Fight or Flight

Ireland/Thailand 2007 / 78min.
Directors Peter J. McCarthy, Shane Sutton / Producer Peter J. McCarthy

Director Peter McCarthy is the victim of a merciless attack. The life-changing event awakens within him a primal urge to learn self-defence. He escapes to Thailand to deal with a tumult of emotions – anger, fear and revenge. He channels these feelings into Muay Thai training; a form of traditional Thai boxing. Peter undergoes a mental and physical transformation; from victim to warrior as he prepares for his first step into the ring and to face his greatest fear.

Fight or Flight is the real life story of one Irishman’s Fight Club that takes audiences from the streets of Dublin to the underbelly of ring fighting in the dusty back lanes of Bangkok. Whilst Peter’s initial encounters in the boxing ring bring him a sense of euphoric release, his experiences lead him to question even more the upsurge of violence in modern society. Peter begins to explore the nature of violent sport within Thai culture – from a brutal cock fight to a typical ring fighting event in Thailand in which one of the more bizarre drawcards include two mentally handicapped men.

Told with great dramatic effect and filmed with truckloads of cinematic style, Peter’s journey into the East takes him to the edge but from which he finds Nirvana and himself.

Find similar films by topic: Personal/POV, Sports, War/Conflict