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The movie features a talented cast, depicting the real-life story of Irish boxing trainer Brendan Ingle, who mentored a cheeky Yorkshire youth from Middle Eastern immigrant parents. Known as Naseem Hamed, the fighter was taught to stand up to prejudice and transformed into a media-friendly world champion in the 1990s. The trainer cultivated his flamboyant confidence and lethal fists, but after becoming rich, Hamed betrayed his coach, excluding him and turning him into a mix of Falstaff and Broadway Danny Rose.

Cast and Characters

Brosnan portrays Ingle; El-Masry takes on the part of Hamed, and Toby Stephens appears as the bullish London promoter Warren, who recognized 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 crucial story in between is repeatedly flat and monotonous. It lacks subtlety or light and shade in the depiction of Hamed himself, and El-Masry, an otherwise outstanding performer, isn’t given the chance to show any depth or much of what might make his character truly engaging – even though he’s obviously been working out and appears convincing in the boxing arena.

Dialogue and Music Issues

The drama is often lumbered with utilitarian, expositional lines that inform you exactly what is going on and what we are meant to feel (“Your journey began your career at age seven …”). It is the sort of script that digital producers call “double-screen”, ensuring you know what’s going on while you’re watching the movie but also checking your device. And, the background music is overpowering, at times almost deafening, especially in the moment where the boxer gets overexcited visiting Warren in his palatial residence.

Performances and Key Moments

Although El-Masry and Brosnan do their considerable utmost, their relationship never really comes to life, and the major boxing moments are frequently disappointingly cut short. The most important moment is surely when, goaded past his limit in the gym one day by the boxer as a misguided “old man”, Ingle in fact offers to get in the ring and box him. All present in the room is stunned and uneasy. In what way is this insanely unwise confrontation going to unfold? What will be the ending? Surely the Prince is going to kill him? Or will he emotionally hold back? The resolution remains ambiguous.

Bright Spots and Comedy

This isn’t to imply that there are no some nice jabs. The actor gets laughs when his character informs a journalist what he’s instructing the kids from his local community: to reject bias and when you meet a paedophile, “Hit them in the bollocks”. It’s funny too when the boxer squirms at the ridiculous stunts Ingle makes him do in the early days: acting like the “beast from the Middle East”.

Storyline and Final Thoughts

Regarding the rift, the movie depicts this as being worsened by a tell-all publication that Ingle is allegedly authored (a story element clearly adapted from prior material), and there is an interestingly imagined last discussion – although the emotional tribute that Hamed is supposed to have paid to Ingle after his death is merely referenced in the closing credits, and not shown on film. Some interesting material in this film, but the blows fail to connect.

Giant was shown at the festival and is available in British and Irish cinemas from January 9.