Filmmaker J.M. Berrios’ directorial feature debut, Blackbear, has undergone a pretty quiet campaign while observing several working titles in months prior. Gravitas Ventures is sticking to its guns this time around with Blackbear landing a theatrical and VOD release tomorrow on June 14, coveting itself a tale of underdog soliders fighting for redemption.
After Staff Sergeant Codey “Bear” Blackbear (Scott Pryor) and his best friend and fellow sniper, Cowboy (Darrin Henson), escape from an ISIS interrogation, Cowboy’s only chance for survival is an unaffordable experimental treatment program. Back on the streets, Bear finds himself alone, aimless and with a new heroin addiction, courtesy of ISIS. Years after leaving the mixed martial arts world, Bear’s motivation to help Cowboy survive leads him back to his old gym. He enlists the help of his coach (Eric Roberts) to train him for a high-dollar fight in “The Basement”, an underground fight ring. In the end, Bear goes into his last mission truly living up to the Marine’s motto, Semper Fidelis; always faithful.
