Forced to Fight

Forced To Fight is another one of those underground fight flicks!

Another one of those, fighter forced to fight for a family member, flicks!

Another typically American MMA action drama!

This time, fan favourite Gary Daniels (who has had a few stand out moments in his career) is the lead guy. The fighter with a heart, in probably his best acted role to date.

Peter (Robocop) Wellar is the bad guy, and does so convincingly enough, but seems bored in his role.

The drama is heavy, the fights are just okay, but Forced To Fight is worth a watch, at least the once.

Lets just hope Gary gets back into the Hong Kong style of things before its too late...

It has been a while since UK Martial Artist Action Star Gary Daniels has headlined a movie in a starring role, but it was worth the wait. After turning in great bad guy performances in Expendables 1 (having one of the most memorable deaths courtesy of a jet Li axe kick to the head), and arch nemesis to Wesley Snipes in Game of Death & Steve Austin in Hunt to Kill, it was time for Gary to return to where he is best. The kick ass action hero bent on revenge (this time for his brother). Set in similar scenario as many bloodsport type events, much of the film is stuff you have seen before and while this could dangerously lead the film to be boring...it isn't. From the start, it is clear all the actors can actually act and Gary turns in a good American accent, father and husband who is "Forced to Fight" to protect his brother. Robocop Peter Weller is a great addition as the main villain "Danny G" who orchestrates the fights and is holding Gary's character to ransom. The story never gets boring, the fights have some great moments (a couple of shots could have chosen better angles) but overall an enjoyable Gary Daniels actioneer for a Friday or Saturday night with the boys. Or in my case with my 3 year old martial arts enthusiast daughter. It isn't the best Gary Daniels film ever, but its great to see Gary Back where he belongs - front & centre of the DVD cover, in video shops as the main star. Out on Video on Demand, Blu Ray and DVD in the US now and other parts of the world to follow.

There was a time when I could dial down my expectations and enjoy a direct-to-video action film for what it is. Perhaps those days are over, or maybe 'Forced to Fight' is simply a bad movie regardless of format.

You don't watch a film like this expecting Academy Award caliber acting, but the performances here make those in your average Sy-Fy 'Sharktapus vs. Hammer Head Chiuaua' flicks look like Masterpiece Theater. They're so bad in fact that they make villain Peter Weller look like Olivier by comparison. And the script... let's forget about the script. The producers apparently did.

Of course all of this could be forgiven if the most crucial element of a fight flick—the fighting—was even remotely exciting. Oh it's technically competent I suppose. These guys are all the real deal. But the choreography and staging is flat and repetitive. After about the fifth or sixth bout my eyes began glazing over and I seriously contemplated "tapping out" my self.

'Forced to Fight' is a bottom of the barrel waste of 100 minutes. Avoid at all costs.

I'm not going to write anything about the story, other reviewers have already done so. Only so much: yes, it's pretty basic, has been done before a million times BUT... I think in this one it's done comparatively well. As another reviewer wrote, the time which passes between scenes has not been worked out well and you wonder about the jumps in behavior and emotion. But the acting is much better than you would expect from such a movie and the actors can't be blamed for inconsistencies in the script and what the directer/producer did with it.

Now, to those who wonder less about the story and more about the fighting: The choreography is done much better than in most 80s and 90s martial arts flicks. You also have a lot of grappling but not so much as to make it boring. I think it's a very entertaining mix of fancy moves and realistic MMA techniques with a stand up fighting to grappling ratio of roundabout 80/20%.

If you are a fan of Gary Daniels anyways you gonna LOVE this one :).

Maybe I am nuts here, maybe I expected very little, but this movie was better than expected.

It was better than good.

Dare I say almost great....yes it had some sub-par acting and the camera work was a little hazy during the fights but it was fun, fast paced, light drama, heavy action.

Maybe my score was due to my low expectations...but once you know what to expect, then when it surpasses those expectations, what more can be asked? Jeff Daniels did a GREAT performance, and Peter Weller can make any script decent. All in all at least try it and enjoy it for what it is; a solid action drama.

10 Stars from me....I am a fight movie fan and enjoyed the plot, nothing new but for a movie like this, it ain't a bad thing.