Aylmer to Zazzoo and Beyond: Here Comes The Boom

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Here Comes The Boom - Review

Here Comes The Boom
(2012)
Action | Comedy
105 min.

Rated: PG
Grade: B-

Director: Frank Coraci
Writers: Kevin James, Allan Loeb, Rock Reuben
Stars: Kevin James, Salma Hayek and Henry Winkler | See full cast and crew

In the comedy Here Comes the Boom, former collegiate wrestler Scott Voss (Kevin James) is a 42-year-old apathetic biology teacher in a failing high school. When cutbacks threaten to cancel the music program and lay off its teacher (Henry Winkler,) Scott begins to raise money by moonlighting as a mixed martial arts fighter. Everyone thinks Scott is crazy - most of all the school nurse, Bella (Salma Hayek) - but in his quest, Scott gains something he never expected as he becomes a sensation that rallies the entire school. -- (C) Official Site

Is this a great film? No, but it is a good and enjoyable 'feel good' film. For me it was a more uplifting film than 'Don't Back Down' which should have been an uplifting film but fell flat in my opinion. What are the odds that Kevin James would could hold his own in a Mixed Martial Arts bout, or that he could attract the affections of a woman like Salma Hayek? (BTW-What a change from her role in Oliver Stone stinker Savages) I wouldn't suggest taking those odds to Las Vegas, but Kevin James creates a likeable guy letting us share in his heartwarming fantasy.

Former collegiate wrestler Scott Voss (Kevin James) is a 42-year-old bored biology teacher at the failing Wilkinson High School. Budget cutbacks at the school jeopardize the continuation of its music program, which would result in its teacher, Marty (Henry Winkler), being laid off. Concerned for both his colleague and his students, Voss attempts to raise the $48,000 necessary to keep the music program alive. At first, he works as a night instructor for a citizenship class. One of his students, Niko (Bas Rutten), approaches him to get some outside tutoring and Voss reluctantly agrees. When he arrives at Niko's apartment, he realizes that Niko was a former mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter. While watching UFC at Niko's apartment, Voss learns that the loser of the fight receives $10,000, which gives him the idea of raising the money by fighting in MMA himself. After what he hopes will be a few fights the school will have the money to keep the extra curricular programs going. He soon finds that it will take a lot longer and a lot more fights to accomplish his goal.

As he begins to see light at the end of the tunnel he also finds in himself a revived spirit, a rebirth of his desire to be a good an inspiring teacher. When a fighter in the UFC is unable to fight and a spot opens up on the ticket and Scott gets an invitation to make his debut in a UFC bout in Las Vegas where he'll earn $10,000, as expected, when he looses the fight. Just before the fight is about to start, Bella calls Scott to inform him the one of the school officials has embezzled all the money he had earned and donated to the school thus far. Now they will never be able to make the deadline for saving the school's programs, even with the $10,000 purse.

Scott has been pummeled severely for the first two rounds and isn't sure he can survive one more round but when he hears that if he wins he will earn $50,000 he says, Let's win this!