Review of Redbelt (2008) by James H — 10 Oct 2010
In Redbelt, Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Mike Terry, a man trying to live an honourable life in a corrupt society. But only if it were that simple; like most of David Mamet's work, there's a labyrinthine plot involving Terry and his wife, his martial arts studio, fight promoters, an aging Hollywood star, and a jittery lawyer (amongst other things). Also like most Mamet, everything is balanced well and converges in a way that is damn near impossible to predict.
The film also features typical Mametian razor-sharp dialogue and jabs at Hollywood. But one other thing to note is Redbelt is Mamet's most cinematic film (just look at anything pre-Spartan and you'll see what I mean). Mamet and cinematographer Robert Elswit have created a visually dynamic film. As well, the cast is uniformly excellent, including a stunning performance by Ejiofor and a serious turn by Tim Allen (!). What it all adds up to is one of the best films of 2008.
This review of Redbelt (2008) was written by James H on 10 Oct 2010.
Redbelt has generally received positive reviews.
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