Michael Jai White might be one of the most underrated action stars in the game, which is a shame considering his resume. Not only did White craft a modern-day cult classic in Black Dynamite, but he also is the first African American actor to headline a superhero movie in Spawn. White’s best known for putting his martial arts skills to use in a majority of his projects, which is only eclipsed by his steely glare and often stoic presence. But the film where he really made an impression is 2009’s Blood and Bone, directed by Ben Ramsey. Blood and Bone is unique in that it has a surprisingly deep story for an action movie — not to mention the fact that it kickstarted the careers of several action movie directors. It also features what might be White’s best performance to date.

What Is ‘Blood and Bone’ About?

Blood and Bone takes its title from the copious amounts of bloodshed during its runtime and its protagonist Isaiah Bone (White). A former Marine, Isaiah was sentenced to prison and, upon his release, heads to Los Angeles. He soon enters the world of underground street fights, quickly earning a reputation for his ability to put down opponents with a single well-placed kick, and earning the attention of local crime lord James (Eamonn Walker). Bone’s life in prison is also touched upon; it turns out that while he was imprisoned he met a young man named Danny (Kevin Phillips), who asked him to take care of his wife Angela (Michelle Belegrin) and her son. It also turns out that Angela is James’ girlfriend, and he had Danny sent to prison on false pretenses.

This reveal is what sets Blood and Bone apart from other action movies. Most of the time, the narrative in an action film is a straightforward revenge story, but in Blood and Bone, Isaiah takes a more methodical approach to his revenge. His participation in street fights is meant to get him closer to James so he can help Angela, and Danny’s son lives at the boarding house where he’s previously taken up residence. Even the final fight between James and Isaiah shows how he’s two moves ahead of everyone else; James, fancying himself a cultured man, thinks he has the edge using a katana, but Isaiah is able to disarm him utilizing nothing but a sword sheath. The same principle is applied to the opening sequence where Isaiah takes on a group of prisoners and wins; even if he isn’t the biggest or if he’s unarmed, his mind is the only weapon he needs. This was due to the strong rapport between Ramsey and White. “I’d known Mike for a long time. I knew his sensibilities, and he knew mine. In creating this character, I wanted to do something that played to his sensibilities,” Ramsey said in an interview.

The Fight Scenes Are the Best Parts of ‘Blood and Bone’
Image via Sony Pictures 

What makes Blood and Bone such a great action film is the crew that Ramsay assembled for the fight scenes. That crew includes faces of folks who have gone on to shape modern action films, including Extraction’s Sam Hargrave, Day Shift’s JJ Perry, and Clayton J. Barber, who choreographed fight scenes for Black Panther and Creed. With such a talented cast behind the scenes, and a highly skilled martial artist as the lead, it’s no surprise that Blood and Bone’s fight scenes are the best parts of the movie.

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What’s even more impressive is that Ramsey, White, and the rest of the production were working on a limited budget, which meant a limited time to shoot. “A lot of big martial arts movies famously had like a whole week or two weeks doing one fight scene, and we would get on set and just have a few hours, and we had about 20 days [total] to shoot in a whole bunch of locations, and just shy of $4 million on budget,” Ramsey told Polygon in an oral history celebrating Blood and Bone’s 15th anniversary. “I would do everything on camera. There’s no camera stunts or tricks or what have you,” White added. Considering this is a movie in which he drop-kicks a man who is Dwayne Johnson’s stunt double, that’s saying something. Blood and Bone is a must-watch film in the pantheon of action flicks, especially for its simple yet sharp story and Michael Jai White’s commitment to delivering top-tier fight scenes. Now we just need a sequel!

Blood and Bone Release Date February 7, 2009 Director Ben Ramsey Cast Eamonn Walker , Michael Jai White , Michelle Belegrin , Nona Gaye , Dante Basco , Dick Anthony Williams , Kevin Phillips , Bob Sapp , Julian Sands , Ron Yuan , Kimbo Slice , Matt Mullins , Gina Carano , Maurice Smith , Ernest Miller , Francis Capra , Sala Baker , David Chan Cordeiro , Arnold Chon , Sam Hargrave , Khristian Lupo , Tim Storms , Michelle Lee , Daniel Arrias Runtime 93 minutes Expand

Blood and Bone is available to watch on Netflix in the U.S.

Watch on Netflix