Dark Match

I wasn't expecting much from this film but I was very surprised. As a big wrestling fan I had fun watching this cheese fest. But the reason I couldn't review this higher is because of the horrendous acting of Chris Jericho. As a former word champion I expected him to at least be able to act in a wrestling film of all things. But no his ridiculous bad guy cult leader is just painful to watch. He's more wooden than a barn door. Thankfully though the rest of the cast are fantastic. Well worth a watch just ignore Jericho and his obnoxious attempt at acting. Steven ogg as always is a huge shining show stealing star we need more of.

Running a special show in a new arena, a woman hoping for a big break in her career joins several other local wrestlers in a run-down venue for a shady promoter, but when they start to become suspicious of their host they realize that there's Satanic rituals in play and must get away alive.

This was a bit underwhelming and had some issues with it. Among the main enjoyable factors with this one is the central setup of the group arriving at the venue and finding themselves at the beginning stages of the takeover. With just enough background on the different characters as to why they would go through the short-notice program just days before the supposed show, there's a lot to enjoy here with this one going for the slow-building revelation about them being duped once they get to the facility and put through the ringer during their matches. As the night goes on and they realize that the whole thing has been a setup, using the type of matches they're to go through involving special rules and stipulations as well as being fought to the death, this offers up an intriguing enough premise and some fine brutality in the action playing up to that. However, beyond that, there are some big drawbacks holding this back. The main detrimental factor here is that there's no clue what the plan for the villains really is as they introduce multiple plot threads to be an acceptable point but never settle on one. Initially brought into the venue thinking the purpose is to participate in a special show for locals only to get put off by the barbaric rituals, this sets up the idea of the show being a revenge killing against the new group arriving for the show. Then it brings up the purpose of the whole thing as a Satanic ritual used to summon their dark masters before bringing up the experience being recorded and broadcast to others who enjoy this kind of material and then finally a bit of revenge for his family. This is immensely disorganized and jarring leaving this one too scattered to be of much use. The other real detriment to this one is the rather unimpressive plot as a whole where it never really feels like much of an actual story is taking place. The idea of getting the group to the building and using them for nefarious purposes other than a wrestling card is fine, but how this one presents everything needs a lot of work. From the general lack of information on the different figures going along with the mission while also getting all the confusing information about the villains, what the purpose of the wrestling matches is supposed to accomplish, and where the throughline of the whole congregation of cultists getting what they wanted only to be turned off and frightened at it so the finale makes little sense, this has some real trouble getting some cohesion out of everything. As well as some rather obvious low-budget material found here, this one has some issues to hold it back.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, and drug use.

A group of small-time pro wrestlers find themselves fighting for their lives.

I figured the whole wrestling thing was probably just going to be a bit of set dressing, like stuff usually is in these kinds of movies. It turned out to be a bigger part of the movie than I expected. If you're like me and don't care for wrestling, it shouldn't be a deal-breaker.

Our protagonist is an interesting character. She's aloof, sullen, and has a mean streak. She's also sick of playing the bad guy and propping up white people. Quite understandably, she wants her own shot at the big leagues. A flawed character like that is always a bit chancy, but I thought Ayisha Issa did a good job making her likable, or, at least someone you can root for. I'd be curious to see Miss Behave's further adventures.

Steven Ogg, who plays her boyfriend and a kind of mentor figure, was great. He stole several scenes, and it felt like he was really trying to make this the best movie it could be. He reminded me of Lance Henriksen in that respect. It makes me want to go looking for other movies he's been in. Although some of his lines might come off as a bit preachy, I thought he made them work.

The only others who really got to shine were Mo Adan, who played a mostly mute wrestler, and Sara Canning, who played Issa's opposite: white, perky, and privileged. Canning got to have some fun, and her character had a bit more depth than it first seemed. Still it would have been nice to have seen even more depth. The character had some real potential if they'd mined deeper. Adan was also given more than you'd expect but, again, not as much as you'd like.

