StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Mischa Redfern I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Stephanie There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

jimbo-53-186511 Jaden Miller (Kent Moran) is a mechanic who lives in the Bronxs with his mother Jada (S. Epatha Merkerson). Both Jaden and his mother have little money and are faced with the threat of eviction, but Jaden sees an opportunity to rid his family of their financial woes and decides to take up boxing. Jaden strikes up a friendship with Duane (Michael Clarke Duncan) a boxing coach who refuses to train 'rookies'. Duane is initially cynical of Jaden, but when he witnesses Jaden's dedication and determination he continues coaching him all the way up to the top where Jaden eventually faces off against the world champion.With The Challenger what you're basically seeing is another reworking of Rocky with Jaden going through the same basic motions; a rookie boxer working his way to the top and defying the odds by getting that elusive title shot. Anyone who has seen the Rocky films (or practically any boxing film) will have seen this all before and the picture really does offer no real surprises. Despite this though, I have to admit that I still found the film watchable and despite the predictable plot turns I still found the story to be fairly engaging. Moran's writing & directing is pretty good and the film is fairly balanced and well-paced.One problem I did have with this film is that it is lacking in intensity; I quite liked this film, but it didn't stir up the same emotion in me as Rocky did or many other boxing themed films. I just didn't feel much passion for Jaden and his cause and for that reason I just couldn't get behind him and his cause as much as I should have done. In fact, when the film ended it's a film that I respected and admired, but could never really grow to love.As Jaden's mother, Jada behaves in typical 'motherly fashion'. She's mortified about Jaden's new career choice and does her best to talk him out of it, but then when he's at the top she couldn't be more proud. This is nice to see (even if her sudden acceptance of him being a boxer seems a bit contrived). This is all OK, but Moran overdoes things in this respect by giving Duane and Jaden's mother a past - which is just manipulative and unnecessary and also the flashbacks when Jaden hits the canvas in his title match are examples of Moran trying too hard to force emotion onto his audience.I've been quite harsh on this film, but in all honesty it really isn't that bad. The pacing is good and Moran's story is serviceable - the only part that I thought was a bit silly was when the crew were following Jaden around 'documentary style'. I can only assume that Moran introduced this into the story to inject some originality - it also seemed terribly convenient how quickly this aspect of the story was dropped as well. Moran's directing and writing are OK, but his acting wasn't great and he really should have given more of a heart to the picture. The Challenger is notable for being Michael Clarke Duncan's last film and in typical fashion the big man doesn't disgrace himself and puts in another solid performance.RIP Michael Clarke Duncan.

evihann As a big boxing fan, I find myself more attracted to fight films than I really should be. Please, please leave my favorite sport alone. I'm too much of a loser not to watch. Did he not think to get someone on board who knew something about boxing when he made this (and hired himself as the protagonist). By the way, you are nowhere near 175 pound Light Heavyweight size, you could have made it about a 154 pound fighter and that's still a great division. Why's your opponent sitting in the corner before the fight starts? That doesn't happen. You don't touch gloves then sit in your corner and get a pep talk. You don't get to sit until the end of round 1!Why doesn't your build/ size change when you go from being a non- athlete to a full time boxer? Why did you go from 0 bouts as an amateur straight into the pros? Why was the number 7 spot in the WBC fighting in a bout against a novice from the club circuit? Why do you throw straight arm punches with a really bent arm like a hook? You do know they're different punches right? How is this the fight of the 21st century? It's almost like you really hate boxing so you made a really flawed film to get your own back on the boxing community.

Big Goaty I couldn't enjoy this film as the storyline was just too far fetched. A poor white guy decides to become a professional boxer to earn money to resolve a family issue. This same guy has no previous boxing experience but after a few months of what appears to be very ordinary training turns pro. Despite being only being a club fighter he can afford to give up his 9 to 5 job as a mechanic to focus full time on boxing. At no point is there ANY explanation as to why he is able to rise so fast in the pro ranks - no reference to having supernatural one punch power, no comments that the kid is a natural or even that he has been lucky enough to spar with some great pros to explain the development.7 fights in fights the light heavy champ of the world - both fight like bums, take a beating, never hold and the fight is so poorly choreographed it is an embarrassment !

A_Different_Drummer When Stallone did Rocky I, you would think from the hype at the time that he invented the boxing film.No he did not. He re-invented it. Boxing films have been around forever and the first rule of a good boxing film is to connect with the audience by allowing them to "grow" with the protagonist, to improve from fight to fight.And that was the first rule the producers broke.Given the minimal amount of screen time alloted to the "early" fights for the protagonist/hero (in some cases just 2 seconds per fight) you may have thought that these were real cable fights where the producers did not have the rights to rebroadcast. But no this is a fiction film and they could have made those fights real. They did not.Frankly, once you break that key rule, once you have no connection between star and viewer, there is no turning back.But, almost out of perversity, the producers broke another rule and that amazes me. They cast two actors who look alike for both roles in the ring, hero and villain.So, and I cannot emphasize the bizarreness of this enough, not only does the audience have no connection with the hero in the final fight, but sometimes you can't tell which actor is playing which role.And the final rule? Good choreography in the fights. The audience should feel every punch. Here the audience only feels cheated.A rarity. A boxing film that, like a bad boxer, starts out weak. And then just gets weaker.Of course, the fact that the film is a "vanity" film -- the same guy is the writer director and star -- may be a factor. But what do I know -- I am just a reviewer.Terrible film.