Redbelt

Starring: that Black dude not named Don Cheadle from TALK TO ME, that girl who saved Will Smith in I AM LEGEND, the Spanish dude who was in about three or four episodes from LOST, the good girl that Bruce Willis falls in love with in THE KID, and Academy Award should-be-nominee, Enson Inoue, and other MMA fighters

REDBELT is this smart, MMA (can you say, "oxymoron?") independent B-movie about this down-on-his-luck MMA instructor who is forced to compete in some MMA event he created to get out of a mess he is accused of creating. Get it?

He's a Black Bruce Lee without the need to kick everybody's a$$. He likes to teach, but he doesn't like the idea of competing with rules. He teaches his students to conquer their fears and prevail in life. Of course, he's not opposed to kicking someone's a$$ in the name of fairness and self-defense. You'll see.

The way the movie was constructed to get to where it ends up is pretty clever. Seriously. Didn't expect that from a fight movie. In some ways, this was up there with ROCKY and THE KARATE KID. Not an underdog movie, but he's definitely someone you can root for. Definitely better than NEVER BACK DOWN. Okay, so maybe I only saw the beginning of that movie. Goes to show how bad it was.

When it all goes down, you'll be cringing and feeling bad for the guy. Sorry, I can't give away too much. The movie's that good. Let's just say that the guy hangs onto his morals and principles despite all the temptations and hardships that come his way and doesn't even flinch. Not too many people like that nowadays.

Good mix of fighting and story. Charismatic main character. Good philosophies. I liked that it was short. A pleasant surprise. Like cracking open a fortune cookie and, well...getting a good fortune. Tried to throw in the Asian joke there. Didn't work. Oh, yeah, and they had those kung fu flutes and taiko drums playing throughout the movie to get you in the mood.

I give this movie two empty hands that come in peace...bearing gifts...emanating love...powerful...strong...how about a massage? Happy ending?