Terra Selvagem

I'm not sure how Jungleland managed to go under the radar when it was released a couple of years ago . Perhaps it's because there has been a surge of fighting films in recent years but I'd say that this is a cut above most .

When a devastating loss in the ring leaves Lion and his manager/brother Stan in debt to a local crime boss, they are forced to risk it all in a bare-knuckle boxing tournament as the pair fight for a better life.

I'm not a fan of Charlie Hunnam . Most of his appearances involve a terrible accent or over the top acting . Not this time . Thankfully he just uses his Sons Of Anarchy' voice and he's actually very good as Stan but the stand out performance unsurprisingly is from Jack O'Connell . This is a film where two British actors are absolutely nailing it.

It's a story about family and chasing the dream . One wants to get rich by winning fights the other just wants to settle down and open a laundromat. Sadly the one who wants to win fights isn't the fighter !

I really liked this . It's a bit of a slow burner at times but I was quite happy with that and the ending where they use the Bruce Springsteen song " Dream Baby Dream " is very moving .

I don't usually write reviews but after seeing the criminally underscored rating, I decided to. In short, this film had me drawn in with the talent, hooked with the plot, invested in the characters and satisfied with the ending. A pleasure to see O'Connell, Hunnam and Jessica Barden give stellar performances side by side in beautiful cinematography.

Although Max Winkler's directing was decent, his story was slow, depressing, unsatisfying, and basically the story of every person who wasn't raised with a silver spoon. So you'll get nothing out of this except for a reality check on the lemons of life. I just wish the story had more punch than what the fists were giving. There were flaws, plot and technical issues in the screenplay. The 90 min runtime felt almost 3 hours long with the slow pacing. Performances however where outstanding, and the cinematography and score on point. It's a generous 7/10 from me.

I put off watching this because the plot felt underwhelming but if you're a fan of cinema this film was beautifully shot and directed.

Really great cast and characters as well. Loved the pacing of this film.

Watched it on a whim since comedian Nick Mullen had a stupid two minute role and going by the trailer, I reckoned it had something concrete. It just blew me away. Charlie Hunnam's chops are Christian Bale (The Fighter) level here, minus the weight loss. The two younger characters are extremely well cast. If you liked "Warriors" , this is reminiscent of that film although on a smaller budget and non existent fanfare. The sentiments run high, carried along magnificently by that haunting soundtrack. When The Boss croons to signal the finale, you're gonna be all in!