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While there are no cage matches — or even conventional fighting rings — in The Martial Artist, a story about an up-and-coming MMA fighter, written, produced, directed and starring Shaz Khan (Parvaaz Hai Junoon, Moor, Dobara Phir Se), there is a figurative cage trapping the lead character’s every waking decision in every frame of this movie.

The cage is Ibby’s unshakable ego (that’s the name of Shaz’s character) — an impossible to escape character flaw that’s rooted naturally as part of his psyche.

Seeing Ibby’s self-destructive trajectory, I am sure this was a partially conscious decision between Shaz and co-writer Michael Ross Albert.

Ibby’s anger is spontaneous, and he navigates life with giant blinkers that cut out everything in one’s peripheral vision, other than, that is, the goal of being the best of the best in the MMA. But take a step back, and one realises that Ibby is seeing a boy’s dream — a boy who has yet to become a man, who is standing in a room full of mirrors that only show his own reflection.

As we see in the first fight of the ‘Extreme Combat Challenge’ — an MMA championship that streams digitally from the open plains of the Arizona desert — Ibby is proud of his skills as a fighter; he doesn’t cheat nor does he fight without compassion.

Yet, despite his good-guy persona, one doesn’t quite understand the reason for his constant state of disgruntlement. Why is he incessantly miffed at the world, the characters around him question (though not out loud). The answer evades them, just as it evades the audience.

Tragedy hits Ibby as it hits every lead character in every sports-underdog movie, but rather than confront it as a man, he lets his self-conceit burn the world to ashes. Four years later, his career is gone, along with his support-group: his girlfriend, brother and mother (Sanam Saeed, Babar Peerzada and Thesa Loving). Ibby then travels to a remote village in the mountains of north Pakistan where he learns new fighting skills under a wise Dada (Faran Tahir), along with a sense of inner tranquillity, humility, redemption and the will to walk the path of resurgence.

Shaz’s film, in its most simple state, is the story of a boy who is reluctant to become a man. It is, by far, the most interesting — if not the most original — offering this Eidul Fitr, though it is not without slip ups.

The film is, at times, a reflection of the glaring traits that define Ibby: a strong will and a lack of maturity.

The story, for instance, needs the touch of a seasoned writer — or at least a consultation from someone who could have guided the screenplay better, especially when it comes to the creative misuse of a major reveal that lands face first at an important juncture in the film.

Most scenes are too raw; they come and go without flair, nuance or emotional engagement. This feeling of distance is further augmented with unrefined, basic lighting setups and inexpertly placed transitions of the background score.

The last technical glitch hits as strong as any KO punch Ibby lands on the opponents he faces.

The film also feels like a trimmed version of a longer film; the serrated edges of the narrative shows that a bigger picture is waiting to be assembled from the bins (ie folders of footage) of the editing software.

But credit where credit is due: the cast — which later also adds the very appealing Shamayale Khattak — perform admirably…irrespective of the enterprise being a showcase of Shaz’s filmmaking and acting ability.

One can also see the sheer effort and skill in the fights and their choreography.

Although there are a total of two legit championship bouts (the film has two more brawls, though they only count as a means to push the plot forward), one notices that during the fights, the camera deliberately stays locked onto the actors, rarely cutting away from the lithe brutality of MMA combat.

The action and the acting help elevate a passionate, if undercooked — though never appalling — story that’s in dire need of a tune up.

Considering the line-up of movies waiting for the audience in cinemas, The Martial Artist could very well be the unrefined diamond in the rough; it stands tall in the slew of releases, but only because there’s nothing better out there this Eid.

Released by HUM Films, The Martial Artist is rated U (Universal) and is suitable for audiences of all ages.