Forced To Fight (2011)

Forced To Fight (2011)
Director: Jonas Quastel
Writer: Jonas Quastel, Andrew Bronstew

I can't recall watching a Gary Daniels film previously. British born Daniels is a competitive kickboxer turned actor who has appeared in scores of low budget action films. Finding FORCED TO FIGHT for $1 at Dollar Tree I thought it was as good as any other film of his to start. After watching FORCED TO FIGHT I'm hoping I was wrong and it represents the nadir of Daniels' career as an actor.

Danny G. (Peter Weller) is lord of the underground fighting circuit in New York city. He controls who fights, who wins, and who takes a dive in his streaming, no rules, no holds barred exhibitions of testosterone. One fighter, Scott (Arkie DOOM: ANNIHILATION Reece), doesn't agree with being told to lose so instead beats the shit out of his opponent and makes a break for it with Danny's money. It doesn't take life long screw-up Scott long to involve his retired fighter older brother Shane back into the business. As his family is threatened and needing to pay off Scott's debts to Danny, Shane begins training to compete in Danny's macho-thons and earn some bread. But can Danny be trusted to live up to his end of the bargain?

There's nothing new about the plot of FORCED TO FIGHT. The only thing it has going for it is Peter Weller's loud performance and mediocre fights. Sadly, those are broken up with long stretches of domestic drama with Shane yelling and screaming at his wife and son that is amplified by his training and participation in fights. Hell, I spent just as much time looking to see how successful a Canadian film shot in Romania did pretending to take place in New York.

Daniels is in incredible shape and has the skills in real life to add a bit of oomph to the onscreen fights. He may not be a master thespian but his ability to act is on display despite the insipid script that has him berating his loving family every third scene. In other words he hits his marks and says his lines without stumbling over them.

How is it that Shane has an English accent but his brother doesn't nor do any other family members?

Note to filmmakers. I get that crowd scenes cost money but does it make sense to recycle a crowd scene where a fat, tall Romanian looks lost in the middle of the screen over and over? I wonder if the poor bastard ever found his way out of the crowd.

Note to self. Look a little closer at the ratings of a the next Daniels film I find at Dollar Tree before purchasing.

* 1/2 out of ****