Review by Brian Tallerico 

At first, Redbelt might seem like a departure for David Mamet. “A martial arts movie from the man who gave the world Glengarry Glen Ross? What is this? Never Back the F**k Down?” Mamet has always written about people who use words as weapons (all those f-bombs in GGR, American Buffalo, Speed the Plow, or Oleanna might as well be well-timed punches or kicks in an MMA match), but Redbelt actually tones down the language in favor of a quiet, confident hero who often chooses silence over confrontation. Only when it’s over do you realize that Mike Terry (Chiwetel Ejiofor) fits firmly into the history of memorable characters that this masterful writer has given us. Mike is a man who struggles to keep his head above water in a world that's constantly trying to drown good people – a common Mamet theme. And his story makes for one of the more interesting ones of the year to date, a film that doesn't quite stand up with Mamet's best (the amazing House of Games, great The Spanish Prisoner, and underrated Spartan) but is still far more engaging and interesting than most of what has come out during this awful year-to-date.

Mike teaches his Jiu-Jitsu students that there are no situations from which you cannot escape. Even if a man has you pinned against the wall, you can slowly move your body into a position where you gain the advantage. But two major events happen nearly simultaneously forcing Mike to put this theory to the test. In one, a troubled woman named Laura Black (Emily Mortimer) accidentally discharges a gun in his studio, and in another, Mike gets involved as an advisor to a Hollywood hotshot (Tim Allen) and his nefarious manager (Joe Mantegna). Through a series of Mamet-esque twists and turns, Mike finds himself stuck in a situation where he's forced to do something against his beliefs - use his incredible fighting skills to win not only a competition but also win back his good name. The title refers to the ultimate honor in Jiu-Jitsu, a level above even the traditional black belt.

The Olivier-award winning Ejiofor grounds Redbelt in a believable world, and it's his incredible performance that carries the film over a few rough patches, particularly in the final act when Mamet turns a few too many characters into unbelievable plot devices. It's not until then that you realize that the whole movie has been about Mike and Mike alone, but an actor like Ejiofor, who I'm fully convinced will someday win at least one Oscar, can take the weight of an entire film on his shoulders. And he's not the only plus about Redbelt. Despite a few unbelievable twists, Mamet has crafted another consistently riveting work of film noir, closest in his repertoire to Spanish Prisoner. Mike is a classic character of the genre, a man caught by the powers-that-be in a situation only barely of his own making. Once again, the world is conspiring against another Mamet character. This one just happens to know how to kick your ass.

Rating: THREE AND A HALF BONES

Release Date: May 9th, 2008

Rating: R

Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Emily Mortimer, Tim Allen, Alice Braga, Rodrigo Santoro, Joe Mantegna, Rebecca Pidgeon, David Paymer, and Ricky Jay

Director: David Mamet

Writer: David Mamet