To coincide with the release of the new drama Embattled, which is available on digital download, we sat down with the film’s star Stephen Dorff to find out more about the hard-hitting drama.
Dorff has made a name for himself in high-profile films like Blade and Public Enemies, the actor has said he is more at home in smaller films, and with Embattled, he finds himself once again diving into a complex character. Here, he plays Cash, an aggressive man who has channeled his long-gestating aggression into becoming an MMA fighting champion who has become a superstar.
But while it might seem like this is another fighter story in the tone of Rocky or Warrior, Embattled goes much deeper, telling a story of anger, resentment, and retaliation, as well as one of fathers and sons, boyhood and manhood, and how far we go to protect those we love. Dorff tells us how much he loved the script from the beginning, waiting patiently for his time to play Cash, the unique approach of director Nick Sarkisov, his quick training turnaround as well as the lure of writer David McKenna, who wrote American History X.
You can watch the full interview below:
Raised by an abusive father, Cash (Stephen Dorff) channels his aggression to become a World Champion MMA fighter. Now accustomed to wealth, adulation, and global popularity, he faces a new challenge when his second son is born with Williams Syndrome. But this time, rather than stand and fight, he runs.
While Cash continues to make his fortune in the ring, his eldest son Jett (Darren Mann) becomes the caregiver to his younger brother Quinn (Colin McKenna). When Jett decides to follow his father’s fighting footsteps and take to the fight game, he faces his past head-on, embarking on a course inevitably pitting father versus son in a battle which, no matter the outcome, neither can win.
Embattled is available on digital download from July 5th.
