The real fight is among the pros. The Hollywood pros. While indies come and go, Oscar-Winner and A-Lister Berry made the unforgivable error of not only directing, but also casting herself, and even choosing a non-traditional topic. For a woman, that is. Which is why most of the trade reviews talk more about her choices than the film itself. Which is a shame because the film is competent, professional, holds the attention, and has first-rate acting. Last time I looked, that is what films were supposed to be about? ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))
242 Reviews
Worth Seeing A Least Once
sdotsamuel29 November 2021
I wasn't going to see this but after a friend told me it was decent I watched it. For a director debut, it's good. I might watch it again. It did deal with a few topics that were hit or miss but overall, it was worth watching ince.
I think it was a decent 1st attempt for Halle Barry.
midnitepantera19 November 2021
I've always liked Halle Barry and Damn, Girl still looks GREAT, she's Not all Botoxed to death and Duck Lipped like most female stars in her age range.
This wasn't as good as Million Dollar Baby, by Eastwood. But for her 1st time, (both acting in and directing) And considering the overwhelming physical subject of MMA Fighting for a woman over 50, I think She is VERY BRAVE!! And that little boy was Amazing just using his emotions to convey SO MUCH! And how Heartbreaking was that song? Just the 2 of US????
Sheila Atim is amazing, I swear, I could feel the ZEN vibes in her chanting. :D I hope Halle sticks to it, as women directors still have a hard road, even in 2021. I think she's like a fine wine, she keeps getting better with age. And hopefully we will see future directorial works from her that will do the same. ;D.
This wasn't as good as Million Dollar Baby, by Eastwood. But for her 1st time, (both acting in and directing) And considering the overwhelming physical subject of MMA Fighting for a woman over 50, I think She is VERY BRAVE!! And that little boy was Amazing just using his emotions to convey SO MUCH! And how Heartbreaking was that song? Just the 2 of US????
Sheila Atim is amazing, I swear, I could feel the ZEN vibes in her chanting. :D I hope Halle sticks to it, as women directors still have a hard road, even in 2021. I think she's like a fine wine, she keeps getting better with age. And hopefully we will see future directorial works from her that will do the same. ;D.
It could've been much better with less cliches, melodramatics and subplots.
Top_Dawg_Critic22 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The 129 min runtime was way too long for this story. Berry was excellent in her directorial debut and on the other side of the camera. I didn't mind the personal drama with her and the adorable Danny Boyd Jr., but the rest of the personal melodramatics were over the top and just unnecessary filler. Adding the LGBT wokeness affair with her trainer was just cringe and politics. The feminism was enough, we didn't need anything else. Casting and performances were spot on, as was the fight choreography. The score/soundtrack was too much, too loud, and too constant. Shevchenko was on point and it was good to see Nunes as well. If you're an MMA fan, you will certainly enjoy it more than the critics did. It's a well deserved 7/10 from me.
Lots of emotion and soul searching
tazeemali-7920227 November 2021
Good job! 👍🏿
BudoSenpai24 November 2021
Halle delivers with her directorial debut! She put a lot of hard work in this film, and it's worth a watch. "We" have to go high when "they" go low! It's as if the haters can't wait to post their negative comments! This movie is certainly not a 1/10, but they never get tired of themselves.
A shining Halle Berry but...
DLochner30 November 2021
Halle Berry's directorial debut. The actress and director are the best part of the whole movie. Because the problem is not the director, but rather the script. Many ambiguities, numerous clichés of the lower class and many scenes are simply a copy of numerous martial arts films. The film is too predictable due to its clichés and therefore not a good debut. A shining Halle Berry but a tired film.
Not good
Horror_Flick_Fanatic30 November 2021
It's not exactly Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby {2004}. The story wasn't great but Halle Berry performance was good as usual. I am impressed with her athleticism at 55. I hope she keeps up her impressive action roles. She was great but the story wasn't.
Warriors ball
kosmasp30 December 2021
Do I love Halle Berry? I think I would be lying if I said I didn't. Not sure if that makes me biased ... ok it does. Still I don't think anyone can knock her performance in this movie. And the amount of training and effort she put into this. To say that is amazing would be an understatement. And with every great character in a story we know that she is seriously flawed. From her abusive relationships, to her own self worth awareness, to her way of living and self destroying tendencies.
