"Takedown," a 2024 independent film featuring Dean Cain, Eddie McClintock, and Mason Gillett, presents a promising experience overall, especially for viewers who appreciate small-scale productions with big ambitions. As an indie release, it carries a certain spark-creativity, intention, and genuine effort that are easy to recognize from the very first scene. Yet even with that promise, the film struggles to fully realize its potential, landing somewhere between engaging and underdeveloped.
As an independent project, "Takedown" manages to bring forward plenty of charm and a solid sense of direction, but the storytelling leaves noticeable gaps. The script, while serviceable, could benefit from far more depth, especially in dialogue. At only an hour and ten minutes long, there are several moments that feel rushed-beats that deserved expansion, emotional arcs that needed more room to breathe, and scenes that could have added richer context to the characters' journeys. The short runtime ends up limiting the film more than helping it.
The performances, however, do offer substantial strength. Mason Gillett, despite being billed lower than Dean Cain and Eddie McClintock, emerges as the unexpected anchor of the film. It's clear the story gravitates toward him, intentionally or not. His portrayal of Jack-a young character deeply weighed down by emotional turmoil-becomes the emotional spine of the movie. That said, the imbalance in billing versus narrative importance is noticeable and strange, but he undeniably rises to the challenge of leading the film.
Caryssa Beard, playing Jack's mother, also delivers a compelling performance, capturing the heaviness and emotional exhaustion required of her role. There's a rawness in her scenes that hints at something more powerful beneath the surface. Unfortunately, the screenplay doesn't give her character enough grounding or emotional build-up to reach that full potential. A more trauma-driven interpretation-supported by stronger writing-could have elevated her moments into some of the film's most memorable scenes.
While the movie markets itself partially through its connection to high school wrestling, it's important to note that wrestling isn't the central focus of the plot. This becomes especially evident in the final wrestling match, which should have been one of the film's strongest sequences. Instead, it feels overly choreographed, lacking the intense, unpredictable back-and-forth that makes sports scenes cinematic and gripping. The moment plays out more as a routine than a climax, which weakens the emotional payoff the story is reaching for.
Ultimately, "Takedown" is a film with clear potential-one that could truly shine with more extensive writing and a willingness to dig deeper into its characters' emotional motivations. The direction is commendable for an independent project, and the cast, especially Gillett, gives strong performances with the material they were given. It's an enjoyable watch, particularly for fans of coming-of-age or wrestling-adjacent stories, but with more detail and development, it could have been something far more impactful.
