“Queen of the Ring” Offers Powerful Concepts, Weak Storytelling

Queen of the Ring (Ash Avildsen, 2024) 3 out of 5 stars

The latest from Ash Avildsen (American Satan) tackles the hot topic of the “first million dollar female athlete in history,” telling the story of female pro wrestler Mildred Burke (Emily Bett Rickards, Autumn and the Black Jaguar), and how she rose to dominate the industry. Set during a time when it was illegal for women to compete in professional wrestling, Burke defined the women’s side of the sport and become a reigning champion. While Queen of the Ring succeeds in showing a thrilling amount of smackdown-styled action, the story of Mildred Burke, while highly informative on her life, is done in a very conventional way, with little to offer in terms of cinematic achievement.

While the film doesn’t provide a tremendous amount of in-depth storytelling, it certainly follows the inspirational and exciting archetype of the underdog hero (or in this case “heroine”) who becomes a champion. Rickards’ portrayal of Burke steals the show, as we see a single mother with dreams and ambition becoming a legendary wrestler. While the writing of the script doesn’t do her justice, Rickards’ dynamic between Josh Lucas (She Dies Tomorrow), playing former wrestler and manager Billy Wolfe, displays a tremendous amount of protagonist and antagonist behavior. Overall, Queen of the Ring delivers on its promise to see the canvas slammed with electrifying wrestling moments between a host of female characters, which will surely please fans of a more enlightened and feminist narrative.

Sadly, the film goes through many familiar motions and story points to get to where it is going. Many key moments from Burke’s life feel breezed over, and the plot moves through its beats at a rushed pace in order to get from humble beginnings to champion, never really stopping to delve into intriguing aspects of Burke’s life, her upbringing, and the adversities of being a female athlete in a time when the world was against her.

While Queen of the Ring may not dig deep into its content, it does well enough to entertain its viewers with the promise of its premise and action-packed wrestling sequences. Even if the writing is without any special artistry, the overall plotline is enough to give a general audience an inspiring look at Mildred Burke. There’s also a worthy antagonist in Billy Wolfe and an overview of the rise of female wrestling as both a sport and entertainment.

Adam Vaughn

Adam Vaughn is a graduate of the Film & Moving Image program at Stevenson University, with a focus in Cinematography and Production. He also has a minor in Theater and Media Performance. Adam works as a freelance photographer and videographer, focusing his craft on creating compelling photographic and cinematic imagery. Adam is excited to join the Film Festival Today team and explore the world of cinema and visual arts.