Chickboxin' Underground

We are about to see, live and with plenty of (some real and some fake) advertisements, an underground championship of girls boxing, or more exactly, catch-weight mixed martial arts competition. The always vociferous crowd of spectators (even when there's no action) serves as background for the endless and tiresome jokes of The Broadcast Team. It's not clear how many the competitors are, as the video cover mentions 9, but there are only 8 credits, the interviews don't follow a pattern, and the action consists of six matches. The accidental winner is handed a metal and the US$ 500,000 prize cash in a large handbag. That leads to a number of punch-ups, as everyone wants to take the bag from the next girl or guy, until the cops arrive to put an hurried end to the show.

Directed by Michael D. Fox, Chickboxin' Underground leans on a strong ensemble — Tiffany Shepis, Jasi Cotton Lanier, Vicki Cole — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about action titles of 1999.