“The Challenger” opens with Jaden Miller (Kent Moran, “Listen to Your Heat”) making his morning run through the gritty streets of the Bronx. He then moves on to his job as a car mechanic, where a female customer belittles his abilities as a mechanic. That night, dejected, he arrives at his house to find an eviction notice on the door and spends the night sleeping in one of the cars in the garage where he works. Things aren’t working out for 24-year-old Jaden. Until he pays the rent, his mother Jada (S. Epatha Merkerson, “Law & Order”) stays at Aunt Regina’s (Natalie Carter) house and endures constant interruptions from her. This is a hilarious scene, much to the delight of the audience.

While cleaning his work coat, Jaden meets Duane (Michael Clarke Duncan – “The Green Mile”) and learns that he was once a legendary boxing trainer. Later, Duane confesses that one of his fighters threw a match and Duane had to back out and then opened a laundromat and a small boxing gym. Jaden finds out that one of his coworkers at the garage makes money boxing in club fights and looks for this way to get him and his mother back to his apartment. He approaches Duane to train him. Initially, Duane refuses, but upon learning Jaden’s last name, he agrees to work with him.

Most intriguing about the training regiment is the focus on boxing-specific techniques, things like foot placement, hip rotation, and how you unwind a punch for maximum power. While fascinating, this focus on preparing for a fight takes the audience away from the internal struggles and conflicts that Jaden faces. Namely, finding a way to support his mother, finding a way to win back his respect after being kicked out of a private school for fighting. There is also the fear of failure and of not being good enough. While these are presented in dialogue, the emotional fallout is left hanging and doesn’t fully play out. Jaden’s stoic expressions don’t give us those vulnerable moments that build a deep emotional attachment to his dilemma. We care about the result, but not so much about the person.

The fight scenes are spectacular and if the Mayweather-Pacquiao match had been that good, people would be demanding a rematch. The championship match, in particular, was brilliantly crafted and choreographed. There’s suspense, compelling character arcs, and riveting reversals that drive your seat of excitement. The initial rounds were almost complete and the subsequent rounds were compressed into highlights of damaging hits. This segment of the film was shot in four hours, the time allotted by arena officials. Therefore, the exhaustion and fatigue exhibited are probably real.

There are some amazing twists to this story, making it both moving and engaging. These are very well set up and advertised without being too obvious. The acting is top notch across the board, including the supporting actors. Michael Clarke Duncan’s performance in particular was rock solid and brought energy and direction to this crucial role. He had a backstory to tell and he delivered it with great sensitivity and empathy. This was Michael’s last role, as he died at the age of 54 and never saw his final work.

The relationship between mother and son required a delicate balance between protective love and determined purpose. S. Epatha Merkerson and Kent Moran beautifully express this aspect and each express their opposing views. Also, Kent Moran is to be commended for taking on such a physically demanding role while he served as director and lead actor. Kent trained for six months at Manny Pacquiao’s gym in Venice, California, preparing for the role of him.

Another actor who made this a worthy movie is Justin Hartley, Jaden’s opponent in the championship match. His overconfidence and his inflated ego nicely set up the challenge in dramatic terms and polarize our loyalties. The fact that he fights dirty adds to the dangers Jaden faces.

The production values ​​portray the Bronx location as a gritty underdog and it’s Jaden’s dedication that gives hope to its downtrodden residents. Giacomo Belletti’s camerawork keeps us in the mix, deftly moving to provide questions and answers about what will happen next. Composer Pinar Toprak’s score clearly provides the dramatic energy that guides us through this emotional journey. The edition by Anthony Muzzatti and Kent Moran articulates the struggles very well, the way out of poverty to support her mother.

This film goes further and shows that if we fight for who we are, we can become winners. Film reviewed at Dances with Film Festival, Hollywood.

CREDITS: “The Challenger” stars Kent Moran, Michael Clarke Duncan, S. Epatha Merkerson, Justin Hartly, Frank Watson, Stan Carp, and Ernie Sabella. Production design by Kay Lee and Rebecca Slick; Art Direction by Amy E. Bishop; Costume Design by William Eng; Guy Guido makeup; Cast of Tiandra Gayle; Music by Pinar Toprak; Edited by Kent Moran and Anthony Muzzatti; Photography by Giacomo Belletti; the Director of the Second Unit, John-Michael Damato; executive producer Michael Clarke Duncan; Produced by Ellyette Eleni, Adam Hawkey and Kent Moran; Written and directed by Kent Moran; Production Company – Wishing Well Pictures, Inc.; HD, Unrated, 95 minutes.