We may know where the movie leads us or will lead us. But that does not mean that the movie is less intriguing or interesting. There are many facets and many things we can see and maybe even learn from this. Keep on the good fight, don't change who you are ... try not to be bitter. And get help - mental health is an important thing. As is keeping the body healthy, same goes for the mind. And keep people around you that are not putting you down! Sometimes easier said than done ... but when a movie is there to show you things like that, maybe it helps along ...
We may know where the movie leads us or will lead us. But that does not mean that the movie is less intriguing or interesting. There are many facets and many things we can see and maybe even learn from this. Keep on the good fight, don't change who you are ... try not to be bitter. And get help - mental health is an important thing. As is keeping the body healthy, same goes for the mind. And keep people around you that are not putting you down! Sometimes easier said than done ... but when a movie is there to show you things like that, maybe it helps along ...
Good intentions
calicut11026 November 2021
Boring cliches
wumbi2 December 2021
It took a massive fighting spirit to survive this movie. Berry puts every single cliche sports movie troupe imaginable into one uninspiring fighting story. Would be so much better had there been more fighting. Instead it's filled with cliche and boring subplots that is void of any emotional challenge leaving the audience nothing to connect with.
Engaging and Brave
penelope-3155825 November 2021
Ignore the bad reviews. This is an engaging movie that's more about resilience and compassion than fighting. Halle Berry was believable as a fighter both in and out of the cage. Watch it and make up your own mind, ignore the critics. It's an engaging and brave movie.
"But you just wouldn't die, would you?"
classicsoncall15 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I debated watching this film for a few days because I had no desire to watch another clichéd and formulaic fight story. And to be quite honest, I had no desire to see Halle Berry in a role that called for a battered face sporting black eyes, cut lip, and whatever else goes with a martial arts beating. I relented though, and caught this on Netflix the other night. The story fulfilled expectations I had for a by the numbers story, with the added wrinkle of Berry's character, Jackie Justice, coming to grips with the arrival of a young son she lost custody of when she divorced some years earlier. I had some trouble with the name 'Justice', feeling it was a nod to the woke culture of dealing with life's grievances, of which Jackie had to endure her share. I also question the casting of Sheila Atim as Jackie's trainer Buddakhan, who's looks didn't suggest having been around the fight game long enough to be of value. On the plus side, Berry's performance in the training and fight sequences was really impressive for someone her age. The fight scenes in the ring were exceptionally well choreographed to look very physical and demanding. Both she and her opponent Lady Killer Chavez (Valentina Shevchenko) made it look as real as possible on the way to a 'Rocky' style ending in which Lady Killer won a split decision, but Jackie was the victor in the eyes of the ringside fans as the people's champion. The picture ends, as one might expect, with Jackie's son Manny (Danny Boyd Jr.) finally relenting to take her by the hand for a double feel good ending. Which as I stated earlier, fulfilled all the expectations one might have for a formulaic fight film.
I wouldn't recommend it to someone who is looking for another great sports-fighting film
Neptune16519 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Its horrible terribly BAD. Well the film is awful, with poor fight scenes, no heart, and no soul. And (you'll only get this if you watch the movie). The fight scene with Valentina was ridiculous. The opening scene was ridiculous, She jumping out of the cage mid fight. How was she dominating in BJJ? When was that established? We only see her kickbox training. No antagonist build up... absolutely nothing. It was so terrible . The plot is just bad. The little fight scenes is typical Hollywood mess . You can tell berry doesn't know how to throw a punch .The sub plot w the kid never goes anywhere.... It's just training montages over and over and over, This one however, is painfully the same. It was so cliche and just didn't have the authenticity that it needs to be believable. Bruised, it made me cringe a bit, as an mma fan it reminded me of Ronda Rousey's career in mma, even the staredown with Lady Killer looked like a staredown between Ronda and Miesha (look it up if you haven't seen their staredowns). I feel like this movie was a fantasy for Halle Berry where she wanted to be a part of those important moments in mma, and then she added the story with the son, lol. The main event fight scene, well, I know it's a movie, but it felt really choreaographed.
Response to your comment on bruised
patrickwoodyellis-3851326 July 2021
Halle Berry taking 2nd billing has nothing to do with the color of her skin or white women getting top billing. It has to do with financing. No matter what the race or gender of a movie star is, some will take 2nd billing to reduce the budget of a movie so the movie can get made for less money so it makes a profit. Sometimes a movie star will take no salary to get financing secured for a movie so it gets made. 🙂
Half decent drama, weak fight film
bazza_mckenzie0224 November 2021
Halle Berry is great in this and her and the kid are the stars of the film.as a pure drama its half decent.
