Beatdown (2010) Movie Review, Trailer, Film Still and Poster

USA 2010
Director: Mike Gunther
Cast: Rudy Youngblood, Eric Balfour, Danny Trejo, Susie Abromeit, Jeff Gibbs, Brett Brock
Rating: R
Release Date: 31 August 2010
Running Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

The Movie Review

Beatdown film still 1


BEATDOWN
Storyline:
Cast:
Ending:
Overall:

Honest to GOD, if not for my fond of martial arts movies or fighting genre, I would've thrown this DVD to beat the crap out of my neighbor's pet! (well at midnight of course). Man! There is something about this movie that sucks! But arrghhh... the fighting scenes are great! Very intense! I guess this kind of dilemma can only be solved with a glass of cold cappuccino! And when I could sit through the mess in Beatdown, I'd honestly say this is a pretty good amusement for fighting films fans!

Beatdown revolves around Brandon (Rudy Youngblood of Apocalypto (2006)), a respected fighter who can knockout his opponents in satisfyingly brutal signature. He fights for the money and his beloved brother acts as his manager. But after a fight which Brandon won, his brother got killed and no one knows who did it, but one thing does Brandon soon learn is that his brother had owed a racist mobster, Gino Ganz (Luis Olmeda), a large sum of money US $60,000! Gino and his goon are pressing on Brandon and he had no choice but to leave the city to a simple redneck town to live with his estranged father (Danny Trejo).

To fill some time, Brandon works in a construction as palette-stacking employee and he befriends a nice dude but experiencing arrested-development, Todd (Jeff Gibbs). At first Brandon finds no life at the town, but when Todd takes him to a part on Friday Night, Brandon finds the love of his life, Erin Dean (Susie Abromeit). Erin fills his time nicely but another surprise awaits him, there is one thing very nice and comfy for him to do... Underground Fight Club! Who will Brandon fight and learn to know this time? Will he get the money for Gino Ganz?

Was the director high on something or has he had some very serious headache?! Who would've known? All I know is I got headache after seeing this atrocious motion picture. Because the word "motion" in Beatdown is translated into obnoxious sets of Zoom, Flash, Slow-Motion, Repeat, Zoom the fingers, Zoom the Lips, Flash, Flash, Flash, Slow-Motion!!!! Just What The F*ck?!!!! It's like the filmmakers are trying to achieve a new low in awful filmmaking! Even calling this movie a B-movie is an insult to B-movies! But surprisingly it seems that in the middle of the movie the filmmakers suddenly become sober! And everything goes normal, and this time, normality is highly yearned!

And also during this time, Beatdown becomes interesting and features the more positive aspect of it, mainly only three things. First, the fighting choreography which is good, brutal and rough! Second, the sound effect and shockingly-becoming-interesting-camerawork! Third, the acting department... Rudy Youngblood proofs he is more than just beat-em-up savvy but also shows some emotional moment with his father and Rudy Youngblood does have some chemistry with Susie Abromeit (of Cross (2011). Susie Abromeit proofs to be more than just eye candy! It's great to see her around in this male-dominated population and she can give some emotional tears and expression during her scene with Eric Balfour (of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003). In fact, the real eye candy is Danny Trejo! :) As always he appears as some kind of insurance to attract potential viewers. All things considered, if you could withstand the the atrocious over-stylized directing style, then action fans will find Beatdown worth a spin!

> Indie action cinema with a Heart: Circle of Fury (2010).