Oh boy.
Here's the thing about 'Arena': almost everything about it is simply adequate.
Not good. Not bad. Not outstanding, or mediocre, or subpar. Just adequate. Sets, costumes, makeup, effects, lighting, acting, writing, fight choreography, editing, music, exposition, dialogue, narrative, suspense, sensuality... All those things of which the art of cinema is comprised are here. The film proceeds from beginning to end with clear, unremarkable lines from A to B.
And... that's about it.
Nothing particular stands out as being good or bad. It just is. There are moments that are clearly inspired by various sci-fi movies and TV shows, and scenes that obviously take their cues from stories focusing on sports, and boxing or martial arts specifically. I'm hard-pressed to say I like it, but nor can I say I dislike it. I certainly don't think anyone involved with this production set out to make a movie so very average, yet I don't think I've ever seen a picture that is this middle-of-the-road in every single way.
There are two things about 'Arena,' and two things only, that do stand out: Marc Alaimo and Armin Shimerman. A few years after this film they would go on to co-star together in the phenomenal Star Trek series 'Deep Space 9' as recurring antagonist Gul Dukat and series regular Quark, respectively. Between outfits, make-up, and prosthetics, I'm curious to know which characters took longer to prepare for on the set each day, those of DS9 or those they portray in 'Arena.' In any event, they are easily the best actors in this film; while I'm undoubtedly biased, I feel reasonably confident to say that should anyone find fault in their performances, it's most likely down to a lack of material for them to work with.
Even being aware ahead of time of Alaimo and Shimerman's casting, I otherwise didn't know what to expect of 'Arena.' It certainly wasn't this. I don't mean that in a good way, or in a bad way. I'm not amazed, or disappointed. Just puzzled.
'Arena' is a movie that will keep you watching to the end just to see if anything especially noteworthy happens.
What a curiosity.
Here's the thing about 'Arena': almost everything about it is simply adequate.
Not good. Not bad. Not outstanding, or mediocre, or subpar. Just adequate. Sets, costumes, makeup, effects, lighting, acting, writing, fight choreography, editing, music, exposition, dialogue, narrative, suspense, sensuality... All those things of which the art of cinema is comprised are here. The film proceeds from beginning to end with clear, unremarkable lines from A to B.
And... that's about it.
Nothing particular stands out as being good or bad. It just is. There are moments that are clearly inspired by various sci-fi movies and TV shows, and scenes that obviously take their cues from stories focusing on sports, and boxing or martial arts specifically. I'm hard-pressed to say I like it, but nor can I say I dislike it. I certainly don't think anyone involved with this production set out to make a movie so very average, yet I don't think I've ever seen a picture that is this middle-of-the-road in every single way.
There are two things about 'Arena,' and two things only, that do stand out: Marc Alaimo and Armin Shimerman. A few years after this film they would go on to co-star together in the phenomenal Star Trek series 'Deep Space 9' as recurring antagonist Gul Dukat and series regular Quark, respectively. Between outfits, make-up, and prosthetics, I'm curious to know which characters took longer to prepare for on the set each day, those of DS9 or those they portray in 'Arena.' In any event, they are easily the best actors in this film; while I'm undoubtedly biased, I feel reasonably confident to say that should anyone find fault in their performances, it's most likely down to a lack of material for them to work with.
Even being aware ahead of time of Alaimo and Shimerman's casting, I otherwise didn't know what to expect of 'Arena.' It certainly wasn't this. I don't mean that in a good way, or in a bad way. I'm not amazed, or disappointed. Just puzzled.
'Arena' is a movie that will keep you watching to the end just to see if anything especially noteworthy happens.
What a curiosity.