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The movie boasts a talented ensemble, depicting the true tale of Irish boxing trainer Brendan Ingle, who mentored a brash Yorkshire youth from Yemeni migrant parents. Dubbed “Prince” Naseem Hamed, the youngster was taught to stand up to racist bullies and molded into a celebrity titleholder in the 1990s. Ingle nurtured his flamboyant arrogance and powerful punches, but after becoming rich, the boxer betrayed his coach, cutting him out and turning him into a blend of Falstaff and Broadway Danny Rose.

Cast and Characters

Pierce Brosnan portrays Ingle; El-Masry takes on the part of the prince, and Toby Stephens appears as the bullish London promoter Frank Warren, who saw the goldmine that Ingle had discovered.

Film’s Shortcomings

Yet, the film honestly misses the fighter’s agility: the boxing sequences flow well, but the all-important story between them is consistently flat and monotonous. It lacks nuance or contrast in the depiction of Hamed himself, and El-Masry, an otherwise outstanding performer, doesn’t get the chance to show any depth or much of what might make his role truly engaging – even though he’s clearly been working out and appears convincing in the ring.

Problems with Script and Sound

The drama is repeatedly lumbered with utilitarian, expositional dialogue that inform you exactly what is happening and what we are supposed to be thinking (“Your journey began your career at seven years old …”). It is the sort of script that streaming-TV producers call “double-screen”, making sure you know what’s unfolding while you’re watching the movie but also checking your device. And, the score is overpowering, at times nearly deafening, especially in the scene where Hamed gets overexcited calling on Warren in his luxurious residence.

Acting and Pivotal Scenes

While El-Masry and Brosnan do their considerable best, their dynamic never really comes to life, and the big set-piece fight scenes are often anticlimactically cut short. A key moment is certainly when, goaded beyond endurance in the training facility one day by Hamed as a delusional “old man”, the trainer actually proposes to get in the ring and box him. All present in the gym is stunned and uncomfortable. In what way is this insanely risky confrontation going to play out? What will be the outcome? Certainly the Prince is going to defeat him? Or will he emotionally pull his punches? The resolution remains ambiguous.

Bright Spots and Comedy

This isn’t to imply that there are no some nice jabs. Brosnan gets laughs when his character informs a reporter what he’s teaching the kids from his local community: to oppose prejudice and when you encounter a paedophile, “Punch him in the groin”. It’s funny too when Hamed fidgets at the silly antics the coach makes him do in the early days: posing as the “beast from the East”.

Storyline and Final Thoughts

As for the rift, the movie depicts this as being worsened by a tell-all publication that Ingle is supposed to have written (a plot point clearly adapted from prior material), and there is an interestingly imagined last discussion – although the emotional tribute that the boxer is supposed to have paid to Ingle after his death is only referenced in the end titles, and not shown on film. Some interesting material here, but the punches don’t land.

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