Boxing, known as the sweet science, is also known in Hollywood to be the ticket to a sweet movie.
From such classics as "Raging Bull" and the "Rocky" series to the recent story of boxing legend Ali, the art of pugilism has enthralled audiences. And for good reason. There is no other sport or subject matter that is such a metaphor for life -- and "Undisputed" takes this fact to heart.
In one memorable line, James "Ice Man" Chambers (Ving Rhames) says that he is not an athlete, but rather a gladiator. In another, Monroe Hutchen (Wesley Snipes) describes how any fighter can be beaten on any given day -- all you can do is see how long you can stay on top.
So beyond the glory and the long train of predecessors, here's the plot. Amid questions of false accusations, Ice Man, the world heavyweight champion, is convicted of rape and sent to the maximum security Sweetwater prison in the Mojave Desert.
Here he encounters something he hasn't seen in years: another undisputed champion. Hutchen, a former rising talent outside the walls, is a convicted murderer, and for 10 years has been undefeated inside and outside of the prison circuit.
When Chambers finds out that he is not the one and only champ, he sets out to prove himself.
The presence of the two men creates a unique opportunity for boxing enthusiast and former mobster Mendy Ripstein (Peter Falk). With the help of his assistant, Jesus "Chuy" Campos (Jon Seda), he sets up a boxing match between the two champs, leading to what is the predictable but emotionally charged final fight.
Director and writer Walter Hill and writer David Giler have an excellent handle on boxing and the world and emotions surrounding it.
And though the script is slow starting, they are able to convey the level of emotions surrounding this most important of moments by using two charismatic and sympathetic characters set in the most primal of settings.
The desire for victory within not only each man, but also within those cheering for each man, is so palpable that one could find himself pulling for either one.
In Chambers, though dancing awfully close to a Mike Tyson spoof, "Undisputed" provides an insight into what life is like as a heavyweight champion, both the good and the bad.
In Hutchen, the film presents a much more reserved character --one about whom we get to know much less, yet for whom we feel just as, if not more, sympathetic.
And even the supporting cast boasts likable, down-to-earth characters, even if they are all criminals. Seda, as the loyal if sometimes fallible right hand man, and Michael Rooker as A.J. Merker, the prison guard who facilitates this boxing program, turn in two of the best performances.
One of my personal favorite performances comes from Peter Falk, who is exceedingly convincing as an aging mobster. He also has one of the most memorable scenes in recent movies, in which he curses the circumstances that brought him out of Florida, where people knew how to do "business."
The two most impressive performances, however, are clearly reserved for Snipes and Rhames. Both look like and play very realistic boxers. And after a not-so-good opening match, the ending fight is long, brutal and convincing as a boxing match, even if it is not as technically and expertly filmed as those in "Ali."
Snipes has a more wiry build and is a Kain-like sage-fighter. He is a self-disciplined and restrained man who spends his time building elaborate structures out of toothpicks.
Rhames, on the other hand, is huge and intimidating. He very effectively conveys the violence and the arrogance that comes from being the best fighter in the world. But at the same time he also shows a thoughtfulness and deepness that keeps the viewer from dismissing him.
"Undisputed" is definitely worth going to see. Not only is the boxing cool and the script and the acting good, but it includes memorable scenes.
One is at the end when it becomes clear just what the fight meant to everybody. The other immediately became one of my personal favorites -- three convicts singing the national anthem. As all the rest join in, the scenes cut back and forth between the two fighters preparing to meet.
And even though I honestly began the movie not liking it, this scene gave me shivers. Just this -- it's enough to make me want to see "Undisputed" again.
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