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Regarding the fight scenes in the film, Rea wrote "Mamet is a master of talk, not action" and said "''Redbelt'''s ultimate Ultimate Fight moment feels sorely lacking."<ref name=rea/> O'Hehir said "the jiu-jitsu scenes are so incoherently shot and edited you can't tell if the fight choreography is any good or not."<ref name=ohehir/> Berardinelli wrote "Anyone attending with the expectation that this is going to satisfy a primal desire for wall-to-wall combat will be sadly disappointed.<ref name=berardinelli/>
Regarding the fight scenes in the film, Rea wrote "Mamet is a master of talk, not action" and said "''Redbelt'''s ultimate Ultimate Fight moment feels sorely lacking."<ref name=rea/> O'Hehir said "the jiu-jitsu scenes are so incoherently shot and edited you can't tell if the fight choreography is any good or not."<ref name=ohehir/> Berardinelli wrote "Anyone attending with the expectation that this is going to satisfy a primal desire for wall-to-wall combat will be sadly disappointed.<ref name=berardinelli/>

A Chicago critic interviewed ''Redbelt'' star Chiwetel Ejiofor who said: "The first part of the pre-production area was dominated psychologically by my growing appreciation for the martial art form that is Brazilian jujitsu, which is so complex and brilliant. It’s one of those things that – once you have a plethora of moves you understand – you start to apply them. Then you realize truly how complex it is."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/2422/interview-chiwetel-ejiofor-on-american-samurai-journey-redbelt-from-mind-of-david-mamet |title=Interview: Chiwetel Ejiofor on American Samurai Journey ''Redbelt'' From Mind of David Mamet |accessdate=2008-05-13 |author=Patrick McDonald |work=HollywoodChicago.com}}</ref>


==Box office performance==
==Box office performance==

Revision as of 23:25, 13 May 2008

Redbelt
Theatrical release poster
Directed byDavid Mamet
Written byDavid Mamet
Produced byChrisann Verges
StarringChiwetel Ejiofor
Tim Allen
Emily Mortimer
Alice Braga
Rodrigo Santoro
Joe Mantegna
Rebecca Pidgeon
Ricky Jay
John Machado
CinematographyRobert Elswit
Edited byBarbara Tulliver
Distributed bySony Pictures Classics
Running time
99 min
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
BudgetUSD $7 Million

Redbelt is an action movie written and directed by David Mamet. The film concerns Mike Terry (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and self-defense instructor who imparts upon his students the skills to survive on the street, rather than prevail in sports combat. A series of circumstances brings Terry in contact with popular movie hero Chet Frank (Tim Allen) and a legion of Hollywood movers and shakers. Terry soon finds himself the victim of a con and, combined with a destitute financial situation, is pressed to enter the ring for pride and profit. The film opened in wide release in the United States and Canada on May 9, 2008.

Mamet has described Redbelt as a samurai film in the tradition of Kurosawa.[1]. He has employed the resources of several members of the MMA community in the making of the film; Randy Couture and Enson Inoue have acting roles in the film, as does Jean Jacques Machado's brother John Machado who also planned some of the fight choreography.

David Mamet has earned the rank of purple belt under the tutelage of Renato Magno, who also served as the film's jiu-jitsu consultant.

Cast

Production

Randy Couture and David Mamet at the premiere.

The film was produced by Chrisann Verges. David Wasco served as production designer. Debra McGuire designed the costumes and Stephen Endelman provided the music. Cinematography was done by Robert Elswit and the film was edited by Barbara Tulliver. John Machado and Rico Chiapparelli were the fight choreographers. Chiwetel Ejiofor's stunt double was Aaron Toney and Tim Allen's stunt double was Todd Warren.[2] In an interview with Iain Blair of Reuters Life!, Mamet said he was interested in casting Chiwetel Ejiofor for his acting versatility after seeing his performances in Dirty Pretty Things and Kinky Boots, saying "It's impossible for one guy to be able to play both those parts."[3] David Mamet said that Ejiofor's preparation for the film included 12-hour days of physical training, although Ejiofor said that wasn't exactly the norm.[4] Production began around July 2007, with many of the action sequences being filmed at the Pyramid in Long Beach.[citation needed]

Marketing

Sony Pictures Classics co-founder and co-president Tom Bernard said there were two marketing campaigns for the film, "one directed at MMA guys and another at the more upscale theaters." Commercials and giveaway contests were run on Spike TV, and Mamet was invited to screen the film for members of New York's Lincoln Center.[5]

Critical reception

The film received generally favorable reviews from critics. As of May 9, 2008, the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 67% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 66 reviews.[6] Metacritic reported the film had an average score of 69 out of 100, based on 28 reviews.[7]

Many critics praised Chiwetel Ejiofor for his performance in the film.[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]

Los Angeles Times film critic Carina Chocano described the film as "tricky and engrossing" and "a contemporary noir with a samurai movie interior." Chocano wrote, "Ejiofor brings a calm magnetism and a beatific serenity to his roles that have the effect of knocking you flat -- there's something about this guy that's messianic." Chocano said Tim Allen's performance was restrained. Chocano wrote "the noir puzzle element is central to the story" and "suffice it to say things get complicated", saying "much of the pleasure is in the surprises."[18]

Several critics wrote that the story is reminiscent of films from earlier decades. Ruthe Stein of the San Francisco Chronicle said the film is "entertaining in a pulpy kind of way, like the fight films of the 1930s and '40s, and more accessible than most of Mamet's movies."[12] Ty Burr of The Boston Globe wrote "What Redbelt reminded me of more than anything else was a modern version of a classic film noir, particularly 1950's brilliantly seedy Night and the City, with its pro-wrestling subplot."[13] Manohla Dargis of The New York Times called it "a satisfying, unexpectedly involving B-movie that owes as much to old Hollywood as to Greek tragedy."[17]

The ending of the film was criticized by several critics. Tasha Robinson of The A.V. Club said "The film unravels a bit in the last few moments, amid unanswered story questions and a simplistic climax, but until that moment, Redbelt is Mamet's richest film of the decade."[14] Steven Rea of The Philadelphia Inquirer said "One of the problems with the way Mamet resolves Mike's predicament is that it's ridiculously implausible - even in the context of a far-fetched fight story."[15] Andrew O'Hehir of Salon.com said the final scene "might seem far-fetched on a pay-per-view wrestling broadcast."[16] Film critic James Berardinelli said "The plot is borderline ridiculous and certainly doesn't stand up to close (or even not-so-close) scrutiny, but there's a level of entertainment to be had watching it unfold in all its strangeness", but also said "taken at face value, there's a degree of satisfaction in the way Redbelt concludes."[19]

Regarding the fight scenes in the film, Rea wrote "Mamet is a master of talk, not action" and said "Redbelt's ultimate Ultimate Fight moment feels sorely lacking."[15] O'Hehir said "the jiu-jitsu scenes are so incoherently shot and edited you can't tell if the fight choreography is any good or not."[16] Berardinelli wrote "Anyone attending with the expectation that this is going to satisfy a primal desire for wall-to-wall combat will be sadly disappointed.[19]

A Chicago critic interviewed Redbelt star Chiwetel Ejiofor who said: "The first part of the pre-production area was dominated psychologically by my growing appreciation for the martial art form that is Brazilian jujitsu, which is so complex and brilliant. It’s one of those things that – once you have a plethora of moves you understand – you start to apply them. Then you realize truly how complex it is."[20]

Box office performance

The film opened in limited release in the United States on May 2, 2008 and grossed $63,361 in 6 theaters, averaging $10,560 per theater. On May 9, 2008, the film opened in wide release in the United States and Canada, and grossed $1,012,435 in 1,379 theaters, ranking #11 at the box office.[21]

References

  1. ^ http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-et-goldstein19jun19,1,6821892.story?coll=la-headlines-entnews&ctrack=1&cset=true
  2. ^ "Redbelt (2008) - Full cast and crew". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2008-05-02.
  3. ^ Iain Blair (2008-05-01). "Iain Blair". Reuters Life!. p. 3. Retrieved 2008-05-02. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ Brett Buckalew (2008-04-28). "Q+A: Chiwetel Ejiofor". Metromix Chicago. Retrieved 2008-05-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Text "Metromix Chicago" ignored (help)
  5. ^ Chris Lee (2008-03-13). "Mixed martial arts films have a chokehold on action". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-05-02. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ "Redbelt Movie Reviews, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
  7. ^ "Redbelt (2008): Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
  8. ^ Michael Rechtshaffen (2008-04-25). "Bottom Line: Mamet takes up jiu-jitsu with honorable results". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2008-05-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ Michael Phillips (2008-05-09). "'Redbelt' is round 10 for Mamet, and it's better than a draw". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2008-05-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ David Ansen (2008-05-08). "Car and Driver, and Monkey". Newsweek. Retrieved 2008-05-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ Joe Morgenstern (2008-05-02). "A Rejuvenated Downey Dazzles; Mamet's 'Redbelt' Is Martial Art". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2008-05-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ a b Ruthe Stein (2008-05-09). "Movie review: Mamet goes to mat in 'Redbelt'". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2008-05-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ a b Ty Burr (2008-05-09). "A moral dilemma from Mamet". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-05-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ a b Tasha Robinson (2008-05-01). "Redbelt". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 2008-05-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ a b c Steven Rea (2008-05-09). "Tumbling to an implausible end". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2008-05-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ a b c Andrew O'Hehir (2008-04-28). "He conquered the World Trade Center". Salon.com. Retrieved 2008-05-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  17. ^ a b Manohla Dargis (2008-05-02). "In a Chokehold, on the Mat and in Life". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-05-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  18. ^ Carina Chocano (2008-05-02). "David Mamet's contemporary noir film follows a moral code in and out of a jujitsu club". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-05-02.
  19. ^ a b James Berardinelli. "ReelViews Movie Review: Redbelt". ReelViews. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
  20. ^ Patrick McDonald. "Interview: Chiwetel Ejiofor on American Samurai Journey Redbelt From Mind of David Mamet". HollywoodChicago.com. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
  21. ^ "Redbelt (2008) - Weekend Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2008-05-12.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Redbelt&oldid=212230567"