Chokeslam Blu Ray Review (MVD Entertainment Group)

Chokeslam is a 2016 wrestling/comedy film directed by Robert Cuffley (Turning Paige, Walk All over Me, & Ferocious). Cuffley first started writing this project in 2002 & it reunites him with a few actors from previous work. It won four 2017 Rosie (AMPIA) Awards. The Regina Exhibition Stadium, where the wrestling rink scenes were shot, was built in 1919. It was demolished soon after this was finished. This film features professional wrestlers Mick Foley, Lance Storm, David Hart Smith, & Laurel Van Ness. In the wake of Netflix’s Glow & the growing population of women’s wrestling on various promotions it was perfect timing to make something like this. Women’s wrestling was highly popular back in the day & it’s gained that audience back in recent years thanks to being heavily promoted on multiple national televised shows. They haven’t made that many professional wrestling movies over the years & the ones they did produce didn’t have much success. You got stuck with jokes like Nacho Libre & Ready to Rumble instead of amazing stuff like 2008’s The Wrestler. I still enjoyed movies like No Holds Barred, Grunt! The Wrestling Movie, The Wrestler (1974), & Body Slam for this particular sub genre. In recent years, a few horror movies have invaded it with Troma’s Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies & Monster Brawl!

The film opens with deli employee Corey Swanson (played by: Chris Marquette from Freddy vs. Jason, Fanboys, & The Mummy Animated TV Series) getting robbed at gunpoint at the store. Corey recognizes the criminal & calls him “Rocket”. That was Luke Petrie’s (played by: Michael Eklund from Bates Motel, House of the Dead, & Mr. Right) nickname in High school. He tries to deny it but his nickname is clearly tattooed on his knuckles. He doesn’t remember him but Corey still saves him from getting in trouble over it. Rocket needed extra money to look sharp for their 10 year High school reunion. Sheena DeWilde (played by: Amanda Crew from Final Destination 3, The Haunting in Connecticut, & Sex Drive) keeps having bad luck & she’s been banned from professional wrestling for a year. Corey goes to his former therapist Dr. Hayden (played by: Agam Darshi from Final Destination 3, Poison Ivy: The Secret Society, & Bates Motel) for advice. She’s currently out of practice & working at a hardware store.

Corey hasn’t changed much since school. He lives with his mom Janet (played by: Gwynyth Walsh from Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Twilight Zone, & The Crush) & rides a bike. Corey overcomes his fear & goes to the reunion with Rocket. He has flashbacks of old memories with Sheena. Her old classmates make fun of Sheena’s recent problems during a speech. She loses her temper & attacks the crowd. She accidentally hits Corey & puts him in the hospital. A long time ago Sheena turned down Corey’s marriage proposal before she left to become a pro wrestler. Corey visits Sheena at her sister Evelyn’s (played by: Meghan Heffern from American Pie: Beta House, Chloe, & Wynonna Earp) charity event. He takes her to a local wrestling event at the place where it all started known as The Pavilion. Corey meets Sheena’s boyfriend Tab Hennessy (played by: Niall Matter from Fear Itself, Watchmen, & The Predator) who is also her manager. She doesn’t want to go back to pro wrestling & wants to retire from it all.Corey wants more time with her so he tries to plan a retirement match there with Rocket. Tab wants her to do it somewhere bigger with more promotion rather than her hometown.

Local wrestler Angel calls out Sheena for a match. Rocket puts up posters without Corey knowing Sheena is mad that your retirement plan is spoiled to everyone.They wrestle which leads Corey into the hospital again. He tells her how he fell off a billboard after she left & everyone thought he tried to kill himself. She finally agrees to do the retirement event there with him. He meets up with Patrick (played by: Wrestling Legend Mick Foley from Beyond the Mat, I Am Santa Claus, Big Money Hustlas, & Hellevator Man), Bruno, & Rocket to organize for the event. Tab tries to take over & change everything. Sheena wrestles Angel in the anticipated brawl. Angel dominates most of the battle but Sheena ends it with her finishing maneuver the chokeslam! She gets offered to try out for a deal with Extreme Japan Wrestling after one more match. Corey sets up Tab to get more alone time with Sheena. Janet tells Sheena that her son was in a mental institution for 48 hours. She finds out why Rocket is really helping Corey. They get into an argument. Tab threatens to take away her chance at EJW & they break up. She is surprised by her mystery opponent Merciless Mordeca. Tab set her up for failure! Rocket & Malcolm convince Corey to go to the match. Tab & Corey get into a fight all over the building. Corey & Sheena finally get their moment.

I’ve never seen a Romantic Comedy like this before. It has a little bit of everything for everyone to enjoy. It has a good balance of what you would expect from this. So anyone can be entertained by this Independent feature without feeling guilty. Michael Eklund really shines as Rocket in this. I’ve always enjoyed his work & he gets a bigger chance to show off his acting chops here. It’s definitely one of the better wrestling films out there.You don’t even have to enjoy or be a fan of the sport to watch this because it’s about much more than that. It’s ironic because WWE struggles to make their mark in the film industry. Maybe they should take notes from something like this to improve their quality. This Independent film looks really good in high definition & sounds great! MVD Visual delivered a quality release. It has a two minute plus behind the scenes featurette. It also includes a theatrical trailer for the film plus trailers for MVD releases Lycan & Man from Holocene. It’s available everywhere right now from MVD, check it out!!!!