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The movie boasts a talented ensemble, telling the true story of coach Ingle, who guided a cheeky Sheffield teenager from Middle Eastern migrant family. Dubbed “Prince” Naseem Hamed, the fighter was coached to confront prejudice and molded into a media-friendly world champion in the 1990s. The trainer nurtured his showboating arrogance and lethal fists, but after becoming rich, the boxer betrayed his coach, excluding him and making him a mix of Falstaff and Danny Rose.

Performers and Roles

Pierce Brosnan plays the trainer; Amir El-Masry takes on the role of Hamed, and Stephens appears as the bullish London promoter Warren, who recognized the goldmine that Ingle had discovered.

Film’s Shortcomings

However, the movie honestly misses the Prince’s fancy footwork: the fight scenes flow well, but the crucial story between them is repeatedly flat and monotonous. It lacks subtlety or light and shade in the depiction of Hamed himself, and El-Masry, an otherwise outstanding performer, isn’t given the opportunity to display any depth or much of what might make his character truly engaging – although he’s clearly been training and appears convincing in the ring.

Problems with Script and Sound

The drama is repeatedly burdened by functional, explanatory dialogue that inform you precisely what is happening and what we are supposed to be thinking (“You started your boxing journey at age seven …”). This is the kind of dialogue that digital producers call “second-screen”, ensuring you understand what’s going on while you’re watching the movie but also glancing at your phone. And, the score is overbearing, sometimes almost overwhelming, especially in the scene where Hamed gets too excited calling on the promoter in his luxurious residence.

Performances and Key Moments

Although El-Masry and Brosnan do their considerable best, their relationship never really ignites, and the major fight scenes are frequently anticlimactically truncated. The most important moment is surely when, provoked beyond endurance in the training facility one day by Hamed as a delusional “old man”, the trainer actually offers to step into the ring and box him. All present in the room is stunned and uncomfortable. In what way is this insanely unwise confrontation going to unfold? How precisely the ending? Surely the Prince is going to defeat him? Alternatively will he sentimentally pull his punches? It’s not clear.

Highlights and Humor

This isn’t to imply that there are no some nice jabs. The actor elicits humor when Ingle tells a reporter what he’s teaching the youths from his local community: to reject bias and when you encounter a paedophile, “Punch him in the groin”. Amusing too when the boxer squirms at the ridiculous antics Ingle makes him do in the beginning: posing as the “monster from the Middle East”.

Storyline and Final Thoughts

As for the falling out, the film depicts this as being worsened by a revealing book that the trainer is allegedly written (a story element clearly adapted from prior material), and there is an interestingly conceived final conversation – however the emotional tribute that Hamed is reportedly paid to Ingle after his passing is merely mentioned in the closing credits, and not shown on screen. There is engaging content here, but the blows fail to connect.

Giant was shown at the festival and is available in British and Irish cinemas from 9 January.