Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

A Brilliant Conflict

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

It is both painfully honest and laugh-out-loud funny at the same time.

I noticed Justin Hartley's name in the credits, so the first 5 minutes of the film I thought I was seeing Hartley on the screen. Then when there was more light in the next scene, I thought this actor "can't be" Justin Hartley, and I wondered why does he look so similar?! The film's protagonist is actually Kent Moran, who's several years younger than Hartley and has a similar hair color, hairline, hair style, eye color, face shape, chin cleft, and body type as Justin Hartley. It was like watching Sylvester Stallone fight Frank Stallone in a Rocky movie. Other than the film's main characters looking so similar, the movie was decent. It depicts a black woman who adopted a white son, and that's something you don't see every day.

The film had potential overall, despite its flaws in lead character transformation. We needed to feel more engaged in the process as the story line developed. The Challenger may have missed the mark in accurately portraying the sport of boxing, but a story of 'the underdog overcoming the odds' never grows old. Novice writer/director, Kent Moran, may have a bright future ahead of him if he continues to hone his craft by taking more risks and researching subject matter with greater detail. As an actor, I would like to see more layers of emotion and facial expression invested in a lead character role as this one. Body language is a very powerful thing. It should reach out with more intensity, willing to reveal its vulnerable side. That is how an audience connects to integral characters and relates to the underlying story. You have to experience a certain amount of empathy it intends to project as the film progresses.I did enjoy the film's merit and prose, and in particular the presence of Michael Clarke Duncan in his final supporting role as an actor. He did add substance and warmth to this project. The personal tribute and clip of him supporting The Challenger, including its modest crew, spoke volumes about his character and dedication to the small budget film industry. R.I.P. Michael C. Duncan. Never to be forgotten. ~D~

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.

This movie despite some of the bad reviews and press it's gotten is an exceptionally well made film with a good cast that played their roles well. They had a low budget and a limited amount of time to get this movie done but the movie doesn't show that side to it at all, it had gripping moments that made you edge closer out of your seat. Everyone loves an underdog and this movie was all about the underdog, yet it showed with hard work anything is possible, it's an inspirational movie, the story was great, something you see less of day in and day out, no fancy film effects, just brilliant camera-work, excellent choreography that made everything so realistic, so believable. Everything in this movie had a purpose, everything was for a reason, nothing makes you sit there and think "Why was that there?" everything in your mind has a purpose for the movie, it builds the characters, there were no wasted scenes here. I think with a bigger budget and more time, this movie could have added a lot more, and really shown the world an even more in depth character that would make you wish the movie went on longer than it did.For me, I would highly recommend this movie to anyone, a lot of bad movies have been released lately, and it was nice to see something true to the art come from The Challenger. This movie for me was perfect for what it was, I'm not a critic and I don't rate every movie I ever watch and critique it, but I have taste, and I have a mind that can tell the truth from the bull, and this movie was truthfully refreshing.