Dark Match

Over the years, there have been a few attempts to bring film and wrestling together. While this has resulted in modern favourites such as The Wrestler or The Iron Claw, there have also been some real stinkers, such as Death From Above. There has also been a few attempts to mesh wrestling and horror together too, which yields mixed results in the world of professional wrestling and thus far has provided little entertainment on film, but Dark Match proved to be a step up from the likes of Pro Wrestlers Vs Zombies.

First and foremost, there's some decent acting in this movie, with Steven Ogg once again stealing the show. Very few actors become successful after starring in a video game, but since his infamous role as Trevor in Grand Theft Auto V, he's made the most of every opportunity he's given to display his versatility, even in roles such as this where's if anything, he's the anchor that keeps the viewer, especially wrestling fans, grounded. Elsewhere, Chris Jericho, who isn't the greatest actor in the world but always understands the assignment, does a perfect job as the villain, falling somewhere between Linus Roache's performance in Mandy and Gene Simmons in Never Too Young To Die, giving us a solid mix of cult and camp.

While it's an enjoyable film that has some Easter eggs for fans, it is nonetheless predictable and at times a little flat. In particular our heroine, Miss Behave, feels less like the badass they attempt to portray her as, and more grumpy. Ayisha Issa may also be best known for her role in a video game (namely Fliss from Man Of Medan,) but she feels more real in that role, ironically. She doesn't do a bad job here, but the character itself feels a bit cookie cutter. I won't spoil the ending, but I think I audibly said, "Oh, they're going with this?" which left me a little disappointed.

All in all, Dark Match is a fun way to spend an hour and a half, with plenty of violence for horror fans and insider terms and a good adaptation of the grappling itself to please wrestling fans. Worth a watch if you just want to be entertained.

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.

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.

Dark Match has a surprisingly unique premise, as we follow a group of wrestlers who sign up for an underground event called a "Dark Match." Shortly after the event begins, they realize that the stakes are much higher than championship belts and a few bruises.

The immediate eye-catcher for me was seeing Stephen Ogg in the cast. I've always liked his acting, and ever since GTA V was released, I've been a huge fan of him and his work. He is not the main character here, though; that role belongs more to his sort-of girlfriend, "Miss Behave," played by Ayisha Issa. Both actors portrayed their characters really well and got the most out of their roles, which were interesting in themselves. The rest of the cast, including Chris Jericho, was mostly good, with a few exceptions.

The movie features some entertaining wrestling sequences and consistently avoids becoming too predictable, always introducing something new to keep the audience engaged. At times, it felt like the film wanted to explore more themes than it could handle, which led to an inconsistent tone throughout. It also suffered from pacing issues and some poorly lit scenes. However, the strong characters and unique plot made up for those shortcomings. I found myself caring about the characters and genuinely curious to see what would happen next, which is generally a good sign.

Unfortunately, the movie didn't fully reach the potential of its premise, and there were only a few truly memorable moments. I enjoyed director Lowell Dean's previous WolfCop films for their trashy and schlocky charm, and while Dark Match had similar tones, it took a slightly more serious approach despite the bonkers plot. The film was overall enjoyable but also a bit messy and definitely flawed. Still, I had a decent time watching it, even though I don't know much about wrestling. I feel like fans of the sport could find even more to enjoy here, and I'm curious to see what director Lowell Dean does next. He always seems able to craft likable low-budget flicks with heart. [5.4/10]

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.