🔗 Share this article The Giant Review: Naseem Hamed Movie Featuring Brosnan Lacks the Punch The movie boasts a talented ensemble, depicting the real-life tale of Irish boxing trainer Brendan Ingle, who mentored a cheeky Sheffield youth from Middle Eastern migrant family. Known as “Prince” Naseem Hamed, the youngster was taught to confront prejudice and molded into a media-friendly titleholder in the late 90s. The trainer cultivated his flamboyant arrogance and powerful punches, but after achieving wealth, Hamed turned against his coach, cutting him out and turning him into a blend of Falstaff and Broadway Danny Rose. Cast and Characters Pierce Brosnan plays Ingle; Amir El-Masry embodies the role of Hamed, and Stephens appears as the assertive promoter Warren, who recognized the potential that Ingle had uncovered. Film’s Shortcomings Yet, the movie honestly misses the Prince’s fancy footwork: the boxing sequences flow well, but the crucial story in between is consistently flat and monotonous. There is no nuance or light and shade in the portrayal of the protagonist himself, and El-Masry, an otherwise excellent talent, isn’t given the chance to display any depth or much of what might make his character truly engaging – although he’s clearly been training and looks very plausible in the ring. Dialogue and Music Issues The drama is often lumbered with functional, explanatory lines that tell you precisely what is happening and what we are meant to feel (“Your journey began your career at age seven …”). This is the kind of dialogue that streaming-TV executives call “double-screen”, ensuring you know what’s going on while you’re viewing the movie but also glancing at your phone. And, the score is overbearing, sometimes almost deafening, particularly in the scene where Hamed gets overexcited calling on the promoter in his luxurious residence. Acting and Pivotal Scenes Although El-Masry and Brosnan do their very utmost, their dynamic never really comes to life, and the major fight scenes are often disappointingly cut short. The most important moment is certainly when, goaded beyond endurance in the training facility one day by Hamed as a delusional “elder”, Ingle in fact offers to step into the ring and fight him. Everyone in the gym is shocked and uncomfortable. In what way is this extremely unwise confrontation going to play out? What will be the outcome? Surely the champion is going to defeat him? Or will he sentimentally pull his punches? It’s not clear. Highlights and Humor This isn’t to imply that there aren’t some nice jabs. Brosnan gets laughs when Ingle tells a reporter what he’s teaching the kids from his local community: to reject bias and when you meet a paedophile, “Punch him in the groin”. Amusing too when Hamed squirms at the silly stunts the coach makes him do in the early days: acting like the “beast from the East”. Storyline and Final Thoughts As for the rift, the movie depicts this as being exacerbated by a revealing publication that the trainer is supposed to have written (a plot point clearly adapted from prior material), and there is an interestingly imagined last discussion – although the heartfelt homage that Hamed is supposed to have given to Ingle after his passing is only mentioned in the end titles, and not shown on film. There is interesting material here, but the punches fail to connect. The film was shown at the festival and is available in UK and Irish theaters from January 9.