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The movie features a impressive cast, depicting the true story of Irish boxing trainer Brendan Ingle, who guided a brash Yorkshire youth from Middle Eastern migrant family. Dubbed “Prince” Naseem Hamed, the youngster was coached to confront prejudice and transformed into a media-friendly world champion in the 1990s. Ingle nurtured his showboating arrogance and powerful punches, but after achieving wealth, the boxer betrayed his mentor, cutting him out and turning him into a mix of Falstaff and Danny Rose.

Performers and Roles

Pierce Brosnan portrays the trainer; El-Masry takes on the part of Hamed, and Stephens is the bullish London promoter Warren, who recognized the potential that Ingle had uncovered.

Film’s Shortcomings

However, the movie frankly lacks the Prince’s fancy footwork: the fight scenes run smoothly, but the crucial story between them is consistently dull and monotonous. There is no nuance or contrast in the depiction of Hamed himself, and the actor, an otherwise excellent talent, doesn’t get the chance to show any subtlety or much of what might make his character truly engaging – even though he’s obviously been training and looks very plausible in the ring.

Problems with Script and Sound

The story is repeatedly burdened by utilitarian, expositional dialogue that tell you exactly what is going on and what we are supposed to be thinking (“Your journey began your career at age seven …”). This is the kind of dialogue that streaming-TV producers call “double-screen”, ensuring you know what’s going on while you’re viewing the movie but also checking your phone. Additionally, the score is overbearing, sometimes nearly deafening, particularly in the scene where Hamed gets overexcited visiting the promoter in his luxurious residence.

Acting and Pivotal Scenes

While El-Masry and Brosnan do their considerable utmost, their dynamic never really ignites, and the major fight scenes are often disappointingly cut short. The most important moment is certainly when, goaded past his limit in the training facility one day by the boxer as a delusional “old man”, Ingle actually proposes to step into the ring and box him. Everyone in the gym is shocked and uncomfortable. In what way is this insanely unwise standoff going to play out? What will be the outcome? Surely the champion is going to kill him? Alternatively will he sentimentally pull his punches? It’s not clear.

Bright Spots and Comedy

That’s not to say that there aren’t some nice jabs. The actor gets laughs when his character informs a reporter what he’s teaching the youths from his neighborhood: to oppose bias and when you encounter a paedophile, “Hit them in the bollocks”. It’s funny too when Hamed fidgets at the ridiculous antics the coach makes him do in the early days: posing as the “beast from the Middle East”.

Plot and Conclusion

As for the rift, the film depicts this as being exacerbated by a revealing publication that the trainer is supposed to have written (a story element clearly adapted from another source), and there is an intriguingly imagined final conversation – however the heartfelt homage that Hamed is supposed to have given to Ingle after his passing is merely referenced in the closing credits, and not dramatised on film. There is interesting material here, but the blows fail to connect.

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