The Bronx Bull

The Bronx Bull (2016)

*** (out of 4)

When this film was originally announced the producers decided to call it RAGING BULL II so that it would stir up a media storm, which it did. This also gave the film a lot of negative press from people screaming that Martin Scorsese's masterpiece didn't need a sequel. Well, THE BRONX BULL eventually got made and released and there's no doubt that one could consider it a direct sequel. The film takes place as Jake LaMotta (William Forsythe) has retired from boxing and we see his many lows that would haunt him.

THE BRONX BULL very well could have been called RAGING BULL II. Is this a masterpiece like the Scorsese film? Not even close. If you go into this expecting the same type of picture then you're bound to be disappointed. I really wasn't sure what to expect from the film and at first I was a little nervous but I must admit that I ended up enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would. Yes, there are many flaws throughout the picture but at the same time we've got a terrific cast of characters and the film also catches us up on what happened to LaMotta after the ring (a subject just briefly touched upon in RAGING BULL).

What I was most impressed with were the performances. I thought Forsythe was extremely good in the role of LaMotta and you can't help but be impressed because you really do feel as if you're watching a man who has lost his soul. I really thought the actor did a very good job at showing how hot-headed this guy was and how he could just snap in an instant. We've got a lot of famous faces in nice supporting roles including Paul Sorvino who plays LaMotta's father, Joe Mantegna as the best friend and we get the likes of Tom Sizemore, Natasha Henstridge, Penelope Ann Miller, James Russo, Bruce Davidson, Cloris Leachman, Robert Davi and Mike Starr.

As I said, there are quite a few flaws including the story. The film jumps around through several decades and captures different moments in LaMotta's life after the ring but on the whole it's a bit uneven. I'd argue that the direction wasn't the greatest either but it was at least good enough to make sure everything held your attention. The film was obviously shot on a low-budget, which is clearly seen when they try to re-create some of the older times. Still, with all of that said, if you're interested in the LaMotta character then this film should keep you entertained. Just don't go in expecting something that it isn't.

It's a biopic of the troubled boxing champ Jake LaMotta (William Forsythe). The story starts with him testifying against accusation of corruption and moves to 1937 Bronx where he's fighting in the streets. After his boxing ends, this troubles continue.

This was sold as the sequel to Raging Bull until a lawsuit forced the change. I can see a good reason for going to court. There is no way anybody from the first movie would want to be associated with this movie. The filmmaking is not even in the same league. It's a bad tracing job like a kid trying to draw the Mona Lisa. If one ignores the greatness of Raging Bull, this would be simply be a low rent indie. It does have some good actors and they do fine work here. On the other hand, the writing is very flat. The drama has no tension. There is no flow. It's just one scene after another. It's recitation of a life rather than a compelling story.

I bought a glut of DVDs and some Blu-rays from a Dollar Tree. The Bronx Bull was one of them. Compared to what I bought, this was much better than a majority of the Dollar Tree blind buys. If you want to know what happened to Jake LaMotta after Raging Bull, you might have an interest in this film.

One thing about this film interests me. The film makers make a reference toward a forgotten film, Cauliflower Cupids that Jake was featured in. But there wasn't any mention of another film Jake was featured in titled Confessions of a Psycho-Cat. Blasphemy!

Not as bad as other reviewers say it is, but most likely this film will be forgotten in a few years.

I watched this movie that had some fairly well known actors in it and you would think it was their first role, the acting was so awful and wooden it beggars belief, the directing and producing was also equally awful, this had the potential to be so much better and it fails on every front, the story is all over the place, it jumps from one gap in Lamotta's life to another without bringing any of the parts to a meaningful conclusion, in the end you just give up with trying to follow it and feel like one of Lamotta's opponents, thoroughly demoralized and beaten.

2 out of 10, don't bother watching, Go and re-watch De niro's raging bull

When you click on this movie you expect more then 10 mins of boxing. It's not a good movie whatsoever. It is the worst movie I can remember watching since Batman and robin.