Gladiator (1992)

Gladiator (1992) is a gritty action-drama about desperate youth drawn into the brutal world of illegal underground boxing. When teenager Tommy Riley and his father move to Chicago from a quieter life, Tommy tries to keep his head down — until a street fight draws him into an underground circuit where fights are vicious and the stakes are life-or-death. Alongside him is another teen also trapped by circumstance: one boy fights to raise money to save his father and pay off gambling debts, the other fights to escape the ghetto. Exploited by a relentless boxing promoter, the two young fighters form a fragile friendship that is ultimately tested by the sport that consumes them. Watching this film you’ll experience raw, hard-hitting fight sequences, a tense urban atmosphere, and high emotional stakes as loyalty, survival and moral choice collide. The story builds to an explosive, tragic showdown where friendship and ambition force the two boys into the ring against each other — a brutal, suspenseful finale that underscores themes of exploitation, desperation and the cost of survival. If you like intense, character-driven sports dramas with a dark, realistic edge, this film delivers a punch.

Actors: James Marshall, Cuba Gooding Jr., Brian Dennehy

Director: Rowdy Herrington

Runtime: 101 min

Genres: Action, Drama, Sport

6.1 /10 49 /100 6.5 /10 5.8 /10