El maestro luchador

High art this is not but anyone that expects high level stuff from a movie with this premise is not watching it with the right frame of mind. It's a good old fashion feel good film with a message. Dare I say Capraesque? I wouldn't even classify this as a comedy. It's a fantasy of goodwill film that induces plenty of smiles and packs heart. Kevin James is perfect in the lead and his common man qualities play extremely well here. They lean on the Rocky formula a lot but that's not necessarily a bad thing. One thing is for sure, Salma Hayek is the hottest "Adrian" type love interest to ever play in this type of film. She's amazing throughout. A warm shout out to Henry Winkler who is also perfectly cast as the somewhat eccentric music teacher with the heart of gold.

A wonderful surprise that I enjoyed very much.

Kevin James delivers as only he can! The reigning "big man" of comedy shows off his slimmer physique and pretty impressive MMA skills as the teacher turned fighter.. I laughed at parts but being a "King of Queens" fan i guess i wanted more(no Leah Remni or Jerry Stiller?).. still think James is super talented actor and very funny... kudos to "The Fonz" Henry Winkler and UFC great-turned actor Bas Rutten who both give great supporting roles...and Salma Hayek...well she isn't bad to look at..her acting...eh..a comedic Rocky-esque motion picture that everyone can enjoy! If you are a Kevin James fan this won't disappoint. good family film!!

Whether you find him funny or not, Kevin James has been racking up the hits since focusing on movies. While not all were hit with the critics, he has managed to garner a following. The trailer for his latest Here Comes The Boom looked like a mix of the same old fair that he normally delivers, but does it have any chance of working to deliver a funny comedy or will it end up being just another forced goofy addition to his resume.

Here Comes The Boom follows a biology teacher who is determine to save the music program from being cut in their school by becoming a mixed-martial arts fighter. While the premise is a bit out there and some of the scenarios are a bit far-fetched this movie works surprisingly well. There are plenty of laughs here that work on numerous levels, but depending on how big a fan of James you are will determine how funny they are. The real surprise here was the fact that there was so much more here than just a stupid comedy. The story is a typical underdog tale with comedy, but enough heart to keep you rooting for James throughout the whole film. Gone is the usual over the top bumbling funny fat guy, in its place was a cooler everyman that works perfectly for this story. James steps up to really deliver more than he has to date. He shows not only a good range with some different emotions, but is pretty impressive with his ability to carry the fight scenes. It was nice to see that while this was a comedy, they still took the fighting side of it seriously to deliver something not only believable but entertaining and will suck you right into the action. The rest of the cast do a great job of bringing everything together, with the real highlights being Henry Winkler who is a spitting image of the band teacher in the Simpsons and former MMA legend Bas Rutten. Both of these guys never take themselves seriously and deliver some funny memorable and likable characters.

This movie was a real surprise on almost every level. It delivers an almost Rocky like underdog tale with some over the top funny moments to create something completely unexpected. Kevin James really knocked it out of the park here and hope he sticks to these kinds of roles and continues to stretch his acting range.

I have to admit I am a sucker for Kevin James, ever since King of Queens was broadcast in the UK I have loved the persona he plays as the 'average joe' he typifies what most of us guys do in life or would like to do and that is to act like a kid, never grow up and do as little as possible!! His transposition to the big screen has not been without troubles and whilst this is a bit kitsch, borrows from other movies, I still will forgive his choices as he is, like Simon Pegg, so likable that watching him gives a warm feeling like a mug of cocoa on a rainy day. Not an Oscar winner but an above average afternoon movie that is easily watchable

Here Comes the Boom is Kevin James latest film which sees him tackling the world of MMA. James a lifelong fan of MMA trained in mix martial arts for this role and it is evident in his performance as a teacher turned UFC fighter.(This being the first film with official UFC licensing.

This film is aimed at the same demographic as those who enjoyed Chuck and Larry or King of Queens, its an interesting watch with enough depth to keep you watching. Though this film has a few good laughs and a steady if a somewhat predictable story line its main flaw is attention to detail with the minor characters that make the story.

Overall it is worth a watch but don't expect to see it on any all time great lists. The best is yet to come from Kevin James and I am sure we will see it from him in the future.