Review: Queen of the Ring

28 May, 2025 William Eguizabal 0 Comments 2 categories

Title: Queen of the Ring
MPA Rating: PG
Director: Ash Avildsen
Starring: Emily Bett Rickards, Josh Lucas, Francesca Eastwood
Runtime: 2 hrs 20 mins

What It Is: This film tells the mostly true-to-life story of revolutionary women’s professional wrestler Mildred “The Kansas Cyclone” Burke.

Before she became a stalwart in the ring—through this most carnival-like of dog-and-pony shows—she was simply a young mother from Coffeyville, Kansas.

When Billy Wolfe (Lucas) brings his traveling wrestling circus to town, Mildred falls in love with the business. She wants in.

Not only does she achieve her goal—she becomes a revolutionary.

What We Think: It suffers from your standard case of “biopic-ness”—delivering the subject’s story in the blandest way possible.

That said, it was refreshing to see real professional wrestlers like Toni Storm and Trinity “Naomi” Fatu make appearances, and the actresses portraying the legendary female wrestlers were a lot of fun. Francesca Eastwood is a standout as Mae Young, and Emily Bett Rickards shines as Mildred Burke—she truly embodies the role.

If not for the stagnant script, this wrestling biopic could have been a near home run.

Director Ash Avildsen doesn’t quite capture the energy of the squared circle the way his father did—his father, of course, being the director of the classic Rocky.

Those in the know when it comes to pro wrestling will likely get more out of this than viewers unfamiliar with “the business.”

Our Grade: C, I wanted to love this. As a lifelong professional wrestling fan, it was right up my alley. While the film is held together by strong performances, they can’t fully compensate for the lackluster writing and subpar direction.

That said, I’ll give this a light recommendation—especially if you’re into pro wrestling. The more invested you are in “the business,” the more likely you are to enjoy it.

Rent it on digital and VOD using the link below, and be sure to check out our interview with the absolutely lovely Francesca Eastwood.