By Philippe Buteau
Copy Editor
I like fighting. And what do you know a movie comes that is all about that.
Channing Tatum, the twinkle-toed marvel from the original “Step Up,” plays as Shawn MacArthur a New York City bootlegger with a mean hit. Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard) notices his right hook and gives him an opportunity to earn extra money fighting.
The story serves its purpose just fine, namely not getting in the way of the fist-to-cheek action. He fights, he gets paid, he fights, he gets paid more then he fights the final boss. MacArthur’s background is interesting, but the movie spends a bit too much time for my liking teasing something in his past which in turn takes away from the fighting.
I would have much rather learned more about Boarden, the used-to-be-big time hustler from Chicago. I don’t know how people from Chicago speak, but if Howard told me that they speak like his character, then I’d believe him. He delivered his lines with a voice and cadence that at first seemed annoying, but grew on me as I found out more about Boarden’s style and the kind of person he is.
The actual fighting in “Fighting” is bada**. The hits sound like they have real weight, and the reactions from the one hit add to that. I wish I could say more about how much I like the fights unfortunately there weren’t enough of them to talk about. Barely a handful of fights lightly sprinkled into a two-hour movie. Sure, I wouldn’t want them overdone but a little more would’ve made me happier.
Although the story stays out of the fighting’s way, the lovey-dovey stuff between MacArthur and Zulay Valez, played by Zulay Henao, is obtrusive. Throughout the movie they feel unnecessary and like something Montiel felt had to go in. The conversations between MacArthur and Boarden during the long no fighting moments add much more.
The fighting in this movie is sick, simple as that. I only wished the movie knew that or was more confident in it.
Interview with Zulay Henao
Zulay Henao, plays Zulay Valez in Rogue Picture’s upcoming movie “Fighting.” The following is an interview that I had with the actress prior to the film’s release.
Q: Your character shares your name. Can you explain how that came to be?
A: The director [Dito Montiel] really liked it and he asked if he could use it and I said yeah because a lot of people didn’t know how to say my name right. So I thought it was a good opportunity to present my name to the world and be like, “This is how you say it.”
Q: So when Shawn McArthur (Channing Tatum) says in the movie, “It’s like ‘July,’” did that come from you?
A: It did. Somebody said that to me when I was trying to tell him how to pronounce my name. He’s like, “Oh so it’s like July but Zulay.” And I said yeah and I was like that’s a good way to tell people when I meet them when they have a problem because it makes sense. So it worked. And I said it to them in the audition room and the director liked the line and he kept it.
Q: Would you prefer if she wasn’t named after you, or does that not really matter?
A: You know what, in the beginning I was like, “Do I really want it to be my name?” But I think ultimately it’ll be to my benefit. And I think it’s a different, unique, interesting name so why not. It’s fine. I never had a problem with it really.
Q: How was working with Channing Tatum?
A: He’s such a nice, genuine, sweet person. It was really fun. I mean obviously he has so much going on and there’s so much that he’s doing it was great for me to have the opportunity to work with him at this point in my career. So it was great.
Q: And Terence Howard?
A: Terence was very interesting to work with. He’s a very focused and intense actor, and I really enjoyed my work with him and watching him work. And it was great. He’s an Academy Award nominee and that’s a plus to work with someone on that level.
Q: Since he’s an Academy Award nominee, did he offer you any sort of advice?
A: He just told me to relax in my work. He told me to trust what I was doing, so I took those words and ran with it. Because he, well they both did, they all put me at ease.
Q: In the production notes you said that Zulay, Shawn, and Harvey strip each other to the bone. What did you mean by that?
I don’t think I was the one that said it.
Sorry.
A: But I think what they mean by that is that when they all meet, I think that they’re all in a very low point in their lives. These people are not people who necessarily would be friends had it not been for this fighting stuff. I don’t think that they would’ve met, or would’ve been friends under different circumstances. So I think what they meant by that is that they ultimately teach each other how to trust and love again and that’s important. Because I think, especially in a city like New York City, you’re beaten down and you’re just doing, doing doing and you’re not seeing the outcome the way you want it to be, you can get really down and low. So this is about them learning to trust each other again and to trust life and to get up from where they are to ultimately achieve their goals.
Q: How was Dito Montiel as a director?
A: He was a free director. He gave us a lot of freedom to make mistakes and to explore our characters. He was a very, very kind person. I think that his personality definitely comes through in his work. And I really loved and enjoyed his first movie [“A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints”] so I was very excited to work with him on this.
Q: What scene do you remember shooting the most?
A: The first scene because I was so nervous. It was the first day. It was the scene Channing and I shot in the park when I go up to him to apologize… to explain to him why I’ve been lying to him. It’s probably one of the most intense scenes for me. Because she’s now in love with this guy and he’s walking away from her. So it was pretty intense and it was the first day of production for me.
Q: Did you learn anything from this movie as an actress?
A: Yes I did. As you go, every job that you do I think you grow a little bit and feel more comfortable and more free to explore yourself, your experiences and what you can bring to the characters.
Q: Do you think viewers can learn anything from this movie?
A: I think aside from all the action and all the fighting sequences people are going to be able to take away something from the individual relationships that these people are making. I think we can all relate to being in a place in our lives where we’re not exactly that happy. I think that we can all relate to those moments. And I think in this movie we’re going to see three characters who are growing and evolving before our eyes and I think that’s going to be really interesting.
Q: You wrapped S. Darko (the sequel to “Donnie Darko”) before starting to shoot “Fighting”?
A: Yeah that was recent. That was last summer.
Q: Did you learn anything from that movie that you applied to “Fighting”?
A: Maybe just the experience of being on-set, but nothing from the movie itself or from the character. Samantha Darko is completely different; she’s a recluse and someone who is very dark. I don’t think Zulay is dark at all in that sense. So not from character to character, but just the experience of being on-set and working with different types of people.
Q: What do you think is the most interesting aspect of “Fighting,” whether it’s the story or the characters?
A: I think it’s that. Of course we’re all going to like the fighting sequences, but I think the underlying truth is that it’s OK to fall down, to make mistakes, and to get back up and try again. I think that’s what the movie is saying, “you have to get back up and just try again.”
Q: Are there any funny behind-the-scenes stories?
A: I keep coming back to the grandmother because I think that’s funny and everybody finds her funny. It’s been a while, so I don’t remember anything specific but working with my grandmother is a lot of fun. She brought a different energy to the set. She was really funny off and on-camera.
Q: She’s your grandmother?
A: No, no, no. [Laughs] My name. My grandmother. [Laughs]
Q: Seeing as Kevin Misher, one of the producers, created “The Fast and the Furious,” do you think “Fighting” has the potential to be that popular.
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