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The movie features a talented ensemble, depicting the real-life story of coach Brendan Ingle, who guided a brash Sheffield teenager from Middle Eastern migrant parents. Dubbed Naseem Hamed, the fighter was taught to confront prejudice and transformed into a celebrity titleholder in the late 90s. The trainer nurtured his flamboyant confidence and powerful punches, but after achieving wealth, the boxer betrayed his coach, excluding him and making him a mix of Falstaff and Broadway Danny Rose.

Performers and Roles

Brosnan plays Ingle; El-Masry takes on the part of Hamed, and Toby Stephens appears as the assertive promoter Warren, who recognized the goldmine that the coach had uncovered.

Film’s Shortcomings

However, the film frankly lacks the Prince’s agility: the fight scenes run smoothly, but the crucial story in between is consistently dull and monotonous. It lacks subtlety or light and shade in the portrayal of Hamed himself, and the actor, an otherwise excellent talent, doesn’t get the chance to display any subtlety or much of what might make his character truly engaging – although he’s clearly been training and appears convincing in the boxing arena.

Problems with Script and Sound

The story is often lumbered with utilitarian, explanatory lines that tell you exactly what is happening and what we are meant to feel (“You started your career at age seven …”). This is the kind of script that digital producers call “double-screen”, ensuring you understand what’s unfolding while you’re viewing the film but also glancing at your device. Additionally, the score is overbearing, at times nearly overwhelming, especially in the scene where the boxer gets too excited visiting the promoter in his luxurious home.

Acting and Pivotal Scenes

While El-Masry and Brosnan do their considerable best, their relationship doesn’t quite ignites, and the big set-piece fight scenes are often disappointingly truncated. A key scene is certainly when, goaded past his limit in the gym one day by the boxer as a misguided “old man”, Ingle actually offers to step into the ring and fight him. Everyone in the gym is stunned and uncomfortable. In what way is this extremely unwise confrontation going to unfold? What will be the outcome? Surely the Prince is going to defeat him? Alternatively will he sentimentally pull his punches? The resolution remains ambiguous.

Highlights and Humor

This isn’t to imply that there are no some good moments. Brosnan gets laughs when Ingle informs a journalist what he’s teaching the youths from his neighborhood: to oppose bias and when you encounter a paedophile, “Punch him in the groin”. It’s funny too when the boxer squirms at the ridiculous antics the coach makes him do in the early days: acting like the “beast from the Middle East”.

Storyline and Final Thoughts

As for the falling out, the film depicts this as being exacerbated by a revealing book that Ingle is supposed to have authored (a story element evidently modified from another source), and there is an intriguingly conceived final conversation – however the emotional tribute that Hamed is reportedly paid to Ingle after his passing is only referenced in the end titles, and not dramatised on screen. Some interesting material here, but the blows fail to connect.

Giant screened at the London film festival and is in British and Irish cinemas from January 9.