Art of Submission (2012)

I am rarely tempted to review a movie, but in this case I am willing to stick my neck out.Although this movie had me watching until the end, it was with a good deal of frustration. I am a one-time martial artist and a keen fight spectator, and in my opinion, the fight scenes in this movie were not (for the most part) up to snuff. I'm not saying that the fighters were amateurs, it was the choreography that annoyed me. Many of the moves and techniques seemed to be used simply for the looks, and not for authenticity. Without going into specifics (I don't want to give away spoilers) the were a lot of very poor choices of hold/grapple/blow that you simply would not see in real competition. The very experienced Ernie Reyes Sr. dropped the ball on this one.Another bug-bear was the music being that it was way too loud in some places, actually drowning out the dialogue, and inappropriate in other places.Having said all that, I thought the acting was good for the most part, and in particular one scene featuring John Savage and Ki Reyes (Oscar), which had my partner tearing up.In summary, I would not recommend this for anyone who just wants to see an MMA movie, and also not for the hard of hearing:) I'd rather rent 'Redbelt' or 'Never back down'.

Possibly the best of the growing genre of mixed martial arts films, is also a really good action film as well. The plot is simple, Eddie Reyes Junior is sprung by warden John Savage so that he can fight in the Red Canvas tournaments that are held by evil George Takei.Savage senses something more behind Ryes' eyes and wants to give him a chance a redeeming himself.Takei on the other hand just wants to make money and TV ratings.To be honest, looking at an ad for the film- which listed all sorts of awards-all for an action movie festival- I was prepared to have to sit through a really dumb "action" film with non-performances, pay check seeking actors and a clichéd plot that was dumbed down. Instead I got real performances, actors ho seemed to care about the film and a clichéd plot that has been gussied up enough that you really do care what happens. I'm shocked. Actually I'm really happy to have found this little film because its the sort of film that I will happily recommend to friends. This is one of the better low budget action films I've seen this year. Worth a look.

This movie had great action scenes on par with any best selling film. The music and storyline were hard hitting and it was hard not to root for the underdog. Real life is hard and messy and that is portrayed here. If you have really seen this movie you know that it has some excellent martial arts fighting. It's about time you see some real good triumph over evil. Some of us know what it is to hit bottom before we can even consider looking up for help. Everyone needs some hope at the end of the day though.

A typical martial arts movie. Although the acting isn't as bad as some, and the fight scenes are above average, the soundtrack is an example of how a poor choice of music and bad mixing can destroy a movie. For example, in the opening scene Voight's monologue is drowned out by the "background" music.The story is typical. The acting average. The main cast is filled with unknowns, but a few recognizable names have been included for billing purposes. Even though the better known actors aren't main characters, the remaining cast manages to carry the movie.Be fore warned, the usual final fight ends abruptly and leaves you wanting for more (perhaps an old UFC tape). The ending could definitely have been extended, and leaves you wondering if some footage was lost in the editing room. I really feel that a better ending, competent mixing and a few more fight scenes would have vastly improved the movie.With that said, the leading actor has potential. He does not over act. He seems to be able to carry a fight scene. And he actually makes the character believable. I will keep an eye out for any future movies he may be involved in. If I had been able to mute the background music, I may have liked the movie a bit more.If you are just looking to kill an hour and a half, and feel like watching some UFC fighters "doin' a movie", then this is for you.