The Main Event (2020): Review by @Kush_Hayes
These are strange days we are living in when you realize that youre actually excited for a children's movie thats really just a commercial for WWE in disguise. Sure my background in pro wrestling might add a little to that, but I dont know that if we werent currently engaged in a global pandemic that we are if I would have even bothered reviewing Jay Karas The Main Event now available on Netflix. Quite frankly Im confused as to why this debuted a week AFTER WWEs biggest event Wrestlemania? Let alone on a service like Netflix, as opposed to WWEs own platform: WWE Network. Regardless I knew what I was getting myself into and Im happy to say, Im not disappointed.
We meet out main character, Leo going to the top rope in a dream where he performs an elbow drop on WWE Superstar The Miz. As always happens with any good dream, its interrupted and in this case Grandma - played by Tichina Arnold, who quite frankly feels a little too young to play “energetic granny”, because its time to go to school. While this is a movie meant for children under 12, if one were to play the WWE Drinking game, as mentioned in my previous review of WWEs Fighting with My Family, you will go BLIND just within this bedroom set.
We also meet Leos Dad, played by Adam Pally, who is holding down two jobs to pay the mortgage because Leos Mom has run off with another man to New York. While you need some kind of conflict, its strange that they would go this route as opposed to just having her have died from an illness or other force majeure. Maybe its cliche, but its better than our character just being content that his mother is a bitch. The only real conflict within this is anytime Leo tries to talk about it, Dad changes the subject and refuses to deal with it. This gets to some life lessons learned later, or implied that theyre learned later when Grandma makes multiple attempts to talk to Dad about it.
We meet Leos friends, a small motley crew as well as Leos Bullys all of whom help spread WWEs brand names like “WWE Superstar” which I can tell you, while I am out of touch with the youth, no one but WWE calls any of the talent, by that name verbatim. Its one thing for a kids room to be wallpapered with event posters, thats a real thing. But everyone calls the talent “pro wrestlers” or even “wrasslers”. Its something WWE needs to be willing to bend on in situations like this. Yes we’re talking about a movie featuring an enchanted luchadore mask and a world thats surprised when they discover “Kid Chaos” is a kid but there still has to be some believability here. I made myself chuckle writing that because it sounds so absurd.
You might think this is enough set pieces to whittle together a 90 minute story about a kid who learns to believe in himself as well as be a better friend plus true strength and first crushes… but then theres the whole pro wrestling tournament to get into the WWE. Specifically their NXT Brand.
The Pro Wrestling aspect of this film, again, is designed for children under 12… its a cartoon, involves a lot of wired work and over exaggerated maneuvers even for Pro Wrestling but it still remains light and fun. The realist thing in this revolving around the Pro Wrestling is when Leo loses his girlfriend to his best friend because he flaked on a promise, because of the business. Again, within the parameters of them being in middle school.
This film is not necessarily full of Fan Favorites, but does feature several NXT Superstars who have transitioned over to WWE (proper) as well as the WWE Superstars, The Miz, Kofi Kingston and Shamus, who take advantage of every opportunity they can in the limited time they have on the road, or had prior to current events, to be a part of projects like this.
Its fair to compare this to Like Mike, or even Rookie of the Year, and just like those, this is a safe, inoffensive movie for the family and equally ridiculous. My final thought on it is it would be stronger if it were ten minutes shorter.
Three out of Five
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