UNBEATABLE (激战) DVD (2013)

SYNOPSIS: Fai (Nick Cheung), once a world champion in boxing, escapes to Macau from the loan sharks and unexpectedly encounters Qi (Eddie Peng), a young chap who is determined to win a boxing match. Fai becomes Qi’s mentor and rediscovers his passion to fight not only in the ring but for his life and ones he cares…  

MOVIE REVIEW:

Taking a detour from his usual cop and robber thrillers, director Dante Lam teams up with his screenwriter partner Jack Ng to craft an uplifting sports drama that revolves around MMA. Despite a shaky start that introduces the audience to our three leading stars, Nick Cheung, Eddie Peng and Mei Ting, the narrative seems to gain a life of its own when the scribing unwittingly lure us into the trauma faced by the protagonists shortly after.

Scumbag Fai (Cheung) is a washed up ex-MMA champion. Homeless and heavily in debt, Fai decides to hide in Macau and works as a janitor at a boxing club. Renting a room with a single mother, Gwen (Mei) and her feisty young daughter, Dani (Crystal Lee), he soon learnt the tragic death of her son causes Gwen to develop mental illness. At the boxing club, he gets to know Siqi (Peng), the son of a bankrupt tycoon who decides to participate in a coming MMA competition for the prize money of $2.7 million. When the paths of these three poor and lost souls converge together, a tale about redemption and inspiration is thus born.

No doubt the premise borders along predictability and near melodramatic at times. But Lam manages to balance out the action and storytelling with plenty of ease. There are of course the obligatory training montages when Fai decides to accept Siqi’s invite to be his coach, moments to showcase Eddie Peng’s well-toned, chiseled body no less. There’s even playful moments between mentor and disciple that reeks of pure fun.

However, it’s Cheung’s little scenes with Gwen and Dani that offers much more mileage especially when Dani begins to look up to Fai as her surrogate father. A sudden attack by Fai’s debtors marks a critical turn of events for the family of three though fortunately the movie still delivers its message in the end. On the other hand, Siqi’s dramatic scenes with his dad (Jack Kao in a rare departure from his usual gangster roles) suffer in comparison due to the lack of exposition.

Taking a far more realistic approach in staging the MMA matches, the fights are brutally choreographed though not exceptionally violent. The punches and kicks brought out the no-holds-barred techniques and the appearance of Andy On as a cocky opponent in the climax is a surprise delight. Indeed Unbeatable is Dante Lam at his best. And we can say his regular cast member; the 47-year-old (looking stunningly lean and muscled) Nick Cheung is the real shining star right here.   

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Just a Trailer

AUDIO/VISUAL:

The original Mandarin and Cantonese soundtrack is intact on this DVD though the Dolby Digital 2.0 sounds a little muffled and suffers from unevenness. 

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by Linus Tee