Lutador de Rua

Isaiah Bone (Michael Jai White) is released from prison and immediately enters the world of underground fighting. With the help of Asian manager Pinball (the super annoying Dante Basco), Bone wins several fights easily and attracts the attention of local crime kingpin James (Eamonn Walker). James is suitably impressed and wants Bone to fight for Mr. McVeigh (Julian Sands). Of course, the avid chess player/head smasher Bone has been planning all of these moves carefully as he has his own agenda.

With a three word title, cliché story and style that sends me back to the early Steven Seagal flicks, BLOOD AND BONE is about the best early 90s action flick made in 2009. The plot is straight up Van Damme territory (it actually resembles Jean Claude's LIONHEART quite a bit) and the film more than delivers in the action department. Jai White, an incredibly talented martial artist, is given lots of time to show off his moves. Thankfully, director Ben Ramsey allows for some long takes that really highlight his flow. The final battle against "Pretty Boy" Price (BLOODFIST 2050's equally talented Matt Mullins) is probably the film's highlight. Acting wise, Jai White is very good as the stoic Bone. The film's top acting honors, however, go to Eamonn Walker as the gangster who loves his dogs and refuses to curse. He is a real revelation. Julian Sands puts in about 10 minutes as the stereotypical "evil white guy" and he has quickly morphed into mid-to-late 90s Malcolm McDowall. The supporting cast is rounded out with lots of MMA fighters including Maurice Smith, Gina Carano, "The Beast" Bob Sapp and Kimbo Slice, who will surely get a nod for Best Supporting Actor for his turn as jail house thug J.C.. It is really a shame to see Michael Jai White only getting a chance to shine in lead roles in low budget action flicks. Ryan Reynolds gets big films, but this guy can't?

Violent film plenty of killings and brutal bare-knuckled fighting in the slums . Exciting picture full of brawls by means of fierce bare-knuckled struggles staged in nauseam . In Los Angeles , in a world where street gangs collide with the law , an ex-con named Isahia Bone (Michael Jai White of Spawn and Universal soldier 2) takes the underground fighting world by storm in his quest to fulfill a promise to a dead convict . There will have place the ultimate fight - the one for power , pledge , vengeance , and honor. This thrilling movie deals with a tight-lipped fighter who introduces to the world of underground street fierce brawling . He's an expert on martial arts to survive and take different sides to fight and hooks up with small time promoter Pinball (Dante Brasco) . Bone attempts to come up with a way to get enough money to live , but there emerges a dangerous contender versus kingpin James (Eamonn Walker) who arranges the bare-knuckled bouts . Bone attracts the attention of local crime boss who is overtly impressed and wishes Bone to fight for Mr. McVeigh (Julian Sands) . Bone is soon fighting various contenders -ranging from bouncing wrestlers to Oriental fighters . Bone decides that he has something worth brawling for and sets everything on the line to vanquish in these no-holds-barred , bare-knuckle fights . Although Bone only wants to defeat opponents long enough to gain enough money , he is reluctant to let tricks in combats on the fighting . Every knock-out brings him closer to the existence he's always wished , but also carries him in a deadly cobweb he can't getaway . At the ending , the protagonist is forced to fight in a deadly confrontation .

This thrilling picture well written/produced by Michael Andrews contains violence , thought-provoking drama , thrills , and lots of brutal brawls plenty of punches , kicks, and knockouts . Acceptable performance from Michael Jai White as impulsive ex-con becoming a professional street-fighter and battling a variety of contenders . Jai is the complete show as one army man fighting a group of heinous nasties and as always he makes his own stunts like is well proved . Michael White holds Black belts in 7 styles of martial arts as Shotokan Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Okinawan Kobudo, Goju Ryu, Tang Soo Do and Wushu . He has 26 titles including U.S. Open, North American Open, and New England Grand Champion . Two females , the singer Nora Gaye , daughter of soul legend Marvin Gaye, and Michelle Belegrin give surprisingly good acting as landlady and mistreated woman respectively . Special mention to Eamonn Walker as cruel villain and brief appearance of Julian Sands as racist big-time promoter . Appropriate musical score fitting to action by Nicolas Pike and adequate cinematography by Roy Wagner . The picture belongs to sub-genre about street combats as ¨Lionheart¨ with Jean Claude Van Damme and whose maxim representation turns out to be the classic ¨Hard times¨ by Walter Hill with Charles Bronson and James Coburn ; furthermore , recent adaptation titled ¨Fighting ¨ by Dito Montiel with Channing Tatum and Luis Guzman . It's a colorful but strong entertainment that results to be well directed by Ben Ramsey . Ben is an expert screenwriter as ¨Big Hit¨ , ¨Dragonball¨ and occasionally director as ¨Love and bullet¨ and ¨Blood and Bone¨ his best film . Rating : 6,5 , good but very violent .

What can you say? 'Blood and Bone' is a pleasant martial arts/drama surprise that handles us a pretty enjoyable ride during it's 90 minutes and a Michael Jai White in top form.

Directed by the one who wrote the infamous failure that was 'Dragon Ball Evolution', Ben Ramsey, the movie tells us the story of Isaiah Bone, an ex-con that takes the world of underground fighting by storm, in order to keep a promise to his late friend in prison.

With an interesting plot that explores the martial arts world combined with the underground fighting game and a 'surprise effect' sustained until the last twenty minutes of the film, Ramsey achieves to maintain the spectator on his chair until the end of the movie, mixing action and drama.

The fighting scenes are awesome, and not only Michael Jai White knows how to act, knows how to fight: he kicks ass (and also Van Damme's and Segal's ass too).

This is one of the best low budget action movies you can possibly watch in your life and if you're a martial arts fan then this will serve you well. It has excellent underground fighting matches that will blow you away. Michael Jai White rocks, and he IS the movie.

7/10.

I saw this movie last night and I thought it was a pretty good movie. Michael jai White plays his role pretty good. The fight scenes to me were good compared to some of the other fighting movies that are in theaters. Overall, I enjoyed the movie. This is one of those movies that I would love to have seen in the theaters. If you enjoy enjoy martial arts pictures or just plain ole fighting movies, then you won't want to miss this one. The story line made sense unlike some others that are sometimes hard to follow. The only thing that I would loved to have seen be different is the lines from Pinball. I think his lines were a little overkill. The writers could have toned it down a little because he wasn't really funny if that's what they were trying to portrait.

I saw today Blood and Bone and I was surprised because it turned out being pretty good. I this saw because I've been a fan been a fan of Michael Jai White since Spawn. Anyways the movie is pretty low budget but who really cares when the fight scenes are really well done considering that I didn't see any wires. Storyline is good considering it's a fighting movie and Eamon Walker (Oz) comes out in the film which is cool because I never see him in anything the only other movie I've ever seen him in was Shopping with Jude Law on IFC. All in all a very good action film, Michael is a bad ass in the movie. And hopefully Michael Jai White gets some recognition and starts coming out in more movies.