Queen of the Ring, 2025.
Directed by Ash Avildsen.
Starring Emily Bett Rickards, Marie Avgeropoulos, Walton Goggins, Josh Lucas, Gavin Casalegno, Kelli Berglund, Tyler Posey, Martin Kove, Damaris Lewis, Ash Avildsen, Jim Cornette, Trinity Fatu, Toni Rossall, Cara Buono, Deborah Ann Woll, Adam Demos, Francesca Eastwood, Brittany Baker, Kailey Dawn Latimer, Chaney Morrow, Barron Boedecker, Byron Johnson II, Cameren Jackson, Mickie James, and Marie Evans James.
SYNOPSIS:
In a time when pro wrestling for women was illegal all over the United States, a small town single mother embraces the danger as she dominates America’s most masculine sport and becomes the first million dollar female athlete in history.
Chronicling the trailblazing efforts of woman’s professional wrestler Mildred Burke (a driven, unflinching, muscular Emily Bett Rickards) from the 1930s and beyond, who would go on to be the first multimillion-dollar woman’s athlete, co-writer/director Ash Avildsen’s Queen of the Ring is yet another rousing story from the untapped well of that often overlooked and unfairly side-eyed world. Writing alongside Alston Ramsay and based on a book by Jeff Leen, this particular film also has an additional beneficial layer in that, while it is a biopic primarily focused on a landscape-changing athlete, it’s also a compelling look at the evolution of women’s wrestling which started as illegal across America, meaning that, much like how wrestling itself is inspired by carnival show antics, single mother Mildred Burke caught her first break taking down overconfident men inside a wrestling ring as part of a carnival show.
More intriguing is that this also means that while a good portion of men’s professional wrestling is staged to a degree, Mildred wasn’t afforded that same opportunity. She had to prove herself in these “shoot matches” (a blurring of the lines between reality and script inside the ring) against mostly sexist men who didn’t think she belonged and thought they would easily be able to bring her down to the mat and pin or submit her. Even her promoter/over-the-hill wrestler fiancé Billy Wolfe (Josh Lucas) essentially once laughed in her face at the diner she was serving in upon expressing her enthusiasm to train under him.
The air of misogyny over the industry isn’t necessarily surprising given the era, but it is infuriating, nonetheless. A complicated relationship also develops where Billy genuinely respects Mildred’s hardheaded, never-take-failure-as-an-option demeanor, interested in building a new breed of star out of her for both of them to reap rewards. There are also times his resentment over emotionally hurting her feels grounded in some truth, although it doesn’t stop him from being terrible to her. He still is unable to escape his misogynistic and chauvinistic tendencies, breaking her heart early and often, promising a championship (eventually, they do get a woman’s league of sorts running), and more to younger, more naive athletes willing to aleep with him and follow in Mildred’s footsteps.
However, Ash Avildsen and the company are smart enough not to reduce Mildred Burke to a woman tormented by a broken relationship. She is defiant every step of the way and unafraid to enter a legal marriage as a means to ensure he can’t screw her and her son over financially. At one point, she also has a championship belt, which becomes another chess piece in this tumultuous relationship-turned-business arrangement. Yes, Billy could book her to lose that belt, and perhaps other women deserve to hold it, but Mildred knows she must transition into shoot mode if anything unplanned or fishy begins happening in the ring. These two become bitter enemies inside and outside the industry, including depicted scenes of domestic violence that, to some, might feel unnecessary to show explicitly, but within this narrative and context depict the difference between in-ring athleticism and terror, causing Mildred to grapple with what message it sends to the audience and what it does to her character if she escapes Billy and expresses public vulnerability.
There is also a genuine love for professional wrestling beyond Mildred Burke, who paved the way for fellow notable women wrestlers such as Mae Young (Francesca Eastwood), who is unsurprisingly tough as nails and here leaning into her bisexuality. Industry veterans such as Jim Cornette pop up for a brief scene or two, with a cameo from Ash Avildsen himself as Vince McMahon Sr. Walton Goggins also has a small but critical role as tycoon Jack Pfefer, a force of support to Mildred Burke and women’s wrestling itself, while also credited as popularizing various storytelling techniques across wrestling, presenting it more as live theater. Also fascinating is that Mildred Burke contributed to the Gorgeous George gimmick, played here by Adam Demos.
As such, Queen of the Ring is loaded with authentic smashmouth wrestling (having modern-day wrestlers aboard such as Toni Storm, Trinity Fatu, Britt Baker, and more helps), gradually showcasing Mildred Burke’s escalating superstardom in tandem with a newfound respect and embracement of women’s wrestling. Sometimes, the passage of time can be a bit jarring (at least two times, I was shocked that Mildred’s son had aged dramatically, with everyone surrounding her primarily working the same.) Still, the film also thankfully isn’t getting overly ambitious trying to cover her entire life, which is where numerous biopics crash and burn. There is still a formulaic feel here with expected plotting, but the performances, period specificity, and love for the industry elevate the proceedings.
Queen of the Ring might be a lot of wrestling and movie for those not interested in this industry (running nearly 140 minutes), but it’s also inspiring and has a lot to marvel at. Above all else, it’s empowering and exciting to see how far women’s wrestling has come while getting a greater understanding of its pioneers.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, Critics Choice Association, and Online Film Critics Society. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews and follow my BlueSky or Letterboxd
