WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Focused. Being centered. Finding a place where everything else around you disappears and there is but one sole point of concentration, one goal to achieve, and only one purpose and way to see that end come about. For newly minted Kung Fu fighter Danny (Andy Le), his focal point, the nucleus of his search to build a reputation for himself, can only be found in a showdown with the man he has idolized for so long, Chuck (Ken Quitugua). Having prepared his mind and body through intense training and discipline, Danny seeks out Chuck, and when they meet mano-a-mano in an underground match, the two lock in a powerful and serious encounter that will prove the prowess and fire of a master matched against the expertise and capability of an apt student.
Next, my Mind:
Originally created by writer/producer/director Tran Quoc Bao as a proof-of-concept/pitch reel for a feature film, “The Challenger” is a truly potent 8-minutes of an amazingly straight-forward core vision–a contemporary-set story infused with classic Kung-Fu artistry and execution. The unembellished setting in which the two characters meet nicely compliments the main attention grabber, which of course IS the combat itself. And it is fantastically done. Le and Quitugua both shine bright and put on a fight demonstration magnificent to behold in both its relentless pacing and keen ferocity that keeps the viewer’s eyes glued to the screen. And what is best is that the fluid cinematography accompanying the action allows the dialogue-free narrative to speak for itself very clearly, and completely avoids any sense of, being honest, over-the-top cheesiness that can sometimes be found within this genre. In total, “The Challenger” is a winner through and through.
**And now—how about watching the film itself HERE.**
Now, more of my Mind:
Yes, normally the review post would have ended, and as such it has. However, I wanted to take the time to simply reiterate how important it is to find out about efforts like Tran Quoc Bao’s short film above. This was the first film in this genre I have had the honor of being offered, and was very much glad it was a truly worthy film indeed. So, this is all to say that as independent film fans, spread the word about this effort and direct people to it’s website, Facebook Page, and Twitter accounts related to it. There is a possibility that exists to see this material be turned into a feature length venture, so the more support this short film has, the more potential it has to get noticed. So action, martial arts, and indie movie enthusiasts, if you like what you viewed above, then support this through the following links and follow the progress of “The Challenger”:
“Follow” and “Like” Tran Quoc Bao’s Facebook Page: here
“Follow” Tran Quoc Bao’s Twitter Account: here
“Like” Persistence of Vision Films’ Facebook Page: here
“Like” Martial Club Films’ Facebook Page: here
Check out Ken Quitugua’s Facebook Page: here
Check out Andy Le’s Facebook Page: here
Thanks again to director Tran Quoc Bao for connecting with OneFilmFan.com and allowing my site to become another part of helping promote this great short film. Best of luck to Mr. Tran and the future of “The Challenger”! Readers, until next time, get the word out, and thank you for stopping by!
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