‘Knockdown’ travels deep into the underworld of Bangkok
Todd Bellanca’s Knockdown, previously known as The Bad Penny, is not your typical boxing movie. There are no big matches. There are no comebacks. There is hardly any fighting within these 93 minutes. When we first meet Jack ‘The Ripper’ Stemmons (Casey T. Evans), he’s overweight, bearded like Jerry Garcia and living a downtrodden life in Bangkok, Thailand. The former boxer is in southeast Asia for two reasons: the locale enchants him, even though he doesn’t quite understand its limitations, and back home in the United States is hostile territory.
We learn in flashbacks that the biggest fight of Stemmons’ career had him headed for fame and money. But when a bookie (Tom Arnold) fixes the fight, the young boxer’s dreams are smashed and violence seeps into his eyes. He fights back against the criminal system and may need to pay the ultimate price. The only way he can survive is by getting out of town and staying there.
But Bangkok doesn’t prove any less safe. He falls for too many prostitutes, including Nok (Bai Ling), and Marcus (Nick Faltas), an old friend, pays him a visit.
The entire movie, written by Sasha Levinson and Bellanca, is told with a dizzying number of flashbacks. We only know the proper time in the story by the number of pounds hanging over the Ripper’s belt. His athletic days are far behind him. His present reality is slower, more drug-induced and overweight.
Because there are so many flashbacks, the plot takes on a needless complexity. Knockdown is a quite simple movie, but its hidden behind flashy editing and a plot line that can never sit still for a few seconds. It’s a shame that so much feels disconnected to the overall story, because Bellanca’s film is actually not that bad. Evans is a believable actor, and he plays the brooding boxer with reality and genuine pain. Arnold is enjoyable as the violent bookie as well.
The real victim of the movie is Bangkok. This city has come under such scrutiny and negativity in the cinematic realm that viewers must think it’s a hellish town. From The Hangover Part II to Knockdown, the city has gained a reputation akin to Las Vegas. One of these days we’ll see a more sentimental (and truer) take on the Thailand capital city.
Knockdown, which had a limited theatrical release, will not be remembered as one of the great boxing movies. There’s no humor. The story is scatterbrain. But still the movie knows how to keep one’s attention. Bellanca comes at his sordid tale with an expert eye and the talents of a professional. The camera angles he’s able to capture of both the city and the characters make for some original, neo-noir visuals. He hasn’t quite pieced them together into a coherent story, but Knockdown can’t be faulted for lack of trying.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
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Knockdown
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2012
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Directed by Todd Bellanca
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Written by Bellanca and Sasha Levinson
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Starring Tom Arnold, Casey T. Evans, Bai Ling and Nick Faltas
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Running time: 93 minutes
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Rated R for bloody violence, sexual content, language and some drug use
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Rating:
What an absolutely horrible film this was. I live in the middle of Bangkok in a nice neighborhood, just down the street from Dean and Deluca. What city in the world this movie was filmed in, I have no idea — but it wasn’t modern, sophisticated Bangkok. Where are the 5 star hotels, the luxury stores, the banks and world class hospitals? What an out of date portrayal of one of the world’s fastest growing metropolises.
US cities like Detroit and Chicago have infinitely more dangerous shadows than BKK.
Complete rubbish. save your money….