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The movie boasts a talented ensemble, telling the true tale of Irish boxing trainer Brendan Ingle, who guided a cheeky Yorkshire teenager from Middle Eastern migrant parents. 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 nurtured his showboating arrogance and powerful punches, but after achieving wealth, the boxer betrayed his coach, excluding him and making him a blend of Falstaff and Danny Rose.

Cast and Characters

Brosnan portrays Ingle; El-Masry takes on the part of the prince, and Toby Stephens is the assertive promoter Warren, who saw the potential that Ingle had discovered.

Where the Movie Falls Short

Yet, the film frankly lacks the Prince’s agility: the fight scenes flow well, but the all-important drama in between is repeatedly flat and monotonous. There is no nuance or light and shade in the depiction of the protagonist himself, and El-Masry, an otherwise outstanding performer, doesn’t get the opportunity to display any subtlety or much of what might make his character truly engaging – although he’s obviously been working out and appears convincing in the ring.

Problems with Script and Sound

The drama is repeatedly burdened by utilitarian, expositional lines that tell you precisely what is happening and what we are supposed to be thinking (“You started your career at age seven …”). It is the kind of dialogue that streaming-TV producers call “second-screen”, making sure you understand what’s unfolding while you’re viewing the movie but also glancing at your device. And, the background music is overbearing, at times nearly deafening, especially in the moment where the boxer gets overexcited visiting Warren in his palatial home.

Acting and Pivotal Scenes

While the leads do their considerable utmost, their relationship doesn’t quite ignites, and the major boxing moments are frequently disappointingly truncated. A key scene is certainly when, provoked beyond endurance in the gym one day by Hamed as a delusional “elder”, Ingle in fact offers to get in the ring and fight him. All present in the room is stunned and uneasy. How exactly is this extremely risky standoff going to unfold? What will be the ending? Surely the champion is going to defeat him? Alternatively will he emotionally hold back? It’s not clear.

Bright Spots and Comedy

This isn’t to imply that there aren’t some nice jabs. Brosnan elicits humor when his character informs a journalist what he’s teaching the youths from his local community: to oppose prejudice and when you encounter a offender, “Punch him in the bollocks”. Amusing too when the boxer fidgets at the ridiculous stunts the coach makes him do in the early days: acting like the “monster from the Middle East”.

Plot and Conclusion

As for the rift, the movie depicts this as being exacerbated by a tell-all book that the trainer is supposed to have written (a story element evidently adapted from another source), and there is an interestingly conceived last discussion – although the emotional tribute that Hamed is supposed to have paid to Ingle after his passing is only referenced in the end titles, and not shown on screen. There is interesting material in this film, but the punches fail to connect.

Giant screened at the festival and is available in UK and Irish cinemas from January 9.