Combat Film: Slamming Into Movies…
With 12 ROUNDS, the latest Wrestler starring action film, hitting DVD this month I thought it might be a prudent time to take a look at back at the rather chequered past of pro-wrestler/action film combos that have (mostly) blighted cinema over the past twenty plus years since the sport broke bit in the mid-late 80’s.
To start of? The biggest star of them all, multiple champion and wrestling legend Hulk Hogan who for sure was the trend setter for the wrestler movie cross over. Although maybe not in a good way. SUBURBAN COMMANDO, NO HOLDS BARRED and MR NANNY were all pretty dire with his only notable performance coming from a brief showing in ROCKY 3. If we’re honest Terry ‘Hulk Hogan’ Bolea was never a great actor and his films were , for the most part, pretty bad. But then again the majority of Wrestler-movie combinations have been pretty bad.
Edge in HIGHLANDER: END GAME, Big Show Paul Wright in JINGLE ALL THE WAY, Rob Van Damn in BLOOD MASK 2, Jeep Swenson in BATMAN & ROBIN and The Warrior in FIRE POWER (no me either) are just a few of the crimes against cinema that wrestlers have featured in.
If you want really bad however then look no further than WCW themed movie READY TO RUMBLE which featured numerous wrestlers but forgot story and direction. Diamond Dallas Page, Goldberg, Bam Bam Bigelow and others all took part in this abomination.
Better served was Andre The Giant in the classic THE PRINCESS BRIDE. But for my money probably the best wrestler-movie combo comes in the much underrated THEY LIVE, the 80’s sci-fi film starring Rowdy Roddy Piper which, along side the wrestler-less The Thing, is probably one of John Carpenters best films.
Blurring the line between fact and fiction was THE WRESTLER. Necro Butcher, Ron Killings, Ernest ‘The Cat’ Miller and numerous other small time Ring Of Honour and Combat Zone Wrestling performers.
With the launch of WWE films a whole new batch of wrestler starring movies hit the screens. ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin featured alongside fellow sports exile Vinnie Jones in the Hard Target/Big Brother mash up THE CONDEMED whilst Kane starred in the critically slammed horror SEE NO EVIL (aka Ice Scream Man, which was a far better title). The latest wrestler to get the big movie push care of WWE films is John Cena whose Commando-esk action film THE MARINE was surprisingly good, even if the recent follow up 12 ROUNDS fell short.
Most wrestlers per film (save for those actually about wrestling of course) probably goes to the actually rather good but critically slated remake of THE LONGEST YARD which featured Goldberg (also see JCVD vehicle Universal Solider: The 
Return) , Giant Khali, Kevin Nash, Steve Austin and Bob Sapp all making appearances along side Adam Sandler and personal favourite Brian ‘The Boz’ Bosworth (star of the underappreciated Stone Cold).
Commentator, Wrestler and politician Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura had a brief run in 80’s actions films like THE RUNNING MAN and alongside the Guvernator in THE PREDATOR. Oh and he popped up very briefly in Wesley Snipes/Stallone Vehicle DEMONLITION MAN. On the subject of cameos look out for blink and you’ll miss them app from Macho Man Randy Savage in SPIDERMAN, Triple H in BLADE TRINITY, Tommy “Tiny” Lister in THE FIFTH ELEMENT , Tor Johnson in the so bad its terrible PLAN 9 FROM OUTERSPACE.
The most successful? Well that title would have to go to Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. SCORPION KING, WALKING TALL, THE RUNDOWN and most recently RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN have all been both financially and (mostly) critically successful. In fact Walking Tall is one of my favourite action films of the past 5 years… thanks in no small part to Mr Johnson’s considerable personality and charisma.
’12 Rounds is out on Blu-ray and DVD on12th October’
Phil Hobden
Combat Film
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