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The opponent

Threat advisory: Guarded - General risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

One girl's fight to survive.

After years of domestic abuse, Patty (Erika Eleniak) takes matters into her own hands and finds an outlet for her anger... boxing. Undeterred by the controversy surrounding women's boxing, she is spotted by a fight promoter and with the help of a trainer, Tommy (James Colby), she learns how to box.

He sees Patty's rage and helps her channel it. Patty becomes a powerhouse in the ring.

Boxing is about control...

When you box you win...

When you snap you lose!

Also starring Aunjanue Ellis as June, Kyle Thrash as Billy, John Doman as Fred, Harry O'Riley, Suzi Tasca and Diego López. Written and directed by Eugene Jarecki.

Cinematic intelligence sources

See also Girlfight

Intelligence analyst

Secret Agent Acid Thunder

Theatrical report

As far as I am aware, The opponent is one of the first but hopefully not the last film about female boxers. It gets right into the relationships, the struggles and stereotypes that women have to overcome. It shows that in the beginning - as with other sports like golf, hockey and baseball [Acid Thunder grew up in North America - Director of Intelligence] - the players are working class citizens with more to themselves than they can otherwise express.

Boxing is an arguable subject for a film but The opponent glossed over the hardships and failed to examine the darker aspects like bribery and sexual harassment. As entertaining as it was, it failed to inspire my creative heart.

Security censorship classification

Surveillance time

93 minutes (1:33 hours)

Not for public release in Australia before date

11 July 2001