Predictable
Summary
Queen of the Ring has good wrestling choreography, a groovy soundtrack, and great performances by its two leads; however, it treads the same course as other movies of its ilk and tries to juggle explaining wrestling with Mildred Burke’s story.
Plot: Pioneering female wrestler Mildred Burke (Emily Bett Rickards) becomes a wrestling sensation while dealing with the underhanded tactics of her promoter husband, Billy Wolfe (Josh Lucas).
Review: As a lifelong wrestling fan, I have always had an interest in tales of the mat. The best I’ve seen to date is Wrestling with My Family, the superb film about Saraya and her family of wrestlers. However, I was willing to give the new wrestling biopic, Queen of the Ring, a chance. I know more old-timey wrestlers, but the name Mildred Burke was new to me.
The film doesn’t break new ground; it’s the familiar story you would expect. Mildred is trying to be a female wrestler in a man’s world, shows she can hang with the men, has to deal with a domineering and shady man in her life, etc., etc. It also deals with issues of race, domestic violence, and pretty much every social issue going on today. So, if you’re expecting something new, this is not the movie.
What this movie does have, though, is outstanding wrestling choreography. Back in the day, wrestling was different, more mat-based and strength feats, as opposed to the high-flying, crazy spots that you see today. This movie is smooth and makes you believe all the stuff you’re seeing, even though it seems impossible at times. It looks authentic if you know the style of the day.
The soundtrack was also terrific. While some of it didn’t fit (like Richie Valens’ music at the onset of the ’50s era), it all sounded great. The music during the ultimate match between Mildred and June Byers was suitably uplifting and inspiring.
The acting was excellent. Emily Bett Rickards was utterly believable as the tough-as-nails, shrewd, driven Mildred. Josh Lucas was slimy and yet multi-dimensional as the shady promoter Billy Wolfe. However, my favourite character was undoubtedly Francesca Eastwood as the pragmatic Mae Young. If anyone remembers Mae from her late run with the WWE, she was batshit nuts. It was refreshing to see a different, more sensible version of Mae in this movie.
That’s not to say the movie doesn’t have its warts. It’s entirely predictable, and the pacing is off at times – the movie didn’t need to take 130 minutes to tell its story. The romantic subplot between Mildred and Billy’s son, G. Bill, felt forced and didn’t pay off. The June Byers fight at the end felt anti-climactic as June didn’t feel like an arch-nemesis of Mildred – that was Billy Wolfe, not June. The movie tried to explain wrestling itself and some of its terminology (kayfabe, faces, heels, shoots) as well as tell its story, which made the movie feel conflicted at times – were we telling a story about Mildred Burke or wrestling itself?
The movie is fun, though, and features some neat cameos by actual wrestlers (Naomi, Mickie James, Britt Baker, Kamile) and is the first film I’ve seen give a proper portrayal of Gorgeous George, one of the most influential and important wrestlers in history. It’s worth a look if you’re a wrestling fan; however, if you’re not into sports entertainment, then I recommend giving this movie a pass—there simply isn’t enough for you to spend your two+ hours on.