The Challenger (2015) | Film Review

Walking into Kent Moran’s ‘The Challenger’ – and with credits including writer, director and star, this is unmistakably Moran’s film – I was hesitant. A young man desperately attempting to climb from the bottom of life’s trappings and into the ring as a matured boxer finally getting his shot at a title fight…now, where have I heard this story before?

‘Rocky’ created this formula from scratch back in the 70’s, history repeated it often throughout the 80’s and 90’s, and just this past fall’s ‘Creed’ recycled it for a new generation (it should be noted ‘The Challenger’ was filmed long before ‘Creed’ was a blip in Balboa’s eye). So why take a chance on such an unproven amateur jabbing for a win? Because once you get past the regurgitated cliches and requisite montages, this ‘Challenger’ is a legitimate contender.

Unlike most ‘Rise of a Champion’ tales, Jaden hasn’t dreamed of ducking-and-weaving for the majority of his life. This is a man who was abandoned as a child, taken in by his African-American mother (S. Epatha Merkerson), then struggled and fought his way through life. His dead-end job and rash of poor choices have landed him on the cusp of eviction when a friend turns him on the possibility of making a few extra bucks through random fights. A shot at the reigning champion (Justin Hartley) and a reality TV series all converge to lead us to that inevitable showdown in the ring we all knew was coming long before the opening credits rolled. Moran knows he is playing on scavenged ground, therefore he elected to offer these few twists to his character Jaden’s ascent. He comes to boxing out of desperation and necessity, not for glory and riches, and there is nary a single romantic angle in sight to bog the film down in pointless melodrama. That omission in itself was enough to earn ‘The Challenger’ a shot.

Every boxing flick has to have its Jedi Paulie – the harsh trainer with a heart of gold – and not many are larger nor tougher than Michael Clarke Duncan. In what came to be Duncan’s last screen appearance, the baritone behemoth injects his patented brand of warm brashness and elevates ‘The Challenger’ every second he languishes on screen. His performance here serves as a bittersweet reminder of the unique talent we lost not so long ago, and Moran’s choice to close the film with Duncan’s own wistful goodbye is handled with the ceremonious respect Mr. Coffey deserves.

‘The Challenger’ offers a retread of ideas, yes, but it also offers enough originality coupled with a memorable performance from Duncan to raise it above the countless ‘Rocky’ knock-offs sprinkled throughout Blockbuster’s remains. It’s not quite the knock-out it wants to be, but there is enough here to warrant its time in the ring.

The Challenger is now available on VOD and DVD
Listen to our interview with Kent Moran
Starring Kent Moran, Michael Clarke Duncan, S. Epatha Merkerson
Written by Kent Moran
Directed by Kent Moran

 

Aaron Peterson
The Hollywood Outsider