Lowell Dean, who made the cult hit WOLFCOP returns with a really good film about a bunch of wrestlers fighting satanists.
Set in the 1980's the film follows a bunch of independent wrestlers who get a call for a private show. They are going to be paid a great of money and get a chunk of the gate. What they don't realize is that they are going to be made to fight to the death so that their deaths will allow the devil to return.
Throw back delight is the sort of thing that would have played the drive-in circuit back in the day. Watching the film you can almost hear Sam Sherman, Samuel Arkoff, K Gordon Murray or Roger Corman cursing that they didn't think of the plot decades ago. Expertly mimicking the style of several decades ago DARK MATCH feels like it belongs back in the 80's.
I love that the cast sells it. Both in the ring and outside it everyone is note perfect. I love it when everyone is invested.
If he wasn't already on the list Lowell Dean cements himself as a filmmaker to watch. He' making great films that are great fun and that leave you wanting to see what's next.
If I must quibble I will say that the only remotely wrong thing with the film is that the pacing is a tad slow, but it is in keeping with the films it apes, so it doesn't matter.
This film is an absolute joy. It's one of the great finds of 2024.
Highly recommended.
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