Fighter

Cinematography--Compared to 'The Wrestler,' a degree of verite and cinematic skill that disarms the viewer, and then hypnotizes as well.

Acting--The dialogue is minimal, but the pauses and silence poignant.

Story--The conflict in a 'balkanized' Denmark is volatile, as we saw recently jihad murders in the Netherlands and riots in France. While I harbor no love for Islam, the departure from the West from Christian values holds no cause for celebration.

The director of this film managed to mirror the two societies in a way that belabored neither, emphasizing the development of Aicha as an individual who became a champion, not so much in the ring, but to all those around her. Even her worst . . . I will stop here to avoid the spoiler.

When I went to watch this movie my expectations were really low, but I was pleasantly surprised.

I thought I was going to watch a boring teen-flick, BUT in fact the plot is interesting and well executed, the acting was somewhat convincing - especially from Melville who really shows his talent in this movie, and the fight scenes were - for a low budget movie - very well done .

I think this movie deserves a broader audience than it has received. It is a movie, which can be seen by the whole family - maybe not the smallest of kids, since it contains some rather rough scenes. A movie about love, and the problems that can occur, when you go against your family traditions.

Yes, the movie is very much like "Bend it like Beckham", but I actually think this movie pulls it off better.

I am a passionate about karate/kung fu/kickboxing movies. My cousin use to be like ten years ago, when he was younger. We have 7 years difference, and i became crazy about this style around 1 year ago... and i gave back the passion to my cousin. When this was released here in Quebec, i talked about it to my cousin, to my surprise he didn't wait to be with me to rent it... like we usually rent these movie together. And when he saw it, he totally dislike it... said to me there was not much fights and the story didn't save it... Well it took me almost 8 months to finally rent it, a night i really didn't know what to pick... and here we are... Glad i did, cause i totally enjoyed it... Sure there is indeed not that much fight and this have nothing to do with grudge match bloodsport style or undisputed style... Its all about the story, about a little girl who want to do what she want and should be allow to do so like every normal north American can do, but sadly she is born in a country and a culture that is way too much old school like its still the 1800s.... I may shock people here but i could never and will never understand the Muslims culture.... I am just SO NOT in religion and old school way of life... So for me that movie was very important, it use a subject i really like(martial arts) to demonstrate a story about racial problems and discrimination... It may not show a lot of fights, and they are very basic too, but its so much more than that.... Im the kind of guy who can appreciate an old school 1995 kickboxing movie about a grudge match between the former and the new champion, but i can also appreciate a good story movie and this is what it is.

A beautiful and touching movie that deserves a wider viewing than it is likely to get. Semra Turan plays Aicha, a second generation Turkish immigrant, who tries to break the mold. Neither entirely at home with her moderately conservative Muslim family, nor with her liberal Danish friends, Aicha's martial arts experience becomes a fight to find herself and have the strength to allow herself to be who she wants to be in spite of both family and friends.

Director Natasha Arthy manages to balance introspection and narrative so that it has depth without becoming ponderous philosophical discourse, and drawing on Xian Gao's choreography skills pays off in spectacular fight sequences. In the end, however, it is Semra Turan's stunning debut performance that gives this movie spirit. Raw charisma and requisite martial arts skills are complimented by heart to make her personal drama believable.

Well worth your while.

In regards to comparisons with Bend It Like Beckham I would say this film is like it's older mature cousin. Bend It Like Beckham was cute, fun with a traditional Hollywood fairytale story. This film strips all the Hollywood fairytale and plonks the story in the mundane real world. The romance is careful and considered with real world reactions, the family reconciliation doesn't leave you with a happy happy family feeling, the Yoda equivalent offers opportunities but no answers and seems helpless through most of the film and the main character's kung fu obsession doesn't end with all conquering victory.

What you do get instead is a character tug of war where one side wants her to be a traditional Turkish girl and the other wants her to embrace modern Western idealism. For me this is what makes the film clever. It's not simply about a girl trying to overcome her limitations but a girl fighting to not be boxed in by any ones social norms whether it be Eastern or Western. The Western lifestyle is not held up as some moral superior as it is in many other films of this nature. This film is simply about a girl trying to forge her own path without having to embrace everyone else's values.

As a final note I noticed a lot of people thinking she is being kicked out of her martial arts class at the beginning of the film due to aggression. While it is true she is aggressive she's not being kicked out. The teacher notices her frustration at having no challenging opponents because she has out skilled everyone in the class the teacher feels be better of in a more advanced school. If you ask me this is good teaching and I wish more teachers were this observant.