Pro-Wrestlers vs. Zombies Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		2.5
Audio		2.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		2.5

Pro-Wrestlers vs. Zombies Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 1, 2015

There are unavoidable expectations in place when sitting down to watch a movie titled “Pro-Wrestlers vs. Zombies.” Obviously, material like this isn’t looking for respectability, but basic functionality is always welcome. Writer/director Cody Knotts looks to summon a mood of horror and sports entertainment with his picture, hiring some well-known wrestlers to appear in a no-budget genre film that’s largely shot inside an abandoned prison and in the deep woods. The helmer depends on established personalities to lead the way, along with a healthy dose of gore, keeping the feature regular with bursts of violence and meaty, troubled acting. What “Pro-Wrestlers vs. Zombies” is missing is fun, with Knotts overseeing a depressing vibe of survival and vaguely defined evil, managing to fatigue the effort long before it has a chance to truly kick back and enjoy its ridiculousness.

At a sparsely attended wrestling match inside a high school gym, manager Angus (Ashton Amherst) watches as his brother is killed in the ring by Shane (“The Franchise” Shane Douglas). Vowing revenge, Angus conjures the power of black magic and creates a horde of zombies, leading them to an abandoned penitentiary in West Virginia, setting a trap for Shane, who’s arrived for a private match with a group of his fellow gladiators, including Roddy (“Rowdy” Roddy Piper) and Jim (“Hacksaw” Jim Duggan). Joined by Sarah (Adrienne Fischer), a rep with wrestling outfit Extreme Rising, Shane and his buddies are soon marked for death when Angus releases his undead army, forced to battle their way to safety as the herd is thinned slowly by the flesh-eaters, who work to overwhelm the ornery superstars.

It’s difficult to criticize “Pro-Wrestlers vs. Zombies” for being a letdown when it isn’t really anything much to begin with. The plot is more of a suggestion, with Angus’s plan of revenge only marginally detailed, displaying a connection to satanic powers that emerge with the consumption of a human heart. Somehow this creates zombies, and somehow the plague spreads throughout suburban West Virginia. Knotts isn’t a strong storyteller, preferring to show rather than tell, getting the feature up to speed with an opening wrestling bout in front of 20 fans (the obvious financial crisis facing Extreme Rising is more troubling than the rise of the undead), and there’s a suspense sequence that kicks off the nightmare, watching Angus organize the abduction of a local nurse. Violence is most important to “Pro-Wrestlers vs. Zombies,” and it should really be the only priority, as characters tend to show up instead of being introduced, with relationships and antagonisms hazy at best.

The action eventually heads to the prison, where Shane, Roddy, Sarah, and the wrestling crew (including Matt Hardy as a horndog grappler, and Penthouse Pet Taya Parker as Shane’s territorial girlfriend) begin to sense that they’ve been set-up, first encountering the enemy inside a wrestling ring, which should really be the first and last scene of the movie. Knotts achieves an agreeable level of insanity here, watching the wrestlers combat their stumbling foe in the squared circle, defending their territory with industry moves and sheer brute force. However, there are 90 minutes to fill, forcing “Pro-Wrestlers vs. Zombies” to come up with a little more to do than simply focus on the basics. Chases ensue, friendships are challenged, and danger is encountered at every turn, changing Sarah from a respectable businesswoman to a fierce warrior, kicking and chopping her way through advancing evil. And still, there’s not enough, with Knotts failing to vary the fights and freshen locations, finding dark rooms and hallways blending together after the first act.

The wrestlers are the main draw here, especially when the effort offers an opportunity to watch the late Piper in one of his final roles. He’s the best thing about “Pro-Wrestlers vs. Zombies,” managing to find something of a performance (along with Fischer) with the heightened passion he brought to much of his career. The beefy men and busty ladies are in their element when pounding zombies, but Piper’s enthusiasm is the most encouraging, especially when Knotts orders up a bagpipe rock song to support the legend’s solo scenes of self-defense, finding a rare burst of energy in a sluggish picture.

Pro-Wrestlers vs. Zombies Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation certainly doesn't have the foundation for an encouraging viewing experience, with commercial-grade cameras used to capture chaotic action. The feature looks dismal all around, with drained colors leading the charge, offering a colder palette that periodically emphasizes red. Hues aren't secure, but they aren't radically off either. Delineation isn't a priority, with most evening and dimly lit sequences lost to solidification, but detail isn't completely gone, with most stabilized close-ups grasping facial textures and gore highlights. Banding, pixelation, and general noise issues follow the presentation wherever it goes, while inherent cinematographic limitations are easily spotted.

Pro-Wrestlers vs. Zombies Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 Dolby Digital sound mix also struggles with no-budget production issues, finding the mix jarring with edits and levels, failing to find a cohesive rhythm that defines the performances and violence. Dialogue exchanges are primarily dubbed, leaving synch a pipe dream at times, but even the post-production boost can't erase muddiness, finding a few lines completely lost. Music also fights to be heard, keeping scoring supportive but unremarkable while the metal soundtrack erupts without warning, often overpowering the mix. Instrumentation is there, but balance doesn't arrive. Atmospherics are thick and often disorganized, while sound effects are emphasized without flair, keeping goopy and wet.

Pro-Wrestlers vs. Zombies Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Intro (2:08, HD) presents a brief tribute to late wrestler Roddy Piper from Troma Entertainment co-founder Lloyd Kaufman before it segues into a wrestling match featuring two Tromettes.

• Commentary features writer/director Cody Knotts. Right from the first second, the track is out of synch.

• "Radiation March" (:56, SD) is a short dance piece concerning the dangers of pollution.

• "The American Cinematheque Honors 40 Years of Troma" (2:03, SD) is a montage of company achievements, scored to song by Motorhead.

• "TroMoMa" (11:40, HD) follows Lloyd Kaufman into the Museum of Modern Art, celebrating the selection of "Return to Nuke 'Em High: Volume 1" as part of "The Contenders" film series. Nerves are shared along with a Q&A, and the evening is capped with a Bollywood-style dance on stage.

• "It Gets Better" (1:36, SD) is a parody PSA on bullying featuring Kaufman yelling at his bumbling crew.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:47, SD) is included.

Pro-Wrestlers vs. Zombies Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Pro-Wrestling vs. Zombies" is filled with tuneless metal, iffy performances, and cheap locations, emphasizing its budget limitation whenever possible. Knotts also make a key mistake by killing off a child, trying to find place of emotional gravity in the midst of stupidity. Because genre pictures are always a laugh riot when they kill off little kids. However, the death of an innocent is far from only mistake "Pro-Wrestlers vs. Zombies" makes as it goes about its business of bloody bites, disembowelments, and body slams. The fact that the effort never manages to catch fire is an unpardonable sin, wasting an opportunity to create a gonzo environment of extreme violence and showmanship. Knotts manages to lure a few famous faces into the production, but ultimately doesn't offer them much to do. By the time the grand finale has arrives, the movie is already out of gas, turning feverish survival into white noise.