I feel this because most of them need to have a certain structure to it, has little else to branch out and be a stand-out from other Boxing films.
That phrase "you've seen one, you've seen them all" perfectly fits this particular genre.
However, there are some exceptions like the first Rocky, Cinderella Man, Creed, Million Dollar Baby, Raging Bull and The Fighter. I could put Warrior into this category, even though it is more mixed martial arts than Boxing. It is still one-on-one fighting.
I was going in with low expectations as it was a Boxing movie. But as it had Miles Teller and Aaron Eckhart in it, and that it's based on a true story, I could see promise in this.
While it is certainly not bad, I can't see myself going back to it anytime soon. If you are a fan of Boxing movies, you will not be disappointed. For me, it was a perfectly fine couple of hours that was performed well enough to be give a pass rating.
I must admit that it is quite an impressive story. Thankfully, they sensationalise very little with the actual story. There are moments where they do actually use the archive footage. So I think if they done this as a documentary, this would have been a more successful film and interesting watch. But as a film, the true story element does help it.
Another thing that helps it is the performances. Miles Teller gave a good performance as the lead. His opening scene sets the tone really well and you see tell throughout that Teller is passionate about this and made sure his physical presence that the guy he is portraying.
While Teller is all about the physical performance, Aaron Eckhart was the stand-out the more conventional style of acting. His constant delivery made him an interesting character to watch and develop.
The only other performance that was worth mentioning was Ciaran Hinds. It is a fine performance that helped the film move along during its slower moments.
One part of a Boxing film that needs to work, is the Boxing itself. Those scenes were fine. I've seen better, more brutal and visceral. But I have certainly seen worse. With something like Creed still fresh in the mind, and the way they execute their fighting scenes, 'Bleed For This' massively undermines it.
However, I have to mention the films saving grace in the very final scene. Without giving away any spoilers, it is quite a powerful send off that came out of nowhere. That moment alone gave me a nod of approval towards the end.
While I am confident in saying that there is nothing for me that stood out or I will remember after reviewing this. It is still a solid feature that will be a welcomed addition to the Boxing film family. Everything is done to a solid standard and the true story is something to admire.
The film did remind me of Southpaw. The 2015 feature was another solid Boxing film that could not compete with the best films of that year.
It may be similar in terms of the quality and experience. But I would give Southpaw the edge, as the performances were stronger and the actual Boxing was slightly better. However, both are cliched enough to not stand-out from the pack.
Rating: 7/10
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