For an mma focused film with someone who was meant to have fought for a ufc title she can't throw a kick and has the takedowns of someone who's never had a fight.
Valentina looks great fighting but it's a poorly choreographerd fight.
For an mma focused film with someone who was meant to have fought for a ufc title she can't throw a kick and has the takedowns of someone who's never had a fight.
Valentina looks great fighting but it's a poorly choreographerd fight.
Berry is Impressive In This 2021 Rocky Story
tkdlifemagazine26 November 2021
Halle Berry continues to evolve and demonstrate she is a movie franchise all on her own. Her acting in this is as good as ever. She now establishes herself as a serious Director of a complex film to curt her teeth on. While the UFC is the darling of the MMA fight world there are few who ever make it to the top and even fewer that ever stay there. This is, essentially, a Rocky story for the 21st Century. It is dark, in many ways-both in its story and in its look, but it is good. I did not love this one because it was a little long and very painful to watch on many levels. It has a lot of humanity and a lot of heart. The supporting cast, particularly Danny Boyd and Sheila Atim are outstanding. As a martial artist for more than 35 years it is hard to watch some fight films where the acting is good but the fighting is not realistic. Berry started on a path to real training with 87Eleven for the John Wick franchise and it obvious that she has a passion for the arts and a high skill level. What makes someone a martial artist? 3+ years of training, even for a film, qualifies in my opinion.
Really enjoyed it
davegir-4561627 November 2021
Halle Berry brought heart and soul into her character of Jackie Justice, i really enjoyed the storyline of "Bruised" i thought there were many good points in it which made it a really good first attempt for directing by Halle Berry.
Underwhelming
Justabrowser18 November 2021
Just finished watching this.
If you follow MMA you spot a few familiar faces in this.
The only reason I watched it is because Valentina Shevchenko is in it... I mean literally the only reason!
She is a legend of MMA and if you are not familiar with her, go check her out.
One of my issues is that there are some terrible actors in it. I mean for eg if you are an MMA fan like me, when you listen to the man and woman commentating the final fight.. it's horrendous to endure. They sound like radio personalities reading from a script.. just so unrealistic.
But even if you are not familiar with MMA the acting is still very 'hokey' along with other side characters/actors.
Without spoilers there are some odd parts to the story that don't really get explained. Things are kind of hinted at, eg someone she meets in the movie.. at a key point just ups and leaves and reappears at the end... it just seems very very sloppy how it was handled.
The movie has it's moments but nothing I feel that warrants it getting a higher rating than a 5 max.
Maybe others will enjoy it but for me it was generally underwhelming.
If you follow MMA you spot a few familiar faces in this.
The only reason I watched it is because Valentina Shevchenko is in it... I mean literally the only reason!
She is a legend of MMA and if you are not familiar with her, go check her out.
One of my issues is that there are some terrible actors in it. I mean for eg if you are an MMA fan like me, when you listen to the man and woman commentating the final fight.. it's horrendous to endure. They sound like radio personalities reading from a script.. just so unrealistic.
But even if you are not familiar with MMA the acting is still very 'hokey' along with other side characters/actors.
Without spoilers there are some odd parts to the story that don't really get explained. Things are kind of hinted at, eg someone she meets in the movie.. at a key point just ups and leaves and reappears at the end... it just seems very very sloppy how it was handled.
The movie has it's moments but nothing I feel that warrants it getting a higher rating than a 5 max.
Maybe others will enjoy it but for me it was generally underwhelming.
Heart-Racing & Heart-Breaking
JoshuaMercott27 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Marking the super-talented Halle Berry's directorial debut, "Bruised" on Netflix landed all the right punches. You can't quite come up with an 'original boxer story' these days, so I went in with an open mind and found an entertained exit.
Michelle Rosenfarb's screenplay was practical and neat, with no fuss or fluff. ASKA provided the musical score, which was culturally powerful. Frank G. DeMarco's cinematography was the real winner, owing to how much he had to capture and yet how less, so the viewer wouldn't be bewildered.
