Embattled Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Embattled Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 5, 2021

It’s been a long time since actor Stephen Dorff delivered an alert performance. He’s been working the B-movie circuit for some time, flirting with a few softer diversions (including Sofia Coppola’s “Somewhere”), but he’s mostly stuck with playing hardened guys in criminal situations. For “Embattled,” Dorff is once again tasked with portraying a nasty human being, but the screenplay by David McKenna (“American History X,” “Blow”) doesn’t permit the character to act as flypaper for cliches, putting in the effort to create dimensions for a seasoned MMA fighter struggling with ego and anger issues, gradually recognizing the emptiness of his life. The role is a perfect fit for Dorff, who gives one of his finest performances, and it’s a strong film overall, exploring forms of violence and neglect, but also taking a look at the true formation of masculinity and family. There are plenty of hard hits and trash talking, but “Embattled” goes beyond the sport’s aggression to grasp the wounded hearts in play.

Cash (Stephen Dorff) is a longtime mixed martial arts champion who’s grown from a young man desperate to prove himself to a rich monster who lives to belittle others. His son, Jett (Darren Mann), is following in his footsteps, but taking a softer route for fight training, also struggling with his schoolwork as a high school senior. Jett helps his mother, Susan (Elizabeth Reaser), to the best of his abilities, and he’s a caretaker for his special needs brother, Quinn (Colin McKenna). While Jett tries to remain in Cash’s world, the fighter moved on long ago, having a son with his second wife, Jade (Karrueche Tran). Receiving a shot to prove himself in the ring, Jett accepts the challenge, learning the ways of the cage with some success. However, a true test of skill and resilience arrives when a fight at a party between the father and son is captured on video, prompting MMA promoters to pit Jett against Cash in a huge Las Vegas event.

There’s ample evidence presented in the movie that Cash is based on the famous MMA fighter Conor McGregor, with the fictional creation sharing a level of uninhibited ugliness around others while offering pure power in the cage, destroying opponents and loving every minute of it. “Embattled” spends a lot of time showcasing the depths of Cash’s nastiness, with the fortysomething brawler enjoying the fruits of his labor, living in complete luxury, making sure to disparage anyone who gets near, enjoying profane putdowns and a steady stream of alcohol to keep him steady. Jett is his first born, but Cash doesn’t take it easy on the teen, encouraging his interest in fighting, but criticizing his technique and general softness, with homophobic and graphically anatomical comments common. He’s a rough man in rough shape, but he’s also a champion, which gives him license to act like a monster for adoring crowds while Jett studies such moves, learning his dad’s behavior to fit his own, decidedly less glamourous life.

Director Nick Sarkisov stages scenes of confrontation with true tension, and he follows McKenna’s lead as the story balances between the volcanic eruption of Cash and the everyday pains of Jett, who’s growing frustrated with his schoolwork, also struggling to keep Quinn out of trouble while watching Susan labor to keep the family out of poverty. There’s a lot going on in the story, but McKenna skillfully balances these lives, giving time to the characters to strengthen the community feel, threading a traumatic incident from the past throughout the picture in flashbacks, highlighting the event that severed ties between Cash and his first family. Even as an animal, Cash has his plans, trying to bring unionization to his MMA league, demanding a bigger cut of the profits due to his pay-per-view popularity. Jett also confronts his future, watching friends make moves to promising collegiate opportunities while he chases a fight dream, partially to help his mother get past her broken life, but mostly to stay connected to the only father he has.

Embattled Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation delivers a crisp look at the actors of "Embattled," which often features full body displays of the fighters and the women who love/tolerate them. Skin surfaces are exact, often highlighting muscular characters in stages of combat, and facial particulars are especially compelling, contrasting Cash's considerable wear and tear with Jett's boyish appearance. Facial hair is bushy, and costuming is fibrous, showcasing the textures of Cash's various outfits. Dimension is strong, capturing the bigness of arena fights and the expanse of domestic living. Colors emerge with authority, securing event lighting and big fashion choices from Cash. Cinematographic moods also communicate bold reds and blues, and flashbacks retain a hazy golden glow. Skintones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Source is in excellent condition.

Embattled Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix offers scale with surrounds, finding crowd response and arena atmospherics generating an evocative feel for fight sequences. Large gatherings also offer life as the story visits parties, gyms, and casino floors. Scoring cues provide precision with instrumentation and position. Low-end comes through with arena roars and pounding fights, but the soundtrack contributes some rattling response, adding real thump to music choices. Dialogue exchanges are sharp and true, securing subtle emotionality and more argumentative behavior.

Embattled Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Making Of (17:07, HD) provides a glossy promotional overview of the "Embattled" production experience, featuring interviews with director Nick Sarkisov, writer David McKenna, producer Eryl Cochran, stunt coordinator Don L. Lee, MMA fighters Tyron Woodley and Kenny Florian, and actors Stephen Dorff, Elizabeth Reaser, Darren Mann, Karrueche Tran, and Colin McKenna. Topics include a dissection of the story and the nuances of characterizations, the spotlighting of Williams Syndrome (Colin McKenna is David McKenna's real-life son), and training demands for the cast (everyone seems to agree that Dorff committed to the process in full). Universal praise is thrown around for everyone and everything, but interviewee contributions are acceptable. Highlights arrive with BTS footage, which provides a look at cast and crew camaraderie and physical activity.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:27, HD) is included.

Embattled Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Embattled" offers psychological warfare and intense introspection, but McKenna can't deny "Rocky" formula for long, soon segueing into a final battle situation between Cash and Jett, which carries enough emotional baggage to break both men. A subplot following Jett's training with Claude (Said Taghmaoui), the only fighter to beat Cash, shows promise as welcome formula, but it's cut short, with Sarkisov eager to get to the big show, which takes over the final act. Sporting cliches are there, but "Embattled" has a lot more going on than a showdown, with Dorff electric and raw as Cash, while Mann is equally committed to the intensity of the story, creating vibrant chemistry with his co-star. There are layers of mental illness and physical discomfort to work through in the movie, which certainly indulges expectations near the end, but the road to Las Vegas is paved with broken glass, and McKenna keeps the characters compellingly agonized before it's time to reach the ultimate familial standoff.