"Stronger Than the World" opens in 400 movie theaters.
"Stronger Than the World – The Story of José Aldo" is a film about the life of the MMA and UFC fighter, and follows the most conventional formula of the genre, which is its greatest quality: it doesn't try to be too innovative. With a screenplay written by director Poyart and Marcelo Rubens Paiva, the film follows José Aldo's (José Loreto) journey from his youth in Manaus to his victory in Toronto in 2011, defeating Canadian Mark Hominick, when he defended the UFC Featherweight title he had won in 2010. The film is having a pre-release screening in almost 400 theaters in Brazil.
Reuters "Stronger Than the World – The Story of José Aldo" is a film about the life of the MMA and UFC fighter, and follows the most conventional formula of the genre.
In fact, that's its greatest quality: not trying to be too sophisticated – although director Afonso Poyart's style, full of slow-motion shots and photography brimming with effects, is sometimes excessive. It's frustrating that in a film on this subject, the fight scenes are marred by excessive slow motion, an unnecessary effect almost à la "The Matrix". The film is having a pre-release screening in nearly 400 theaters in Brazil.
Based on a screenplay written by director Poyart and Marcelo Rubens Paiva, the film follows the journey of José Aldo (José Loreto) from his youth in Manaus to his victory in Toronto in 2011, defeating Canadian Mark Hominick, when he defended the UFC Featherweight title, which he had won in 2010.
As a young man, Aldo is directionless in life. His mother (Claudia Ohana) works in a pharmacy, while his father (Jackson Antunes) works in construction, but spends all the money on alcohol and beats his wife. This tumultuous relationship between the protagonist and his father will form the basis of the young man's psychology in the film. It's not explored in great depth, actually, but it's intended to serve as a kind of narrative thread: Aldo needs to leave Manaus to avoid becoming like his father.
In Rio de Janeiro, with the help of his friend Loro (Rafinha Bastos), he gets a job as a cleaner at a gym, where he works in exchange for a place to sleep. There he meets Vivianne (Cleo Pires), who trains in martial arts to "de-stress." What follows is more or less what one expects from the film: physical and metaphorical violence, romance, ups and downs, and the protagonist's victory.
Loreto – who became known for his character Darkson in the telenovela "Avenida Brasil" (2012) – lands his first major film role and demonstrates enough charisma and screen presence to carry the movie. There is honesty and humor in his performance, even amidst the script's stumbles at psychological depth.
(By Alysson Oliveira, from Cineweb)
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