Wrestlemaniac (DVD)

Much like Andre the Butcher (one of my favorite direct-to-disc horror movies), Wrestlemaniac is one of those slick sick-flicks hiding behind a stealth-bomb of a lowbrow story, terrible title, and no-name actors. Yet, the director's talent and understanding of his audience shines through and overcomes most of the film's inherent hindrances.

Writer/director Jesse Baget, making his debut here, knows you can’t go wrong with porn stars, a rancorous wrestler and face-offs. While he doesn't poke as much fun at these things as I would have liked, Baget's movie moves right along and pulls no punches in the boobs 'n blood department.

In the set-up, the bouncy cast (Leyla Milani, Margaret Scarborough) and boneheaded crew (Adam Huss, Jeremy Radin) of a low-budget skin flick are driving to their location when they get lost, their coach breaks down, and they find themselves stranded sans cellular service in a dusty ghost town called La Sangre De Dios. They decide to make the best of a bad situation, and go ahead and shoot their movie. The camera isn't rolling for long, before heads are rolling courtesy of the town's most deadly undead resident: El Mascarado (Rey Misterio Sr., who, incidentally, has a real-life connection to lucha libre).

What stands out the most about Wrestlemaniac is the attention to detail. It's not a sloppy, careless low-budgeter by any means. The visuals are especially nice: clever composition, good framing, and flattering lighting all help bolster a story that needs all the help it can get. Not that the outrageous story doesn't have its charms: who wouldn't love the hulking, skulking result of a Mexican Government experiment, driven mad by "at least 50" lobotomies and with a coveted collection of countenances (he rips the faces off his victims, keeping their "wrestling masks" as trophies).

In addition to having a cool killer, the victims in Wrestlemaniac are more than just cannon-fodder. The ladies are not only buxom, they're brainy too (one, while fixing the car, snaps, "Hey, I'm more than just tits on legs!" and she's right. It doesn't save her life, mind you, but she's a feisty filly who's fun to follow for awhile). Radin, as the videographer, is a loveable loser, and Huss stands out as the egotistical, charismatic, yet clueless director. Fans of horror will appreciate the cameo by Irwin Keyes, which comes early on in the film but makes for a lasting impression.

There are some really brutal death scenes, and it's interesting to learn how they were accomplished, via the director and actor commentary. Baget reveals a possible alternate ending (it was never shot), gripes about some studio restraints (they wanted quicker edits than he did), and jokes about his influences (the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre is an obvious one, especially at the climax).

While I do wish that there had been stronger intentional comedy, I recommend Wrestlemaniac. It is fun and it delivers on all promised counts.

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Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson