A brand new drama, HURACÁN, uses the brutal world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as a way of highlighting some very serious issues facing people with rather extreme mental issues and challenges which are seemingly never-ending and destructive at the best of times.
Multi-hyphenate talent Cassius Corrigan plays Miami native Alonso Santos, a man who suffers from Disassociative Identity Syndrome as he attempts to find his place in the world of MMA, whilst attempting to earn a living on a building site. The condition yields very dark episodes in Santos’ mind, some of which stems from his own childhood when he witnessed domestic violence towards his mother from his abusive father.
Help begins to form in a local counsellor, Dr. Isabela Villalobos (Yara Martinez, TRUE DETECTIVE), who understands a far deeper concern about the way Santos’ condition has been misunderstood and – in previous assessments – has been misdiagnosed, making his case as complex as the condition he faces on a 24/7 basis.
Santos begins to find his way in the training ring at the gym where he begins to evolve as a fighter and wants to turn pro, but his condition is inevitably determined to beat him before he has even thrown a punch in a controlled fight environment……
Narrative-wise, this is pretty much familiar ground if you have seen any of the ROCKY, CREED or MILLION DOLLAR BABY – the tale of a troubled underdog trying to have validation for their life and needing emotional and moral support to achieve their aim.
What sets HURACÁN apart is the very unfamiliar condition and treatment of abnormal psychology, as well as the revealing effect of a never-before-seen pioneering treatment known as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) which uses light on the eyes to tap into traumatic events to help the patient overcome their past.
There is a tremendous cross-over potential and an inspiring tale that has love at the root of its’ story, with Santos’ predicament affecting many of those he comes into contact with – and the bonus of MMA training and fights will appeal to those who love the fight films mentioned above, as well as those who practice in the Martial Arts.
Corrigan and Martinez shine in the lead roles – and the film will certainly gain a following in due course.
HURACÁN is out in cinemas across the UK from Friday 23rd October
