To entertain and make people believe

When I was a kid, one of my dreams is to become a professional wrestler someday. I want to perform flying headbutt to a lying opponent after giving him a thunderous body slam. Then I’ll perform my finishing maneuver that I call Filipino Flip. Actually, I’ll just do a cartwheel before I go for the cover and the win.

But when I noticed that my height was stuck at 5’3” at age 21 and my tummy only got six bruises and not six pack abs from a tedious workout, I gave up the idea and just got contented in watching World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) shows on TV and reading wrestling articles on magazines and in the Internet.

That’s why whenever there is a movie about the world of professional wrestling or stars any of my ring idols, I make it a point to catch them on the big screen or buy the video for my collection.

Among the dozen of wrestling movies that were produced through the years, the 2000 comedy film Ready to Rumble is my favorite. For me, it is the only one under the category that carried what every wrestling show aims in its presentation — that is to entertain and make people believe.

The movie is about two die-hard wrestling fans played by David Arquette (Never Been Kissed, Eight Legged Freaks) and Scott Caan (Enemy of the State, Into the Blue) who went on a mission to help revive the career of their hero Jimmy King, played by Oliver Platt (A Time to Kill, Bicentennial Man). King was the former heavyweight champion who lost his fame and great career after his wrestling promoter cheated him out of the title.

The duo became King’s tag-team partners of sort in trekking his way back to the top. It’s quite impressive how these three Hollywood actors performed wrestling moves like real pro wrestler especially Platt whose major scenes are inside the ring. After a series of mischievous misadventures with his newfound friends, King recaptured his title as his fans got their chance to be part of the action by beating up the villainous and greedy promoter. Now, that’s what you call getting your money’s worth.

Comparing Ready to Rumble with other wrestling movies like the lampoon Nacho Libre (Jack Black) and the melodrama The Wrestler (Mickey Rourke), it is somewhere in the middle giving out amusing scenes and a dose of drama or two, just like what every wrestling show offers.

Other highlights of the film include cameo roles of real-life professional wrestlers either slugging one another inside the ring or appearing in different scenes as actors. Among the score of ring warriors who are included in the cast is the small but terrible high-flying pride of Mexico, Rey Mysterio.

Incidentally, Mysterio, with all his colorful masks and jaw-breaking skills, will be in Manila on July 10 as he is scheduled for a match in the Smackdown-ECW Live one-night only show to be held at the Araneta Coliseum. I have watched the last two presentations of WWE here in the Philippines. I will definitely be in this event if my schedule would allow me.

Whether it’s a live show, a telecast episode from the US or a movie, wrestling show simply captures the heart of fans of all ages. Though some people still look at wrestling as a carnival of sheer brute and crazy stunts, what’s important is the fact that even for a moment people from this side of the planet find enjoyment in the midst of a crazier place called reality.

Now, are you ready to rumble?