With a forty-minute dojo fight for all ages.
There’s something of a stigma when it comes to direct-to-video (DTV) genre films, and even as a fan it’s easy to see why: many of them just aren’t very good. Their extremely low budgets are generally blamed, but that’s a hollow excuse, as talented and determined filmmakers have proven time and time again that gold can be spun from straw. The latest example of this is a modest little DTV action movie from Australia called Life after fighting. It is a very cheap film without a single big name, and although it deserves a screening in theaters, it has been relegated to being released on VOD. But also? It’s a real contender for best action movie of the year.
Alex Faulkner (Bren Foster) was a world champion, but a devastating loss and numerous surgeries caused him to take a step back toward a simpler life as a martial arts instructor. However, things are not simple for long, as various elements collide and force him to face his opponents once again. Some are seemingly harmless, like the young upstart fighter (Eddie Arrazola) who continues to challenge him to a fight on social media. But others are much more dangerous, including the jealous ex-husband (Luke Ford) of the woman who caught Alex’s attention and the men responsible for kidnapping two of Alex’s young students for a child sex trafficking ring. It turns out that life after the fight involves a lot more fights.
There will be no doubt that Life after fighting It is an independent production; It’s no coincidence that the majority of the film’s running time takes place in and around the dojo where Alex teaches, and nowhere is that clearer than in the opening credits. Foster not only stars in the lead role here, but is also the film’s director, writer, producer, and fight choreographer. Hell, he even wrote the lyrics to some of the film’s original songs. That kind of ownership is not unheard of, but most of the action stars who have ventured behind the camera (Jackie Chan, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Steven Seagal) did so after they had established themselves as leading actors. Foster didn’t feel like waiting and action movie fans should be very, very grateful.
Foster wisely keeps things relatively simple here (bad guys are hurting kids, our hero completely destroys the pricks) with a common thread familiar to anyone who’s seen action movies before. More on the action below, but first I want to talk about the soft tissue here, the downtime between fights, as Foster takes a somewhat atypical approach. A two-hour running time is arguably too long for a DTV action movie, at around thirty minutes, and I expect some (most?) viewers will find it excessive. There are elements that a more experienced filmmaker would probably cut, such as the younger professional wrestler calling him out and montages of Alex teaching martial arts classes, and Foster lets several scenes play for a second or three longer than expected. However, all of this serves to develop not only the main character, but also the appreciation for the honor and discipline that are so integral to the fighting arts. That respect is felt both by Foster and by his character, and that is no small feat.
But enough of the nonsense: let’s talk about action!
Foster helps viewers understand things that begin with Life after fightingThe opening credits as we see Alex teaching classes, demonstrating moves and training with the students. It’s a casual opening that shows off her speed and a variety of fighting styles, and it’s not long before some smaller skirmishes start raising the temperature. It all excites to varying degrees, as Foster is a highly skilled martial artist and executes moves with truly incredible speed. These smaller fights are just appetizers, however, as almost the entirety of the third act sees Alex taking on numerous bad guys during a centuries-long siege of the dojo. Necks are broken, throats torn, limbs broken and bodies slammed as he unleashes a flurry of punches, kicks and more. It’s the kind of immensely entertaining action movie that will have you cheering when very bad guys go down in violently righteous fury.
As is often the case, stuntmen and fight choreographers usually film the best action, as they instinctively know what the wrestlers can do and how to capture it so the action and performers really come through. Foster is choreographer, director and performer here, and shows an immediate eye for delivering fantastically visceral and clearly watchable fight sequences guaranteed to thrill viewers tired of excessive editing or digital trickery. Taekwondo, jujitsu, wrestling and weapons all have their time to shine as Alex moves around the dojo dishing out bloody justice. Just as impressive as the visuals is the work done by the film’s sound designer, Sam Hayward, as each blow lands with an audible impact that adds its own weight to everything. We see and hear the successes, and that in turn leaves us almost feeling them. Play this out loud, people.
Details can be found that deal almost exclusively with certain elements of Foster’s script. Women don’t come off very well because they are a combination of victim, love interest or emotional disaster. It’s a shame, since they’re students too, so let them beat up some asshole, Foster! There’s also a wildly inappropriate character choice that puts six kids in immense danger in the hopes of saving one, but ultimately it’s all forgivable in a feature debut that’s otherwise a bona fide action movie. Plus, a bad guy cuts off a little kid’s finger here, so those objections easily escape me.
Life after fighting is the real deal, and so is Foster. He’s had a healthy career in television, but the movie will make you wonder why he hasn’t been given a chance like this before. Their fighting skills are stellar – the closest comparison for style, speed, body type and chest hair is Scott Adkins – and you better believe I’m already excited to see them face off soon (seriously, someone make that happen ). – But his acting chops are equally legitimate, giving the film a main character whose internal struggle, pain, joy and rage work to bond him with viewers and achieve an emotional ending. here is hope Life after fighting It’s just the beginning of Foster’s reign of action.
Related topics: Action
