Today’s quick review: Blood and Bone. Fresh out of prison, Bone (Michael Jai White), a talented fighter, teams up with Pinball (Dante Basco), a loudmouthed manager, to take the world of underground fighting by storm. But as Bone’s victories pile up, he keeps his eyes on the real prize: the chance to settle some unfinished business with James (Eamonn Walker), an up-and-coming crime boss, by beating his champion Hammerman (Bob Sapp) in the ring.
Blood and Bone is a martial arts action movie with impressive stunts. Michael Jai White stars as Bone, a laconic fighter and a man of principle. The film follows Bone on his quest to tie up the loose ends of his stay in prison, using an underground fighting ring to get close to his target. Blood and Bone delivers a solid serving of martial arts action, while its plot, though nothing special, develops well as the movie goes on.
Blood and Bone excels at action, thanks in large part to the talents of Michael Jai White. The fights are fast, weighty, and technically impressive. Their only real flaw is their length: Bone’s dominance in the ring tends to end the fights in brief but spectacular fashion. But the film makes up for brevity with quantity, delivering action at regular intervals from start to finish. Fans of martial arts will be satisfied.
The action is backed up by two strong leads who complement each other well: Michael Jai White and Eamonn Walker. Both are serious, imposing men with excellent screen presence. But where Bone is a fundamentally good man, James runs on raw ambition, skewed honor, and thinly-contained violence. Outside of its action, the dynamic between the two is Blood and Bone’s greatest strength, and the story does a reasonably good job of playing them off one another.
Watch Blood and Bone when you’re in the mood for basic, well-executed action. Its particular flavor of fast-paced, grounded martial arts may not be what fans of special effects or high-flying stunts are looking for, but those who appreciate technical proficiency and athletic skill should give Blood and Bone a shot.
For another action movie starring Michael Jai White, try Falcon Rising. For a martial arts action movie with a similar plot and shakier execution, try Kickboxer: Vengeance. For one with even better stunts, try The Protector.
6.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for strong action coupled with good leads and a decent plot.