‘Miguel Wants to Fight’ Review: A Rite of Passage

In the lives of the 4 protagonists of “Miguel Wants to Fight,” brawls are ubiquitous. But when a combat breaks out on a basketball courtroom and the martial arts movie aficionado of the group, Miguel (Tyler Dean Flores), doesn’t take part, it turns into clear that he has by no means really thrown a punch.

After his dad and mom break the news that his household might be transferring quickly, Miguel turns into obsessive about selecting a combat earlier than he leaves — a misguided approach to deal with his anger.

Directed by Oz Rodriguez (“Vampires vs. the Bronx”), “Miguel Wants to Fight” is an endearing and offbeat tackle the teenage coming-of-age movie. It facilities on greatest mates Srini (Suraj Partha), Cass (Imani Lewis), David (Christian Vunipola) and Miguel, who grew up collectively in Syracuse, N.Y., immersed within the boxing world. Miguel’s father Alberto (Raúl Castillo), owns a gymnasium, and David’s father was a boxing star. Miguel spends his time making TikTok reels of combat scenes starring his mates.

There are some laughs and the solid is proficient, however the film in the end falls flat, lacking a chance to delve into the insecurity, teen bravado and anger that results in bodily combating within the first place.

Instead, it leans too closely into references to and re-enactments of basic movies, like “The Matrix” or “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” which take up house within the movie that might as an alternative have been dedicated to character growth. As a end result, “Miguel Wants to Fight” finally ends up feeling one-note, missing the depth which may have elevated it to a must-watch film.

Miguel Wants to Fight
Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 23 minutes. Watch it on Hulu.