Chris Jericho shows up. As someone who doesn't know anything about wrestling, I didn't recognize him. I thought he was a bit theatrical and hammy, but it certainly makes a lot more sense now that I've done a Google search on him. It also probably suits his character. If you're a wrestling fan, I think this will probably be the highlight the movie for you. For me, some of his scenes seemed kind of like filler.

I liked the writing and directing, but I also felt that this could have a great B movie if they'd tried just a bit harder. Not everyone wants to watch B movies. I get that. But for a certain audience, these are the most fun ever put on film. After seeing WolfCop and Dark Match, I think Lowell Dean has what it takes to make a cult movie in that will live forever in the minds of fans. One day, I think he's going to knock it out of the park, and it's going to be the most memorable thing you've seen on Netflix.

The characters were nearly there, but they needed another little push. The plot was a bit close to Green Room, which featured a punk band in dire straits. But I liked how bonkers the plot was, and I wanted it to be even more bonkers. I wanted it to go off the rails, like it teased at the end. I wanted it to go to 11. I think that if we ever get a sequel, it may in fact do so.

I liked Dark Match more than I thought I would, and I think other fans of WolfCop will like it, too. Give it a chance.

Also no pun intended - the Wolfcop is back ... well the actor himself only has a small part ... blink and you'll miss him. But the director thought of this little movie to do. I really wanted to like this more by the way ... but I think I am being way too fair with my rating as it is ... the idea is fun, I reckon and the characters have their moments.

But it can't really decide where to focus on ... Wrestling (some of the actors seem to have learned more or knew more than the others) or the horror of it all. The humor is hit and misses .. and even something I really loved (a Betamax versus VHS joke) probably will go over the head of most of those watching this ... we also get to see a bit of Chris Jericho and Steven Ogg ... and some other actors you may be aware of.

There is charm, there is humor ... but there is something missing ... the X factor ... that even the matches and the effects cannot really save (or put on top ... 1 ... 2 ... 3 and all that)

The movie is better than expected, with many positives. I like the grainy, old-school visuals; and the movie makes the right decision in taking place in the late 1980s: the 1980s time period eliminates any cell-phones (all horror movies nowadays must either take place before cell-phones, or the characters simply have no signal in their location); and as wrestling fans know, the late 1980s was the territorial era where kayfabe lived amongst wrestling fans, which makes the premise more credible. Visually, the movie manages to get some decent kills, and nothing looks embarrassingly cartoonish or fake. Some minor scenes might tickle wrestling fans, such as when the characters talk about maintaining heel/face dynamics in public, when they load on the bus to travel to their next show like a circus act, and when they whisper instructions to each other in the ring. The movie's brisk run-time is just about perfect.

But most of all - the character Joe (played by Steven Ogg) absolutely steals the show. He's the best actor in the entire movie, and his character comes off as cool and badass at various points. There is one part where he skillfully narrates the background of Jericho's character over some creepy montage - that scene is the best moment of the entire movie; it's an A+ scene in an low-budget, made-for-TV movie

That said, many flaws remain: the plot is predictable and ultimately forgettable in the long run. The movie could have done a lot more with the character Kate, particularly with her relationships with Jericho and the main character named "Miss Behave." The villains, like Jericho and his group, needed some fleshing out. The movie at various times suggests that Jericho's character is driven by revenge against Joe and the company he works for. Then elsewhere, the movie suggests that Jericho's character and his group are just satanic whackos. Then elsewhere, the movie suggests that Jericho's character and his group are seeking money by filming the whole ordeal. Then there's stuff involving Jericho's character's daughter ... it just seems disorganized

Regardless - if this movie were a TUBI movie, it would be one of the best horror movies on that service. And among wrestling movies, it's also one of the strongest (though that might be a low bar). It's not a bad watch. If 5.0 is average, then a 5.5/10 sounds right

5.5/10.