EMBATTLED
US, 2020, 117 minutes, Colour.
Stephen Dorff, Darren Mann, Elizabeth Reaser, Donald Faison, Said Taghmaoui, Karruecje Tran, Ava Capri, Colin McKenna.
Directed by Nick Sarkisov.
There are two battle areas going on in this drama. There is the arena of multi-martial arts. There is the arena of the family.
The film initially focuses on Cash, a strong performance by Stephen Dorff, unsympathetic to the audience, playing a champion who has won every title. He has been married but has walked out on the family when his second son is born with Williams Disease, a physical and mental disability. He has married again and has another child. He is full of himself, macho attitudes, misogynistic, homophobic, a loudmouth.
Then the film introduces his son, Jett, Darren Mann, 18, finishing at school, ambitious to fight in the martial arts, going to training, then encountering his father who offers advice, spars with him, humiliates him. And Jett is living with his mother who has to make ends meet waitressing. And the young brother is played by Colin McKenna, son of the writer of the film, David McKenna.
There are the expected conflicts within the family, Jett and his relationship to his mother and brother, a friend from school, his setting up his mother with one of the staff at the school, a veteran, disabled.
With the hostility from his father, he seeks out the only champion who has defeated his father and goes into coaching with him for a month. There is a press conferences and hostilities leading up to the final dramatic bout.
Achievement for Jett, a humiliation for Cash – and wondering whether he again admit the truth about himself and his son.
- The title? The battles? The MMA, the fights, brutality, skills, the crowds, fans, referees? The family battles?
- The Alabama setting, the city, homes, mansions, gymnasiums, fight centres, school? The MMA world and the ordinary world? The musical score and tone?
- The introduction to Cash, Stephen Dorff’s presence and performance, physical, age, champion, battle scars, a complete winner, his pride, business sense and dealings? His macho attitudes, misogynistic, homophobic, sexually exploitative? The background of his first marriage, the birth of Quinn, his disappointment, leaving the family? His second marriage, his son? Living a presumptuous life?
- The introduction to Jett, his age, school, friends, relationship with his mother, with Quinn, caring for him? The absence of his father and the effect? His interest in MMA, the training? The initial encounters with his father, his father being tough, demanding, imposing match our expectations, treatment of women? His skills?
- Cash, interest in his son, training, the fights, his son success? The growing rivalry? The spar with his son, the unlawful hit? Business deals, promoting his son, interstate travel, bouts?
- Jett, at home, his mother, weary, her waitressing? At school, meeting Keaton, the attraction? Her being supportive of the family, Quinn? Quinn, Williams syndrome, the disability, yet his being outspoken, relying on his mother and Jett, school, the film’s plea for consideration (and the actor being the son of the screenwriter)?
- The teacher, war hero, crippled, Jett setting up the meeting between his mother and the teacher, the consequences?
- The setting up of the confrontation between father and son? The press conferences and their attitudes, questions and answers?
- Jett seeking out Claude, Claude the only one to defeat Cash, the interview, Claude taking on the training of Jett, over the months, the scenes between them, Claude is supportive?
- The buildup to the fight, jet and his mother, supporting her son? The school, Keaton and the television, support?
- The climax of the final bout, the ups and downs, Cash and his determination to win, bad spirit, Jett, fighting back? The verdict?
- Cash and his treatment of his second wife, son, derelict, with women? His wife having enough, walking out, seeking help from the first wife and Jett?
- Jett and the MMA battles, embattled, at home and family, embattled?
