Queen Of The Ring Review
Queen of the Ring tells the inspiring story of Mildred Burke (Emily Bett Rickards), the revolutionary female wrestler who shattered every rule in the book in an era when women were barred from the wrestling ring. Throughout the film, we see Burke begin to carve out her future legacy, progressing from a waitress with a dream to becoming the longest-reigning champion in history. She does this by regularly proving to those who doubted her that the fiercest battles were not just to be fought in the ring, but against the world itself.
Based on the biopic novel by Jeff Leen, this historical sports drama was written and directed by Ash Avildsen (Paradise City), who does a great job creating a film that is full of heart, emotion, and exciting moments. Importantly, it feels incredibly authentic to the time period. The impressive production design by Molly Coffee allows us to feel immersed in the film thanks to its commitment to accurately portraying the vintage aesthetic that shaped Mildred’s story. With wrestling being the heart of the film, it was important for the film to capture an authentic feel to the wrestling choreography throughout. It would have been easy for the matches to feel over the top and cliché, but instead, the matches we see feel exciting and natural. This combination of both the impressive production design and authentic wrestling matches gives Andrew Strahorn plenty to work with for the cinematography. As a result, the film looks really nice, and the cinematography really helps to build up the overall story at the heart of the film.
Much of the film hinges on Emily Bett Rickards’ performance as Burke, and she handles the responsibility with complete ease. The script varies a little in quality throughout the film, but Rickards’ strong efforts allow the standards of the film to be maintained anyway, with a performance that feels far more compelling than the writing should have allowed. Her character undergoes so much in and out of the ring, and yet her performance feels incredibly well-balanced between her high-profile in-ring persona and her life outside the ring. Elsewhere, Queen of the Ring has a weirdly stacked all-star ensemble cast including the likes of Josh Lucas (Ford v. Ferrari), Tyler Posey (Teen Wolf), Francesca Eastwood (Juror #2), Deborah Ann Woll (True Blood), Damaris Lewis (BlackKkKlansman), and Walton Goggins (The White Lotus). Lucas and Eastwood, in particular, also deserve plaudits for their roles as Billy Wolfe, the promoter and Mae Young, another pioneer in women’s wrestling.
Overall, Queen of the Ring is a must-watch for all sports fans, but in particular for those who have grown up watching wrestling. There’s a lot to like throughout the film, but Bett Rickards’ performance in particular deserves all the plaudits it’s been getting. It’s a fun watch that, importantly, gives respect to iconic characters in wrestling at a time when they weren’t necessarily being given enough.
★★★
Queen of the Ring will be in select UK cinemas from September 19th , and on demand from October 13th.
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