Review - Ready to Rumble (2000)
“There's a lot of glare coming off that dome of yours, squirrel nuts!”
Director: Brian Robbins
Starring: David Arquette, Scott Caan, Oliver Platt, Rose McGowen
Screenplay: Steven Brill
I’ve watched this movie a few times now and for a while I’ve wondered why? It’s bad, real bad and yet I’m drawn to it. This movie is a perfect example of train wreck cinema, it’s bad yet you can’t help but look. To be honest there are a few things that I really dig about the movie but I’m man enough to admit that it doesn’t make a good overall movie.
The plot goes as such, two idiotic wrestling fans Gordie Boggs (David Arquette) and Sean Dawkins (Scott Caan) see their hero Jimmy King (Oliver Platt) lose the title to Diamond Dallas Page (plays himself). They decide to go on a quest to help Jimmy King retain the title and along the way find out that their hero isn’t exactly the man they think he is. It’s a simple plot that might have been entertaining and a nice experience for fans of wrestling but they really lose themselves.
First problem comes with acting. David Arquette is way over the top and just grates your nerves; it’s a shame as while not the best actor in the world he can do better. Scott Caan is just plain and while he works well with David you can pretty much forget about him at the end of the movie. When the two leads in your movie aren’t good you have a problem. Probably the two highlights are Oliver Platt who comes of as the arsehole in the beginning but his gradual turn and learning to become a man seem natural, plus he’s done comedy before and has great timing. The other memorable acting job is Diamond Dallas Page whose natural charisma shines through and he really knows how to be a heel.
Overall the comedy is very broad, often going to the lowest common denominator when it really doesn’t need to, and for a movie that is about wrestling a lot of the humour isn’t directed at it. It’s a film that is targeted at a very certain audience, yet it really doesn’t care about that audience. Maybe that’s the films biggest problem; it’s trying to appease too many people and not really doing its own thing. I can sense that maybe Brian Robbins as director was just letting people go over the top in hopes it would add some sort of zany flavour to the mix.
Visually the movie is okay but when it comes to the wrestling they really fail to capture it on the screen. Considering WCW (World Championship Wrestling) was heavily involved it’s weird that they wouldn’t have helped them out. It all leads to a movie that’s trying really hard to be a product that sells and nothing more, being rushed to get dollars quickly and too many factors not being controlled. With nothing being controlled, chaos reigns and the wreck forms. I can’t recommend this movie, I kind of like it but that’s because I’m weird. If you want a good wrestling movie watch The Wrestler, slightly more depressing but worth your time.
Director: Brian Robbins
Starring: David Arquette, Scott Caan, Oliver Platt, Rose McGowen
Screenplay: Steven Brill
I’ve watched this movie a few times now and for a while I’ve wondered why? It’s bad, real bad and yet I’m drawn to it. This movie is a perfect example of train wreck cinema, it’s bad yet you can’t help but look. To be honest there are a few things that I really dig about the movie but I’m man enough to admit that it doesn’t make a good overall movie.
The plot goes as such, two idiotic wrestling fans Gordie Boggs (David Arquette) and Sean Dawkins (Scott Caan) see their hero Jimmy King (Oliver Platt) lose the title to Diamond Dallas Page (plays himself). They decide to go on a quest to help Jimmy King retain the title and along the way find out that their hero isn’t exactly the man they think he is. It’s a simple plot that might have been entertaining and a nice experience for fans of wrestling but they really lose themselves.
First problem comes with acting. David Arquette is way over the top and just grates your nerves; it’s a shame as while not the best actor in the world he can do better. Scott Caan is just plain and while he works well with David you can pretty much forget about him at the end of the movie. When the two leads in your movie aren’t good you have a problem. Probably the two highlights are Oliver Platt who comes of as the arsehole in the beginning but his gradual turn and learning to become a man seem natural, plus he’s done comedy before and has great timing. The other memorable acting job is Diamond Dallas Page whose natural charisma shines through and he really knows how to be a heel.
Overall the comedy is very broad, often going to the lowest common denominator when it really doesn’t need to, and for a movie that is about wrestling a lot of the humour isn’t directed at it. It’s a film that is targeted at a very certain audience, yet it really doesn’t care about that audience. Maybe that’s the films biggest problem; it’s trying to appease too many people and not really doing its own thing. I can sense that maybe Brian Robbins as director was just letting people go over the top in hopes it would add some sort of zany flavour to the mix.
Visually the movie is okay but when it comes to the wrestling they really fail to capture it on the screen. Considering WCW (World Championship Wrestling) was heavily involved it’s weird that they wouldn’t have helped them out. It all leads to a movie that’s trying really hard to be a product that sells and nothing more, being rushed to get dollars quickly and too many factors not being controlled. With nothing being controlled, chaos reigns and the wreck forms. I can’t recommend this movie, I kind of like it but that’s because I’m weird. If you want a good wrestling movie watch The Wrestler, slightly more depressing but worth your time.
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