Blood and Bone

Michael Jai White has turned himself into a tremendous fighter. I am not sure if this is a recent phenomenon or if he has turned up the heat for himself. He is Isaiah Bone in this B rate film. His nemesis is Eamonn Walker who is James.

Walker is James in this movie is a organized crime gangster in a area in a city in the USA. It could be any city. It is most likely an east coast city but I am not sure which one. He has a posse on the payroll and he has a massive fighter who pummels all opponents. Until he meets the force of Bone.

This movie is unoriginal really, last year had Fighter and the year before that had Never Back Down. Every year I am sure has a similiar film but it seems this type of genre was recently started with Never Back Down. The latter certainly had the hottest girls.

Bone was sent to prison for reasons I can not describe but he meets a guy in prison and befriends him. He is killed in prison, Bone's friend. His friend had a child and gorgeous wife on the outside. He was framed by James and James took over his wife. Her name is Michelle Belegrin and her character's name is Angela. She is stunning. James is classless for his treatment of her.

James wants to hire Bone to fight the world's best. James hustles up some money, $5 million and takes a racist and controversial lecture from Julian Sands who is Franklin McVeigh. McVeigh is an Irishmen who is the globe's financier of malitias and gangster world wide. McVeigh funds third world wars, perhaps both sides. James knows McVeigh through the underworld dealings.

McVeigh has a stud European kickboxer who is a world class fighter. But after James puts up the money to order the fight, Bone backs down. He was not in it for the money but for mucking up the world of James. Bone knows James is a terrible person and killed his friend in prison. He has knows this man should not have been in prison in first place, James framed him. James reaction is all wrong when Bone says he will not fight McVeigh's superstar; he did not have to grab Bone's landlord, a nice woman. He could have just threatened her without her being known and Bone would know he can not protect everyone. Bone kills all of James' thugs in the next 20 minutes. But James knows Bone is coming for him but McVeigh collaborates with James and has his men and fighter ready. There is a stage set up in grand finale.

This movie was largely unimpressive unless Bone was fighting. White should be given some serious roles since his fighting ability is superb. Perhaps Statham and Walberg can act a little better but that is debatable. This fight scene at the end is amazing. It does equal some of the Tony Jaa's fight scenes in The Protector. The Protector was overall superior by far but this final knuckke up meeting between McVeigh's star and Bones is worth the weight. In fact, just skip the entire picture to this scene. It takes about 5 minutes and it is magnificent. The music is helpful as well.

James ends up losing his hand when Bones purposely loses. I am not sure who wins the $5 million. McVeigh does not deserve it since his boy was finally beat by Bone. A sword fight ensues between James and Bone. Again, another over reaction by James. James, for all his lectures about profanity and controlling one's emotions, he is a poor example. He could have just implored to McVeigh that he should win the money, recieve his $5 million in return plus another $5 million as well. McVeigh seemed impressed with Bone and probably would have obliged. James is arrested and I am sure McVeigh has his bases covered. He seemed pretty confident.

I allocate this movie two stars.**