A man, spread-eagled on a pool table, the eight-ball gagging his squeals, struggles with his bonds. Stephen Dorff, the effortless villain, juggles a pool-cue and sneers. Cinematography, camera angles, lighting, and color: they are all exquisitely vivid. We know something bloody is about to happen - there's no surprise in Shadowboxer - but we're entertained enough to watch how. In this case, Dorff will pull down the man's pants, snap the stick in half, and, as one end flops away in slow-motion, use it "naughtily." As much as there's violence for the sake of violence, director Lee Daniels has also managed to find beauty for the sake of beauty.
[Read on] at Film Monthly
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