Queen of the Ring

I took more from Avildsen’s commitment to his subject than I would from watching 10 big-budget celebrity biopics combined.

“Queen of the Ring” is more of a montage of the highlights of Burke’s illustrious life, rather than an entertaining film.

An incredibly direct motion picture, and sometimes the limitations of its budget put a strain on the ambitious multi-decade narrative, but it’s a film — and a cast — that demands thunderous applause anyway.

One senses that Avildsen was desperate to pack an emotional punch, but he could have pulled a few instead.

"Queen of the Ring" doesn't measure up; it plays like a soap opera given the ESPN Classic treatment, fine for a career overview, but not quite ready for a title shot.

“Queen of the Ring” [too often] relies on standard elements and comes together like a build-a-biopic. [It] isn’t a film I’ll watch more than once, but it’s a story that resonates with me. The nostalgia lands, but the inspiration sticks.

What it lacks in technical craft is made up for by genuine emotion and engagement. It understands how to tell a captivating tale, as the best matches in professional wrestling do.

Did Burke's real life truly mirror a wrestling angle that closely? Perhaps, and perhaps it's been massaged just a bit for the sake of cinematic entertainment. I doubt the real Burke or Pfefer would have it any other way.

I think most audiences will like this film, but as a wrestling fan I was left disappointed. Mildred Burke deserved better. So did we.

Burke turns out to be an incredibly fascinating person… who deserves a much better movie made about her.