Pit Fighter

This movie is all about fighting ("no rules" type of fighting) and shooting. Don't look for anything else, because you won't find it. In my opinion, there are movies (like "Chek law dak gung - Naked Weapon" or this one) that can not be judged by their artistic value. They are not supposed to make you think, to impress you, to make a difference. They are simply made for entertaining. This movie is not very good, but fighting and shooting scenes are done pretty well, even though that stuff that's supposed to be blood doesn't look at all like the real thing. Some of the scenes are more violent than usual, because it is brutal street fighting we are talking about here, not those stylish, beautifully choreographed fight scenes we can find in most of Jet Li's movies.

My rating: 6 out of 10.

Jack (Dominique Vandenberg) gets amnesia after a bullet in the head almost kills him. Five years later, still haunted by dreams and visions of a woman he loved in his previous life even while attempting to stay the top pit fighter, his past catches up to him. However he might not like what he remembers. Writer/Director Jesse Johnson made a film that looked significantly better then his meager budget would suggest. The fights are pretty brutal and well choreographed. The story while not the most original one is serviceable enough and while this is the sole film that I've seen or heard of Dominique Vandenberg, I can already tell that a more interesting actor to watch then, say, Don "the Dragon' Wilson. Now on to hunting down Vandenberg's "The Honorable" which I've heard great things about. the film is not without a few flaws, but I found it entertaining even if the ending comes across as more than a tad bit silly. Oh and Steven Bauer's the best he's been since "Gleaming the Cube" in this one.

My Grade: B-

Eye Candy: Adult film actor, Aspen Stevens, gets topless as well as shows her ass

The movie's first scene will give you more of an idea of what I'm talking about. The film opens up to images of a South American underground fight club. The crowd is warmed up to the violence by chained dogs snarling and lashing out, held just out of range by their collars. A feeling of routine is pervasive in something we might find abhorrent. Money exchanges hands. The kind of music you'd expect from a Rodriguez film begins, but the tone instead is slightly mournful. All the while, fleeting scenes of the fighters parading towards the ring, heads covered and bowed, become the primary focus. It's fight night, and the crowd wants blood. The battle is part Ultimate Fighting Championship, part Bloodsport riff, but it's well put together, and well shot. Brutal, violent, and quick. A pile of money goes to victor's trainer, and they walk out as they came in. All in a night's work for a pit fighter.

The director didn't have to do that, he could have made a decent fight flick and left it at that. But the quality filming and the unusual little editions is what will keep me watching the people behind this film. I'll be looking up their earlier work as well. I'm afraid the film isn't great, though, just better than average, a garnet in the rough, so to speak. Look it up when you're in the mood for a little hard hitting action but aren't into the Hong Kong style.

This movie is hilarious, not in good way. The fights are awfully bad done, while sometimes they will try to shock you by breaking some bones, and even this happens only two or three times, definitely not enough to call it a shockmovie. A gunfight means a hero can walk into an open field with 10 people shooting at him with uzi's, pick up a gun, start shooting back and not get hurt.

The story empty, guy waking up, lost his memory, starts fighting cos that's what he's good at. Five years later memories come back, takes revenge blablabla.

Not worth your buck, not really worth your time unless you're drunk and bored.

I went into this one with at best medium expectations,and the first 7 or 8 minutes lived up to this. After that WOW.This movie was nuts,what a great story, I was absolutely riveted by the 2 main characters in this movie..Dominique Vandenberg improved as the movie went on to the point of moving me and Steven Bauer was perfect right from the get-go.

There is allot of violence in this movie, and normally North American Action/Violent movies in the B budget range lack good story's, emotion, and likable characters or even good fights for that mater. This has them all in spades, and on-top of that very stylish and watchable filming and editing in general.

Do you need to know the basic story still? OK. In a nut shell, a man has lost his memory after a big shoot out where he was gravely injured,he was saved and is now "owned" by a "want to get ahead" but nice Mexican (Steven Bauer)and since it turns out the man has fighting skills, that is were they go to make their money.But that is not the story.Just the action. The story is about a fellow who has forgotten his past, and has sort of made up one for himself that is much better then he really was, but still truthful in a twisted way until that past catches up to him.Then it is about redemption and honour.

Great effort,very good movie.