acreativeforce I loved this movie! This is a must see for martial artist enthusiasts, especially those that respect the heart of the art and the lifestyle (I am biased because I have a great respect for martial arts).The story was interesting and well paced and I can't imagine Chiwetelu Umeadi Ejiofor being a better fit for this role. He performed the part of the ultimate martial arts instructor perfectly. His character had many layers to his personality and he drew me in with every scene. I found him to be intense, passionate, strong, but vulnerable. This actor is first rate in my book and very inspiring to watch.Although Tim Allen's part was relatively small, it was intricate, believable, and memorable. I look forward to see him in more work like this.

rowmorg This film is so superior, and yet apparently (according to IMDb) it made no money at all! The irritatingly named Chiwetel Ejiofor is a gifted British actor who embodies the heroic theme of this film: holding on to your ethics in the midst of massive corruption. Writer/director David Mamet has described corruption many times, and his bad guys always have the language, but Mike Terry (Ejiofor) has ideals, and reveres the Japanese "Professor" who holds the unique Red Belt. It's fascinatingly familiar to see Terry's world collapsing around his ears, and his debts mounting over his head. His jiu-jitsu craft comes into action when he teaches Emily Mortimer's rape-victim character to defend herself, and she provides the stimulus (in a cracking slap round the face) for him to turn round and confront his tormentors and challenge the whole MMR racket and its Gina Carano-type "star" fighters. It's a great climax, and neatly redirected when, instead of taking the mike and denouncing the event, he takes the red belt from the professor. End of picture: highly recommended.

nos5 A fantastic movie! The traditional script of a movie is nothing in comparison to this masterpiece. Whether its a fighting movie that you enjoy or a drama, this movie will take your breath away! I could not have been happier with this movie. A must watch for any true movie buff! The story is fantastic! Tim Allen plays a completely different role from his standard and Chiwetel Ejiofor gives a performance of a lifetime. Even the appearance of Randy Couture make the movie that much more believable. The fights are believable which is a rarity in a martial arts movie... Purchased this movie myself for 2$ and was the best money i have ever spent! I constantly re-watch this movie!

rbrb This film in my view is very poor. The whole movie throughout has an air of unreality about it and seems to be the product of the writer/directors pretentious ego.There is nothing remotely believable or realistic in it. Story: mournful ju jit su or marshal arts instructor, deep in debt, finds himself in a situation where all around him are corrupt or cheating him, so he has to show some warrior spirit, blah, blah, blah, etc. This is the kind of picture most people will want to stop watching very quickly as it is a disjointed and muddled mess and generally quite boring:2/10.