| Redbelt | 
 enlarge | Director: David Mamet
Actors: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tim Allen, Emily Mortimer, Max Martini, Matt Cable
Studio: Sony Pictures
Category: DVD
List Price: $27.96
Buy Used: $4.08
You Save: $23.88 (85%)
New (40) Used (37) from $4.08
Avg. Customer Rating:  31 reviews
Sales Rank: 8644
Format: Ac-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Subtitled), French (Dubbed)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 99
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: COLD26168D
UPC: 043396261686
EAN: 0043396261686
ASIN: B001C5LLMI
Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Release Date: August 26, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
A fateful event leads to a job in the film business for top mixed-martial arts instructor mike terry. Though he refuses to participate in prize bouts circumstances conspire to force him to consider entering such a competition. Featuring ufc heavyweight champion randy couture! Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 08/26/2008 Starring: Tim Allen David Paymer Run time: 99 minutes Rating: R Director: David Mamet
Amazon.com
Like David Mamet's previous films, Redbelt's narrative slowly exposes the well-guarded secrets of systems shrouded in mystique and conspiracy, this time at martial-arts academies and on Hollywood film and television sets. Reminiscent of Rocky, Redbelt is an unapologetically moralistic tale of an impoverished, inner city Jiu Jitsu instructor whose idealism is an affront to those who seek to sink him. Mike Terry (Chiwetel Ejiofor), unknowingly affiliated with the wealthy Brazilian family who rigs televised MMA matches, naively rescues actor Chet Frank (Tim Allen) from being mutilated in a bar brawl, but isn't able to link Frank's sketchy relations until Terry's life is endangered. Fated to assist Terry is attorney Laura Black (Emily Mortimer), who conveniently stumbles into Terry's Jiu Jitsu academy early in the film's opening. With an impossibly mandarin plot, Redbelt is packed with improbable coincidences and confusing, maze-like dead-ends, but the sheer brainpower required to sleuth along keeps one riveted throughout. Plus, it is hard not to be thrilled by ample, accurately enacted Jiu Jitsu fight scenes. Mamet's actors deliver deadpan, poker-faced dialogue to comedic effect, especially Ricky Jay, who plays an MMA star's corrupt manager. Allen, also, is surprisingly suited to portraying an untouchable, overly serious Hollywood film star. Even Redbelt's subplots revolve around fighting: while Frank shoots a war film, Terry hashes it out with his wife who urges him to earn some cash. In the end, one wonders if Terry's uphill struggle isn't representative of the director's attempt to sift through convoluted narrative threads for an archetypal hero legend that is sparklingly simple. --Trinie Dalton
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 26 more reviews...
 David Mamet at his best December 1, 2008
David Mamet's audience is used to his style: fast paced witty dialogues and intelligent plot. Double treat of this movie is that this time Mr. Mamet is both film playwright and director. "Redbelt" is set is a large cosmopolitan town where a martial arts teacher with a pretty Brazilian wife is trying to make ends meet with his little martial arts school. His students are mainly police officers but very few others come "off the street". His wife has her own clothes design business but money is tight. Unexpected set of events during late night hours at the school sets everything and everyone in motion. Before long it is obvious that Mike Terry, our main character, is being played by his wife, his former jiu jitsu colleagues and the martial arts agents. How can one man uphold the honor of the academy and teachings he enforced on his students? Will the moral code and principle win over the corruption? This is a smart movie that will move you more than you could possibly imagine.
 A good film about the ethics of martial arts October 28, 2008
A man who lives by a strict code of bushido is tangled in a web of corruption, lies and deceit. While able to live an ascetic existence, rather than disgrace his school and his teacher, he is unable to cope with how his pride affects those around him. He must budge, but how far will he bend? On par with The Karate Kid and Throwdown, Redbelt is a great film about a traditional martial artist in an over-commercialized world.
Another Good Mamet flick! October 9, 2008
Another Good flick from Director/writer Mamet! In the spirit of Spartan, Ronin, and The Spanish Prisoner Mamet once again weaves a plot and story that makes you both question what you know and what you think you know. Buy it! later!
This was a rough draft of a movie that could be pretty good October 8, 2008
Mike Terry (Chiwetel Ejiofor) runs a martial-arts studio, always emphasizing the arts' use being rooted in self defense only. He has a reputation as a passivist, but his honor is tested when a series of events back him against a wall. He is played like a fool and has to regain his honor and come up with enough money to pay off his debts.
This was not your typical martial-arts movie -- well, it wasn't really a martial-arts movie at all. Sure Terry is a teacher, and the movie involves a competition, but the movie is more about the web woven by writer and director David Mamet. The plot is mainly about the trouble Terry suddently finds himself in with no feasible way out and the jiu-jitsu is used almost like a prop. I enjoyed how each of the characters became involved, voluntarily or otherwise. Each player was a pawn in the game. I enjoyed this movie only for what it could have been. In execution, it was a weak effort.
And while David Mamet may be known for his obscure plots and confusing endings, this movie left much to be desired by way of substance. It was VERY rushed and moved too quickly. To defend the pace, the ideas were not that complex and required little to set them in motion. But the movie could have easily been given some depth and lengthened. I feel that this story could have been better sold to HBO or someone as a mini-series rather than a stand-alone movie. There were many characters that warranted more attention than they were given, but before you knew it, the movie was over.
Maybe Mamet was trying to capitalize on the popularity surge that mixed martial arts has enjoyed recently. I fall in with the crowd that has made MMA fighting something to watch. I have to admit that I was disappointed in the lack of fight scenes.
 Refreshing October 3, 2008
Ok, I have watched more martial arts movies than care to mention and dependng on my mood I want them to deliver something different. Sometimes when I was young I wanted pure action, no story needed ex. old jackie flicks before he owned his own production company. Other times I wanted what most burgeoning martial artists wanted , and that is a motivational film if you will with a master you could look up to living a lifestyle we would like to strive for. In my opinion this film is the latter, A great master actually living his principals in a modern world. The icing on the cake is the "realistic " aspect if you will of life STOMPING on him because he is trying to fight the way of the world lol.
Some people might be a little let down because there is not copious amounts of fighting but with todays action movies using special effects ie transporter etc and wire work ie forbidden kingdom , the very raw ,clean looking ju jitsu is very satisfying and leaves you wanting more. I rented the movie from blockbuster last night and I am orderng it today lol.
|
|
|
