As much as I wanted to like this movie it's mood and content was pretty much summed up in its trailer and I unfortunately got just what I expected.
Instead of essay form its easier for me to just list shit.
Before I do that, props to all involved. How often is it that a movie is made about our favorite sport? I applaud everyone involved in bringing this film to fruition.
But anytime a piece of art is displayed there are always critics of the piece so here’s my take.
1. Mickey Rourke: I, as just about every other American male love Mickey Rourke. I like most everything he does in film and I have seen him working out over the years in Venice. But Mickey’s brooding somber narration was a serious miscast here. The super sedate tone of his voiceover was meant to imply that we were watching something very profound and serious. When in fact this is not serious stuff. This is not a documentary of the war in Bosnia. This is bodybuilding. But let’s compare apple to apples. This is not even a documentary about the NFL, NBA or NHL, all of which have more inherent drama, are rife with more politics, are real contact sports and are much more serious sports in the eyes of the public. But if it were about any of those other sports, such a pensive style of narration would drive even the most hardcore fan to either boredom or laughter.
Since this is being called the Pumping Iron Sequel let’s compare the narration to the first. The original narration done by its creator Charles Gaines, was an intrigued reporter-esque style and it seemed as if while filming the movie, he was discovering this sport and its characters right along with us.
In Gen Iron on the other hand, Mickey sounds as if he already knows not only the background of the sport but has been prompted to portray the, in the whole scheme of things, trivial subject matter as dark and sober.
Even the Mighty Mickey Rourke can’t pull that off.
2. Atmosphere: The air of this film is one of total hard-ass seriousness but the problem is that it’s not about a hard-ass sport. And even if it were, there should be some kind of balance between seriousness and levity. I don’t remember anyone laughing in the film let alone anyone smiling. There’s no Eddy Guilinni Jumping in to Arnold’s Arms as big Tony watches and laughs. There is no Ken Waller, Robby Robinson and Roger Callard tossing the football laughing and scheming. There is no fat man lifting his girlie weights next to big Lou. And there is certainly no Arnold and Lou laughing and jostling on the bus ride home. The only scene that lasts for a split second that may garner a laugh is unfortunately done at the expense of Dennis Wolfe as he looks like a total buffoon trying out for a role in a film. This is in stark contrast to the first pumping iron in which we never laughed at the bodybuilders but rather laughed with them.
I’ve seen all of Michael Moore’s films. The reason I cannot stand them halfway through is because they are too one sided and you get the sense that you are being hoodwinked, lectured to and you begin to wonder if the “other side” is truly that bad.
Halfway through Gen iron, the heavy atmosphere throughout this film had me feeling the whole thing was a bit self-absorbed and silly. Unfortunate, because for a film meant to re-introduce the public to bodybuilding, this is the very thing that turns most people off to bodybuilders in general.
Instead of the couple I went with leaving the theatre inspired wanting to move to California or run out and join a gym like most of the public wanted to after viewing the original, all they could muster was, “It must suck to eat chicken and rice everyday.”
3. Characters: What characters? Directly after the movie, the couple that I dragged to this movie could not remember one name of any of the bodybuilders that starred in this film.
Dennis Wolfe and Hide Yamagishi, were adequate as supporting characters and were actually the only two that I found myself really caring about. Branch, Ben and Kai were portrayed as everything the general public thinks a bodybuilder is.
On another note, the girl that went with us asked if “the gay guy” ever stops sweating, as Kai is never seen without a layer of funk even during seated interviews, a mistake by the film makers more than Kai’s metabolism I hope.
Finally, Heath in Arnold’ role, is likeable and confident enough and comes off very intelligent. He lacks Arnold charisma however and he especially lacks the courage on the front lines attitude that the Oak displayed so well in Pumping Iron.
Instead of laughing all his way up to and throughout the actual competition like Arnold, Heath is portrayed as becoming more and more nervous. It was Arnold’s indomitable spirit, infectious smile and bellowing laughter even in the pump up room before the competition that made us admire and love him so much. We all wished we could be like him, able to face any challenge we face, whether it was a day-to-day common stress or a life-threatening situation. He inspired us.
Instead, with Heath we get a nervous hen in a hen house with the fox at the door as he says he has to get out of the pump up room because he can’t take the negativity. He is then shown doing something in the hotel after prejudging on his laptop maybe reading a forum and stating that he can’t hear or take anymore of this shit. He then states to the audience after his win that he hasn’t slept in two days because he was so nervous. Did Arnold feel all of these things too? Did Arnold spend sleepless nights before a competition? Maybe. But you would never know it by the way he just appeared to be having fun and meeting his challenges with a sense of free spirit and adventure. As the old commercial used to say, “never let ‘em see you sweat!” Advice both Heath and Kai may want to heed.
To each bodybuilder’s credit, I have the feeling that many moments that may have led to a more light hearted air to this film probably ended up on the cutting room floor. I don’t believe all of these bodybuilders never laugh or have fun. If that’s so then on both accounts, it’s a shame.
More to the fault of the filmmaker than the characters themselves, I found myself bored halfway through. Its grave narration, lack of any comedic moments, it’s failure to highlight any real charismatic portion of any character’s personality and taking such a fringe, non-serious sport so serious has managed to bore even the most hard core bodybuilding fan. Having achieved that, how does the filmmaker hope to win over any new fans to the sport?
A huge missed opportunity.
Disclaimer.
Since I am no professional film critic, I acknowledge that I may not know what I am talking about. The other seven people in attendance in the theatre may wholeheartedly disagree with my interpretation of the film.
