Since hengcs has already commented on the film and there's little if any difference of opinion, I'll just add a few notes.

As with Japanese film Ping Pong you follow two competitors knowing that they are bound to clash in the finale, the difference is with Ping Pong, there is really only one competitor to back, only one who hit rock bottom to rise from the ashes also the stories of both players are very much connected. Crying Fist does a good job of giving you two fighters whose stories never intersect until the final, both hit lows in very different ways and both manage to drag themselves out of the gutter whether as a matter of pride or redemption.

It's unusual to have two underdogs as central characters but the time is split well covering both stories, shifting from one to the other with ease.

Good editing, grainy camerwork, convincing acting (could Choi Min-sik have had such a great career in Hollywood? With his looks and stature, I don't think so!) a mainstream plot but one that is well executed.

All in all an entertaining film that's certainly worth a rental especially if you're into boxing films.

One thing that I found very different especially from Hollywood films of a similar nature (Rocky is the prime example of course) was the soundtrack which was at times bizarre but at least, thankfully it didn't contain any banal rock anthems like "Eye of the Tiger".

Cheers Trev.

BBFC rated 15.

R2 Pal dvd available from Premier Asia.