The prologue of EFC, directed by Jaze Bordeaux, is a beautifully filmed, wordless fight between two fighters of the titular Excelsis Fighting Championship. The choreography is graceful and the two actors are clearly doing the combat themselves. Alexa (Kathryn Aboya) is declared the winner, and the loser, Cassady (Karlee Rose), attacks her. It’s a great and compelling start to this action-drama hybrid.
But the ten or so minutes afterward are a little confusing. Clearly, Scarlett defends herself while being unceremoniously attacked by a sore loser. Due to this “unsportsmanlike” conduct, she loses an endorsement deal. Please note the “she” there references Scarlett, the victim of the unsanctioned attack. What the hell? How? If this is meant to imply that Scarlett used some illegal or dirty moves to win, then why was she not disqualified during that fight? None of this makes even the slightest bit of sense, and screenwriters Bordeaux and Greg Jackson never offer a satisfying rationale for the why of this scenario.
However, the meat and potatoes of the narrative allow EFC to overcome this quickly. The bulk of the plot revolves around the head of EFC, Donna (Stephanie Jones), who is trying to ensure the company stays afloat. She spends her time brokering deals, catering to the needs of the fighters, and doing everything she can to ensure the next championship has sponsors and viewers. Donna’s interactions with Cassady show someone who believes in what an all-female UFC can accomplish. The other throughline is Cassady trying to find her place in all this. Without spoiling things, this becomes a rather emotional story, especially once it takes center stage.
“…doing everything she can to ensure the next championship has sponsors and viewers.”
Every fight featured in the 88-minute runtime is a thing of beauty. Wayne Wells and Hubert Boorder’s fight choreography and coordination lean into the natural speed of the talent. It’s thrilling, intense, emotional, and stunning in a way that other fighting-centric films could only ever dream of. Whatever the plot’s flaws are, the fights are worth the price of admission alone. Mind you, there are only a few, as the film is a drama, but damn, they are perfect.
EFC has more going for it beyond immaculate hand-to-hand combat, such as the acting. Blackwell plays the fun-to-hate villain well. Rose is highly likable and sells her character’s extreme emotions authentically. A sequence between Cassady and Scarlett at a gym is so tense it will put all watching on the edge of their seats. Jones is perfect as the hardworking corporate side of fighting entertainment. She’s clever, caring, and a delight in every scene.
Obediya Jones-Darrell’s score is sublime and matches the intensity of the emotions and fights. The strings add power to the drama without overpowering anything. The swelling of the music makes the combat feel sweeping and grand on an epic level.
The first several minutes after the opening fight of EFC are confounding. Unfortunately, the film never properly clears this up. Still, the bulk of the plot is gripping, and the cast is brilliant. But the star of the show is the fight sequences. They are better than most other films of this sort, big-budget or not.
For more information about EFC, visit the Breaking Glass Pictures site.
"…the star of the show is the fight sequences."
