Tommy Riley has moved with his dad to Chicago from a 'nice place'. He keeps to himself, goes to school. However, after a street fight he is noticed and quickly falls into the world of illegal underground boxing - where punches can kill.
Marshall makes a promising feature debut; and Herrington, pushing beyond the expected triumph-of-the-underdog cliches, underpins the crowd-pleasing Rocky-style fight action with some unobtrusive social comment and confident visual storytelling.
– ,
Time Out,
24 Jun 2006
rotten:
The screenplay, contrived to suit the genre, is likewise replete with stock characters.
– Rita Kempley,
Washington Post,
1 Jan 2000
rotten:
Let's make things perfectly clear. Gladiator is utter trash masquerading as an action picture with a message.
– Desson Thomson,
Washington Post,
1 Jan 2000
fresh:
The idea of the Dennehy's illegal boxing arena is a storytelling masterstroke; it explains the small crowds at the same time it permits the boxers to fight dirty.
– Roger Ebert,
Chicago Sun-Times,
1 Jan 2000
rotten:
The mixture may be slightly unexpected, but it still manages to be predictable all the way.