Ready to Rumble

Although if you know quite a bit about wrestling, you will find this movie to be one of the most trashy and horrid pieces ever (why Oliver Platt? Get a wrestler for God's sake to wrestle!), but for being a piece used mainly to showcase WCW stars, it wasn't too bad, it let you see that some of the guys actually have some of that stuff called talent. Plus, it made for some of the lowest moments in WCW history when they strapped the gold around Mr. Arquette's waist (resume now includes: Scream bitch/1-800 idiot/WCW world champion), so anytime I can see the makings of what would turn out to be a big step in the demise of WCW is a good thing for me.

All in all, not bad, good for a few laughs, while the ending kinda sucked, not an overly bad film, unlike Mr. Nanny, remember that? And now that the movie "Backyard Dogs: The Movie" is out, it won't have to worry about being the worst wrestling film ever made!

Ready to Rumble doesn't much going for it at a glance. Gordie (David Arquette) and Sean (Scott Caan) are two adolescent boys trapped in the bodies of twenty-something sewage workers from Lusk, Oklahoma. The WCW is their passion and as true die hards, they brook no criticism of the sport's veracity. Their nights are spent in a convenience store parking lot jawing with junior high school students. These men are losers through and through. And yet there is something innately likable about these boy-men. They are losers in the sense that Rocky Balboa was a loser; they were born with nothing into the middle of nowhere, blessed with naught but dogged determination and unwavering faith in their cause. Ready to Rumble follows their quest to restore an even bigger loser to his former glory. That loser is disgraced professional wrestler Jimmy "The King" King (a terrific Oliver Platt). King is a hero and role model to the boys from Lusk, who know him only from his television persona. In reality, King is an alcoholic who spends his days in drag, hiding from child support collectors in a secluded trailer. He has been exiled to Palookaville by corrupt wrestling promoter Titus Sinclair (the always unctuous Joe Pantoliano).

The story is told kayfabe; that is to say, the filmmakers would have us believe that wrestling is a real sport and these athletes are really beating one another to a pulp in the ring, night after night. So when a gang of professional wrestlers dive off of the four corners of the ring to deliver a four man head butt to the fallen King, we are expected to cringe at the brutality. When King is unjustly stripped of the title, we are expected to feel outrage on his behalf. And when the boys travel cross country on a search for their hero, we are expected to feel excitement at the prospect of King's triumphant return. Personally, I had no such experiences as a viewer, yet something about this very simple film moved me. At its core, Ready to Rumble is the story of an emperor disrobed. Oliver Platt gives a commendable performance as King, a boorish oaf still capable of feeling shame. This man is no Bret Hart, no Hulk Hogan; no "Stone Cold" Steve Austin he. King fights dirty, drinks heavily, and mistreats his only supporters constantly. That by the end of the film I came to care about this man and his struggle is a true credit to Oliver Platt, one of Hollywood's finest unsung actors. Above all what touched me about Ready to Rumble was the faith of the two boys in their hero. Initially it was so undeserved it occasionally strained credulity; other times it was merely heartbreaking. But if there is one thing a viewer ought to take from Ready to Rumble, it is the testament borne to the transformational power of faith. By the end of the film, King has paid the cost of redemption and becomes the hero the boys always perceived him to be. The film's message is the following: as we believe, so shall it be.

As a self important film snob, I would be remiss if I didn't note duly the many things in Ready to Rumble I could have done without. This film is supposed to be a comedy, but its humor mostly comes in the form of juvenile absurdity. Perhaps Adam Sandler fans will enjoy the adolescent mischief, but I mostly found it a distraction from what could have been a compelling drama in the hands of a more capable director. In a forced subplot, Gordie's overbearing father, the town sheriff, is hell-bent on getting Gordie to follow in his footsteps. He'd rather see his son find a steady career in law enforcement than spend the rest of his life a wrestling obsessed sewage handler. This man is introduced as an antagonist, but bluntly, I found his position very sympathetic. Who could blame him for attempting to intrude on his adult son's adolescent fantasy? Moreover, Rose McGowan plays a conniving, unlikable tart that Gordie becomes quite stricken with. Her character really doesn't have much of a reason for existing other than to cram an attractive actress into a Nitro-girls outfit. And of course the ending is all too pat, as it must be in a film that takes place in the WCW universe.

For all of its faults, I was surprised to find myself enjoying Ready to Rumble. I came to care deeply about its well meaning protagonists and their fallen hero. Arquette, Caan, Pantoliano, and especially Platt all show their stripes as actors, turning what could have been a farce into a compelling journey of redemption. I can't quite give the film a recommendation, but it's underdog story and rock solid performances struck a chord with me.

This was light and enjoyable film of two affable wrestling fans who want to reinstate a recently fallen hero to the top of the WCW world. I have seen funnier films, but this was not a disappointment by any means. Fans of wrestling should really enjoy it, non fans (like myself, although I think I might be becoming one) should still like it. Arquette, Caan, and Platt make a nice trio, and Martin Landau is hilarious as an old-school wrestling guru.

Don't be a big deep thinker on this one. This movie is Fun and entertaining. They are not trying to cure cancer or save the world here they are trying to entertain and I will tell you I was so entertained I bought this movie and watch it at least once a year with friends.

This movie is silly, fun and will let you escape life's issues for an hour and 47 minutes. Oliver Platt is great and Scott Caan has some great comedic chops, however it is Martin Landau that steals the movie as the old school wrestler turned trainer.

Give this movie a chance and I bet it will pin you to the couch for a 3 count!

Popcorn for everyone!

Even though I'm not a very big WCW fan, I still thought it had some very funny parts. The movie itself of course was a bit lame, but I guess it was made for laughs. I'm surprised they made this movie about WCW and not WWF? I mean WWF is a lot more popular than WCW. I though it would have been way better if it was based on WWF and not WCW. But everything else of the movie was decent. I'm a huge wrestling fan and I love wrestling. So whatever movie is based on wrestling, I Like! This movie deserves a B+