For a sport as popular as MMA, it feels like one that is not brought to life on screen as often as it should be, far too often playing second fiddle to boxing films. However, Tyler Atkins’ vastly undermarketed latest, Beast, looks to set the record straight, throwing audiences into the octagon in what feels like an Australian take on 2011’s sensation Warrior.

Beast follows Patton James (Daniel MacPherson), a former MMA champion whose career derailed after a brush with the law. Now, a decade later, he is facing mounting bills, a wife pregnant with their second child, and has just been laid off from his dead end job. James is offered a lifeline in the form of a fight with reigning champion Xavier Grau (Bren Foster). This is not just a fight for cash. There is far more at stake, with Grau and Patton being old rivals, and Grau having recently put Patton’s younger brother Malon (Mojean Aria) in hospital. Revenge sits firmly at the forefront of both fighters’ minds.

Outside of the octagon, Patton must deal with a range of emotional issues stemming from fractured personal relationships. There is Sammy (Russell Crowe), his former trainer who felt abandoned at the peak of Patton’s career, the strained bond with his brother, and now his wife, who had no idea about the potential fight.

Comparisons to Warrior are fair, with Beast hitting many of the familiar beats you would expect from a film like this, particularly in its exploration of brotherhood. However, there are just enough differences to allow Beast to stand on its own and remain an enjoyable watch.

For a film like Beast to fully work, it relies heavily on its fight sequences. Mark Duncan’s team are tasked with choreographing these stunts and, for the most part, they deliver. Many of the bouts feel ultra realistic, embracing the brutal, blood soaked nature of the sport. The wrestling and grappling sequences are especially impressive and deserve recognition in their own right. That said, the action does feel spread a little too thinly among the heavier dramatic elements.

The more emotional aspects do not always land. The relationships never feel fully developed, with writers David Frigerio and Crowe packing a great deal into the script without allowing enough time for audiences to properly connect with some of the key characters. As a result, when twists and turns are introduced to evoke emotion, they do not quite hit as intended.

MacPherson is a commanding presence in the lead role and delivers a strong performance, while Russell Crowe makes the most of his more limited screen time. It is a genuine pleasure to see him take on varied roles like this. The supporting cast, however, are more inconsistent. While generally solid, there are a few moments that highlight the relative inexperience of some performers compared to their counterparts.

While Beast may feel familiar at times, it offers enough exhilaration to keep audiences engaged. There are certainly elements that could be trimmed without harming the overall quality, but even so, Beast is gripping in places and an enjoyable trip to the cinema. Ultimately, it feels like a film that has been let down by a lack of awareness surrounding its release.