Noteworthy costume design by Mirren Gordon-Crozier complemented wonderful work by Kait Murphy on set decoration, Tommy Love on art direction, and Elizabeth J. Jones on production design. The crews who worked on stunts and VFX, as well as special effects, all made "Bruised" feel authentic. Editing teams did splendid work as well.
All in all, Halle Berry stole the show as both director and artist. Her role as former boxing superstar Jackie Justice was profound and contained several humane layers.
Valentina Shevchenko, as the "Ladykiller", was good. Jackie's boyfriend Desi, played by Adan Canto, did good work. Jackie's mother Angel McQueen, played by Adriane Lenox, was noteworthy. Jackie's little son Manny Lyons Jr., played by Danny Boyd Jr., gave a nice innocent performance.
Fight trainer "Buddhakan" Bobby, played by Sheila Atim, was great. Immaculate, played by Shamier Anderson, gave a suave and cunning performance. Pops, played by Stephen McKinley Henderson, brought some great support.
Netflix's "Bruised" contained thrills and 'human' storytelling value. It was both heart-racing and heart-breaking to watch. A single mother, washed-up boxer with dreams of a comeback, and human being trying to find her way in the world... This movie was worth watching just for Halle Berry's enthralling performance.
Michelle Rosenfarb's screenplay was practical and neat, with no fuss or fluff. ASKA provided the musical score, which was culturally powerful. Frank G. DeMarco's cinematography was the real winner, owing to how much he had to capture and yet how less, so the viewer wouldn't be bewildered.
Noteworthy costume design by Mirren Gordon-Crozier complemented wonderful work by Kait Murphy on set decoration, Tommy Love on art direction, and Elizabeth J. Jones on production design. The crews who worked on stunts and VFX, as well as special effects, all made "Bruised" feel authentic. Editing teams did splendid work as well.
All in all, Halle Berry stole the show as both director and artist. Her role as former boxing superstar Jackie Justice was profound and contained several humane layers.
Valentina Shevchenko, as the "Ladykiller", was good. Jackie's boyfriend Desi, played by Adan Canto, did good work. Jackie's mother Angel McQueen, played by Adriane Lenox, was noteworthy. Jackie's little son Manny Lyons Jr., played by Danny Boyd Jr., gave a nice innocent performance.
Fight trainer "Buddhakan" Bobby, played by Sheila Atim, was great. Immaculate, played by Shamier Anderson, gave a suave and cunning performance. Pops, played by Stephen McKinley Henderson, brought some great support.
Netflix's "Bruised" contained thrills and 'human' storytelling value. It was both heart-racing and heart-breaking to watch. A single mother, washed-up boxer with dreams of a comeback, and human being trying to find her way in the world... This movie was worth watching just for Halle Berry's enthralling performance.
Worth a watch
anesujane6 January 2022
They dragged one fight out way too long
nathanmanson26 November 2021
I thought this was going to be her fighting her way back to the top not just one fight. A 2 hour film for one fight just isn't worth it in my opinion. If I knew that before watching it I definitely wouldn't have watched it. I also don't understand how she can just walk into a title fight like that but it is what it is. I feel like if you watched this and you don't watch MMA you'd actually enjoy it. Was just way too average to be anything big. If they had her fighting her way through the ranks before the main fight it would've been a lot better. It's a film about MMA yet we actually so no fighting. I understand she was fighting outside the cage but she literally only had one fight in entire 2 hour MMA film.
I guess you either hate it or love it
rotini-5258622 November 2021
Thought it was a pretty good movie. The negative reviews are way off base. Struggles were mostly outside the ring . Definitely worth a watch. Director debut by Halle was a total success . Strong women ! Open your heart and watch this movie.
Good movie
jayaxelhickey23 November 2021
This is a good movie very well acted. It can feel slow at time but it's meant to be. The biggest fights are never in the ring but what happens outside of the ring. As a former fighter I can't tell you the mental struggle is real this movie shows that. Could of done without the woke lesbian part but other then that a good movie.
probably the worst fight scenes in any movie ever
justinsjackson3 December 2021
I actaully like Halle usually - but there is a certain amount of arrogance in making an MMA movie and not really bothering about the MMA part. Story line was all over the place - I am sure they missed out on at least one cliche but they got allll the rest in. I guess there is a certain market for the film - I have seen positive reviews. If you like the idea of Hallmark Movies doing an attempt at a "gritty" MMA redepmtion tale then this is for you.
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