Disclaimer: Indie World Cinema is aware of the recent controversy involving the director of this film, and their reaction to a recent incident in New York City. IWC sends its condolences to the family of the victim, and this is simply a review of the filmmaker’s work, and does not reflect on anything from a personal and/or political standpoint. Please refrain from commenting with any political or personal attacks on the filmmaker.

RATING: A-

Giant Pictures presents an Ajnabi/Trouper production. Written and directed by Lexi Alexander. Produced by Lexi Alexander, John McKeown, Scott Putnam, and Alex Winter. Cinematography by Egor Povolotskiy. Edited by Freddy Noriega.

Stars Desire Mia, Andy Allo, Mario D’Leon, Alex Winter, Junes Zahdi, Fabiano Viett, Olunike Adeliyi, June Carryl, Julie Ann Emery, Alok Vaid-Menon,  and Patton Oswalt.

From the director of Green Street Hooligans comes this martial arts film that does something very unique with the tournament subgenre.

It’s the year 2064. An idea has been brought via the very popular Fix. He comes up with the idea to have martial arts masters represent various religions and compete in a tournament. The prize will be whoever wins, their religion will be the one the whole world must follow. A wild card tournament is being held for the winner to possibly enter the Top 50 fighters of the world. One young man is determined and has been genetically engineered to compete since birth. He is 19-year-old Sagan Bruno.

Unlike the other fighters, Sagan doesn’t belong to a religion. He is a Humanist and Scholar and his win could mean the end of peace due to his atheism. At least, that’s what the higher ups think. Sagan becomes a formidable threat to the tournament as he wins numerous fights and breaks all records in the span of the first day. Military commander Zimmer decides to use her title to cheat and endure Sagan doesn’t win and while the top 3 fighters are practically forced to face Sagan, they have respect for him. Especially when Sagan trances and hears voices, which are either stress-induced hallucinations or the voice of God.

The tournament genre of the martial arts film has always have a simplistic motive involving revenge, saving someone, or money. However, what writer/director Lexi Alexander did was something unique with the genre. What if the tournament determined which religion everyone would have to follow based on the winner? This makes for quite an interesting concept and what is fascinating is that the standout would not follow a religion but question its when its representative begins to hear voices.

Newcomer Desire Mia, a German-Nigerian born model and martial artist, makes his film debut on the film as the young fighter Sagan Bruno. His character is reminiscent of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito’s Twins in terms of the fact that Sagan was born genetically enhanced and meant to learn to fight for the tournament. While there are various competitors trained in various forms, they represent various religions, but Sagan doesn’t follow one. He represents the Institute of Humanism and Science, a group who doesn’t follow religion but is revealed that should they win, they will allow all religions to be practiced in their own private congregations with no issue. While they know it, the World Council thinks otherwise.

Sagan’s scholar father is played in an excellent dramatic performance by the one and only Alex Winter. Yes, Bill S. Preston Esq. while Patton Oswalt is the man who came up with the idea of the tournament. The tournament has a very flamboyant host in Ceylon, wonderfully played by Alok Vaid-Menon (who comes off as RuPaul meets The Hunger Games’ Caesar Flickerman). Julia Ann Emery’s Commander Zimmer comes off as seething and arrogant. She sees Sagan as a threat and attempts to use any means necessary, even breaking the rules, to ensure he doesn’t win the tournament.

Which brings us to the action sequences. Choreographed by stunt legends Arnold Chon and Fabien Gourchon (formerly Fabien Garcia), Mia is the highlight of the film, showcasing a meshing of taekwondo and grappling. In one fight scene, he takes on a Mongolian-style fighter who rushes him, only for him to leap over him and kick him in the back of his head mid-air. He clearly is a talent who definitely has the potential to become an action star if he decides to continue making films. If not, he will join the ranks as a Bonafide one-hit wonder. He definitely has the skill set to make it as an action hero.

Absolute Dominion is a modern action gem that takes the martial arts tournament genre and adds something very fresh and unique. Desire Mia is definitely one to look out for and one can only hope he will make more action films. Alex Winter and Patton Oswalt brings some star power in some great supporting roles. Definitely an action film to check out.