Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows

This may very well be the best documentary that I have ever seen. I first saw the film a month ago, and after seeing it again, I am more convinced than ever that it is a must-see; not only for wrestling fans, but fans of film, period. To be sure, you'll probably get more out of this movie if you are familiar with Bret Hart, or the WWF, or the now infamous Montreal double-cross, but the filmmakers succeeded in making this an enjoyable experience for viewers whether they watch wrestling or not. This film gave me a greater appreciation for wrestling, increased my already high regard for documentaries, and cemented me as a life-long fan of the Hitman. I can only hope that potential viewers of this film can remove any pre-conceived notions that they might have about wrestling, for this is truly a film that deserves to be seen.

Whether you love or loath Vincent K McMahon, there is no denying that he is a world class promoter. Whether you love or loath Bret Hart, there is no denying that he is a world class wrestler. That is why this is such a brilliant documentary. Bret Hart was THE top guy in the WWF in the mid-'90s. Vince was the man behind the character. The on-screen commentator was the behind-the-scenes owner/promoter. He signed Bret Hart up to an unprecedented 20 year contract in 1996 to stop Hart from joining the WWF's rival WCW. This documentary follows Bret around for one year. This one year is one of the most interesting in WWF history. It just so happens that the conclusion to this year contained THE most controversial night in recent wrestling history. Bret Hart was on his way to WCW but had a few weeks remaining on his WWF contract. The problem was that he was still the WWF Champion and this resulted in disputes and arguments from both sides as to how this problem would be resolved. This documentary crew was given an all access pass to all WWF events for the year that is covered. They go into the locker room and reveal all of the behind-the-scenes discussions and debates and the final concluding part to the most controversial night in recent wrestling memory.

Watch this tape if you have even the smallest amount of interest in wrestling. See how the "evil boss" character of Vince McMahon was created on this infamous night in November '97 in Montreal and how Bret Hart finished his 14 year WWF career.

Wrestling with Shadows opens a wrestling fan's eyes to the dark side of wrestling. You will see a side that you thought never existed. This documentary will show you what goes on behind the scenes and show you what kind of people work in "the circus". After seeing this, I see that Bret Hart is one of the few honest men left in wrestling. You will see Bret is just a man trying to make a living in the world of wrestling. One day, the world of wrestling changed around him. The sport he loved as a child and grew up in has changed around him. It's almost sad and disgusting. This documentary just goes to show that, sadly, there is no more room left for honest wrestlers like Bret Hart. Everyone is looking for the gimmick. Somehow, Bret doesn't fit in anymore. Even in the WCW. You have to feel for people like Bret and other wrestlers like him. Wrestling is changing for the worse, and the people involved in it are not the superhuman beings one may think they are. They are just people like you and I. Watch this documentary to see the story of one of those people. You will never look at wrestling in the same way again.

This is probably the best documentary on the world of professional wrestling. It is a no nonsense look at how much wrestling has changed since the its beginnings to what it is now. You get to look behind the characters that the wrestlers create and see how the business treats them as nothing more than commodities after their usefulness is over. Vince McMahon is pretty much shown to be not much different than his character on Raw or Smackdown. In fact, he is shown to be a backstabbing lowlife who lets his personal pride get in the way of his friendship with his company's brightest star. This is one documentary that does open some eyes.

Good guys. Bad guys. Betrayal. Tragedy. Men in tights.

Hit-man Hart: Wrestling With Shadows is a documentary focusing on the legendary Bret "Hitman" Hart and his last year with the WWE (1997). The veil of professional wrestling is removed and we get a behind the scenes glimpse of what it was like to be a wrestler in the WWE. What makes this documentary great is that it is about how "fake" wrestling is, while showing us how "real" it can be.

Bret Hart narrates, as well as leads us through, his hectic life as WWE champion. The film's main narrative is his battle with WWE owner, Vince McMahon. Their relationship drives most of the documentary and ultimately becomes that of a Shakespearian tragedy. Once great friends and co-workers, these two men eventually clash over several things which leads to Bret considering a departure from the WWE. What Vince McMahon does to Bret Hart at the end is utterly heartbreaking (no pun intended).

The camera crew did a superb job of capturing the raw moments backstage and in Bret's own home. Characters in the film act as if there is no camera around most of the time. Director Paul Jay is virtually non-existent in this documentary. He lets Bret take center stage. The point of view is obviously from Bret's corner, but the filmmakers lay everything out like a crime scene investigation and allow the viewer to form their own opinion as to the film's main ethical dilemma (Bret and McMahon's personal decisions at the end). Bret Hart speaks candidly about his decisions and his belief in them, and we see clips of Vince McMahon sharing his point of view as well.

This film does not require you to be a fan of professional wrestling, but it would not hurt either. Bret explains the intricacies of wrestling and how things work in a very simplistic manner which will make anyone knowledgeable in the world of wrestling and able to enjoy this classic morality tale.

Bret Hart comes off as extremely likable and noble. I find it hard to believe anyone not admiring his honesty, courage, and belief in himself. He believes in heroes, and doing what is right. He has loyalty and that loyalty is betrayed. This ultimately ends up becoming what the movie is about. Is Bret Hart a hero? Is Vince McMahon a villain? Is there right and wrong?

This documentary is a must see, and not just for wrestling fans.