I thought this was pretty enjoyable. It’s really about as predictable as it gets - to the point where even a bare outline of what it’s about tells the whole story - but as a guy who grew up loving movies like Best of the Best and other martial arts tournament movies, it’s a fun return to a genre I once loved, set inside a sport I still do.
One thing that bugged me slightly as an MMA fan was how much they tried to crank the tension by making the sport seem extra dangerous. Lots of talk from various points about how fighters are taking their lives into their own hands when they step into the cage and how each fight is a dice with death. It’s not completely over the top with it, but considering most of the MMA in the movie looks pretty decent, that kind of characterisation of the sport lets it down a little.
Not bad though.
Grade: ***
