OK, first let me say that the only character in this "queer" film who actually admits to being queer is promptly stomped into paralysis by one lead character while the other leadTravis the brave boxerlooks on from within a spasm of closet queen cowardice.
OK, next let me admit that the premise of this film is truly intriguing and that the illustrated degrees of brutality, homophobia and self hate certainly do exist (within places and people that I strive hard to stay far the hell away from). Even so, I would have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know a thug-sexy boxer whose homo feelings only surface when he clenches with another fighter. To experience this, I would have withstood a moderate amount of epithet slinging, misogyny, gay bashing and melodrama. Unfortunately this noxious muddle of hate and overwrought character acting is given more weight than the main character's emotional awakening (such as it is).
Also, some of the plot points are implausible. It seems curious that, while gay bashings are the norm in Travis's clique, he is spared the dark alley ambush in favor of graffiti epithets and a ringside psych out. Though some of the thugs have a stake in Travis's career, it seems unlikely that all of these hard-drinking, impulse control impaired lads would have restrained themselves.
I hesitate to venture that a promising premise was sacrificed to give Brian Austin Green a showcase for the sinister heat(?) that transformed his 90210 character from geeky sidekick to laughable b-boy wannabe. Also, I won't dwell on the home life scenes that are so clichéd that you'd think you were watching 90-666.
Films of this type seem to want to have it both ways. They glorify violence to make the "point" that violence has negative effects on all concerned. Thus they sell to the bashers as well as the (gullible) bashed.
Lastly, I'll leave it to you to decide if you want to suffer all this to reach a climax in which the hero finally admits that he hates being aroused by men but that he loves channeling that arousal and self hate into annihilating rage.
Hmmm wow how original.
OK, next let me admit that the premise of this film is truly intriguing and that the illustrated degrees of brutality, homophobia and self hate certainly do exist (within places and people that I strive hard to stay far the hell away from). Even so, I would have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know a thug-sexy boxer whose homo feelings only surface when he clenches with another fighter. To experience this, I would have withstood a moderate amount of epithet slinging, misogyny, gay bashing and melodrama. Unfortunately this noxious muddle of hate and overwrought character acting is given more weight than the main character's emotional awakening (such as it is).
Also, some of the plot points are implausible. It seems curious that, while gay bashings are the norm in Travis's clique, he is spared the dark alley ambush in favor of graffiti epithets and a ringside psych out. Though some of the thugs have a stake in Travis's career, it seems unlikely that all of these hard-drinking, impulse control impaired lads would have restrained themselves.
I hesitate to venture that a promising premise was sacrificed to give Brian Austin Green a showcase for the sinister heat(?) that transformed his 90210 character from geeky sidekick to laughable b-boy wannabe. Also, I won't dwell on the home life scenes that are so clichéd that you'd think you were watching 90-666.
Films of this type seem to want to have it both ways. They glorify violence to make the "point" that violence has negative effects on all concerned. Thus they sell to the bashers as well as the (gullible) bashed.
Lastly, I'll leave it to you to decide if you want to suffer all this to reach a climax in which the hero finally admits that he hates being aroused by men but that he loves channeling that arousal and self hate into annihilating rage.
Hmmm wow how original.