg does reasonably well, as far as kick boxers turned actors go. However when it comes down to the nitty-gritty of kicking ass, Vandenberg looks at home. Director Jesse Johnson, whose previous effort The Honourable, proved as popular amongst action junkies (those who saw it) has a good understanding of style. He shoots the film nicely and it has an interesting and unique look. There's a hint of that Erin Brockovich, Traffic type colour pallet that Soderbergh used and the film almost looks documentary at times. There are times when this film looks really good and there are interesting choices in editing. The fights in particular get right into the face of the action. You feel every crack and crunch of sinew, every tear of cartilage. It's gloriously violent at times and nicely stylish. it's a far cry from the showy antics of Mr Van Damme's similar themed films. The film also features a nice low key and at time's interesting score.

Overall this is a highly polished and enjoyable piece of action cinema, considering it's measly $600,000 budget and while it's been there done that, with an end action scene that borders ludicrous, it gets by on some of the most wince-worthy fight sequences for sometime. ***

"Pit Fighter" is a gritty and bloody action movie.

Jack (Dominiquie Vandenberg) wakes from a coma after a bullet was put into his brain. All he wants is revenge. But first he needs to climb up the ranks of a corrupt system and that means he has to fight.

If you want realistic and well-choreographed fights this is the movie for you. Every move is bone-crunching. One guy gets his eye knocked out! Vandenberg puts in a gruff performance as the anti-hero. Steven Bauer plays his friend and manager. Bauer is always good and he has some interesting lines like: "Well, you ever wanna know what God thinks about money, you look at those to whom he gives it to." The movie is fast-paced and well-directed. Jesse Johnson put a lot of energy and effort into this and it paid off.

The climax is amazing in its scope. Jack fights everybody with only a sword and his fists.

"Pit Fighter" is a hidden gem that's worth uncovering.

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This movie is all about fighting ("no rules" type of fighting) and shooting. Don't look for anything else, because you won't find it. In my opinion, there are movies (like "Chek law dak gung - Naked Weapon" or this one) that can not be judged by their artistic value. They are not supposed to make you think, to impress you, to make a difference. They are simply made for entertaining. This movie is not very good, but fighting and shooting scenes are done pretty well, even though that stuff that's supposed to be blood doesn't look at all like the real thing. Some of the scenes are more violent than usual, because it is brutal street fighting we are talking about here, not those stylish, beautifully choreographed fight scenes we can find in most of Jet Li's movies.

My rating: 6 out of 10.