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Pit Fighter:

HUGEReviews.com has seen Jesse Johnson’s Pit Fighter and it is GOOD

by Christian De Matteo

            The film begins with the following caption:  “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.”  This quote from Ecclesiastes 9.10 sums up Jesse Johnson’s work on his film Pit Fighter.

John Woo took violence and beautified it.  When we think of Woo, we think of the 1,400 critics who have used the term ballet to describe his action sequences.

            Jesse Johnson has done the opposite:  Pit Fighter is brutal, hardcore and, still, brilliantly, beautiful.

            Explanation:  In the same way Leonardo da Vinci’s drawing of the human form, honest-to-goodness, no exaggerations, no cover-ups pictorial tours of human anatomy, were beautiful, it is in this sense that Johnson beautifies his exceptionally exact physical destructions.  Watching Dominiquie Vandenberg’s precise movements in the pit, you feel every damn punch, every kick, and so when one fighter literally has an eyeball knocked out of his head you believe it, feel it and cringe… with a look of awe.  It’s real.  It’s harsh.  And so it is beautiful.

            More than just a celebration of male aggression, writer/director Jesse has crafted an intricate tale of redemption and forgiveness that nods in all the right directions at all of his own heroes.  A huge fan of the genius that was Akira Kurosawa, Jesse films inventively and tells the story in a manner that, like Rashomon, needs to be put together by the viewer.  He also leaves the final decision to the audience:  Is the hero a hero, or just an eternal sinner?  Another nod to Kurasawa as well as Leone and a great tradition of film in general, is that the Pit Fighter is the Man with No Name.  His past is a mystery and he has no handle he’s aware of to use.  He also seems to crave none, more obsessed with a love from his memories than an identity of his own.  This leads to a painful realization that in order to love another, one must love themself.  Honor, love, heroism, and a past stained with innocent blood are the many quandaries the Pit Fighter must battle inside as he battles to survive outside.

            Tinged with philosophy and filled with brutality and grace, Pit Fighter proves a formidable film, fighting itself for life through a miniscule budget.  Based on my own conversations with Jesse, the movie was made for a measly $450 grand, less than the catering budget for Woo’s much less impressive Paycheck.  I would love to see what Jesse could do with a Woo-style budget and a Phillip K. Dick story.  Maybe he should try his hand next at The Man in The High Tower.

            Are there problems with the film?  Absolutely… and all of them come down to budget constraints.  Some of the acting could be better on the part of several side characters.  The film should probably be a tad longer in order deal with two unfinished plotlines that were also very interesting.  And, my biggest issue, the final scene should have been bigger with better blood and actions effects.  Not CGI mind you, as the lack of that here was a relief, but explosions rather than sparks and slash-squibs for an otherwise wonderful samurai sword sequence.  Again, Jesse just needs a bigger budget.  For what he had, though… damn good.

            So when can you see Jesse Johnson’s Pit Fighter?  Well, we’re working on that.  I for one do NOT want a straight-to-video release for this little diamond in the rough.  I would love to see this kind of film in the theaters, with a full, big screen release, shocking the hell out of viewers who haven’t seen anything like this in a long time.  With plenty more balls than a Van Damme kickboxing flick, and a ton more brains and soul, Pit Fighter promises big things for it’s stars, particularly Dominiquie Vandenberg and Stephen Bauer, both of whom are excellent as well as writer/director Jesse Johnson who obviously is only at the very beginning of an explosive career.

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 The Stuff of Warrior Legend

by Joseph De Matteo

THE LEGEND IS TOLD
           The Pit Fighter is a man who fights his way back to reality, picking up honor in the process.  In a world as hopeless and black as any; in a game that has a lifetime’s worth of ruthlessness in every match, the Yanqui deals out his murderous wrath like a warrior monk, and becomes a legend in the process.

           Dominiquie Vandenberg portrays El Yanqui (Jack Severino).  El Yanqui is a pit fighter that gives more to his gambling fans than just the excitement of a savage, no-holds-barred match.  He is a constant force, something to rely on, someone to momentarily hitch their lives to and share in a victory.  In crime ridden, civil war torn San Cristobel de Las Casas, in southern Mexico, El Yanqui is a shred of light in their bleak existence: he gives them hope.

            Rich in metaphor, plot references and nods to classic films, Pit Fighter’s only flaw is in its complex plot and flashbacks; it will require multiple viewings, which is fine, since the film is eminently rewatchable.  The fight scenes are hard, gritty, well filmed and thoroughly brutal.

            I feel the film must be looked at from the point of view of the Pit Fighter’s fans.  One could say that Vandenberg plays two, even three incarnations of a remarkable man.  Who was the El Yanqui?  Who was Jack Severino?  Who, one should ask, was the man that they both became?  Only the legend is left to tell us. 

            The action sequences are the material of that legend.  Amidst bullets, explosions, blood and guts this ferocious, unstoppable warrior carves his way into the annals of warriors.

            Steven Bauer shows us a petty criminal who finds a way to a better life by managing the Pit Fighter.  He is the honorable criminal who finds himself dealing directly with the devil.  In his fine acting ability, Bauer shows us with physical mannerisms and subtle facial gestures why Manolo was destined to be what he always was, a petty criminal in search of a satisfying life.

            Giancarlo Valentino brings us Carlos, a criminal boss who is willing to do whatever must be done to satisfy his ambitions; in this he is the complete opposite of Manolo.  Fernando Carillo as Veneno, is the perfect right hand man to the ruthless Calrlos.

            These actors, under the direction of Jesse Johnson, have brought to screen a film that has you brushing shoulders with characters and settings that are not so far from real.  This film tells you that you should be appropriately fearful the next time your car breaks down on the very wrong side of the tracks.

            A Wish: Pit Fighter the GAME.  If true to the movie it could not help but be one kick-ass game.  After you see Pit Fighter a couple of times write the producers and demand the game.

            An Inevitability: Pit Fighter on DVD.  Yes.  I want that!  And let me say this to you, Jesse Johnson, I want to see more.  I'd love to see the director's cut, everything Mr. Johnson had to leave out, but wanted in.  The complete Pit Fighter, that would grab you by the balls, and knock some teeth out too.

            The DVD: In every town that has men who celebrate warriors Pit Fighter will be a crown-jewel of every collection. 

            Prediction: Pit Fighter will be the new Warrior Cult favorite.  I've got friends in Europe and Asia that I know will want to own this movie, as well.

The only problem: The budget for this film was a modest one.  Had director/writer Jesse Johnson had more funds the resulting film would have had a much broader audience right out of the hopper.  You can clearly see where the money was spent, those are the strongest visual parts of the film.  While I’d love to see the production that a larger budget would have produced, I’m grateful for Pit Fighter as it stands.  Look for big things from Jesse Johnson in the future.

The DVD will be a must have for your action collection.

Joseph De Matteo August 2004