Queen of the Ring Review: The Wild Story of Women's Wrestling

Queen of the Ring Movie Review: Sports Biopic with Body Slams

Let’s be real: any movie called Queen of the Ring is automatically gonna grab attention. And last night, I finally watched this ambitious sports biopic about the birth of women’s professional wrestling—and yeah, there’s a lot to unpack.

The film centers on the real-life story of Mildred Burke, a single mom who just wanted to wrestle in an era when it was literally illegal for women to do that. Yup, in the 1930s, two women grappling in a ring for sport? Banned in most states. So we follow her fight to change that—both figuratively and physically.

There’s a lot of passion behind this project. And it shows. The director, Ash Avildsen, is the son of John G. Avildsen—you know, the guy who gave us Rocky and The Karate Kid. So yeah, the bar is kind of high.

But does Queen of the Ring hit the mat hard? Or does it stumble under the weight of its own ambition?

First Impressions: Underdog Vibes

The movie opens strong. We meet Mildred as a gritty, determined single mom trying to make a name for herself in a male-dominated, often sleazy wrestling scene. She wrestles men, gets laughed at, gets hurt, gets back up, and wrestles some more. Classic underdog energy, and Olivia (aka Felicity from Arrow) does a solid job carrying the emotional and physical weight of the role.

And speaking of TV crossovers—there’s Deborah Ann Woll (Daredevil’s Karen Page), Josh Lucas, Walton Goggins, and even Cobra Kai’s Martin Kove sprinkled in here. It’s like an all-star lineup of familiar faces from your Netflix queue.

The first half is paced well and full of juicy behind-the-scenes drama, showing how Burke and her shady promoter husband, Billy Wolfe, helped build women’s wrestling from the underground up. Think Rocky meets Glow with a dash of Boogie Nights.

Where It Falters: Real History vs. Hollywood Flair

Here’s where things get a bit murky. While Queen of the Ring is genuinely engaging and at times moving, it has a problem that a lot of biopics run into—it starts inventing stuff. Like, big stuff.

At one point, the movie depicts a wrestler dying in the ring—partially due to the negligence of two real people. It’s a major plot beat. It adds emotional stakes. It’s meant to be shocking.

Except… that wrestler? She didn’t die. Not in the ring. Not in 1950. She actually died in 2009.

Yikes.

That kind of historical creative liberty crosses a line, especially when it assigns blame to real individuals. It's not just dramatic license—it’s full-on fabrication. And when you Google it afterward (as I did), it leaves a pretty bad taste in your mouth. The stakes and emotional weight in the final act suddenly feel a little… manipulative.

Performances & Direction: Surprisingly Stacked

That said, the performances across the board are solid. Olivia throws herself into the role—physically and emotionally—and comes out the other side looking like a completely different person than the tech-savvy sidekick we remember from Arrow. Her transformation is total: the accent, the attitude, the biceps—she commits, and it works.

Josh Lucas as Billy Wolfe plays the manipulative promoter-husband with just enough humanity to keep him from being cartoonishly evil. He's corrupt, but also complicated. That moral tightrope keeps you guessing how bad he really is—right until he isn’t.

Deborah Ann Woll has a smaller role, but she brings charm and grit to her scenes. It's honestly just great to see these talented TV actors getting meaty, period-specific roles to sink their teeth into.

Structure: A Story Worthy of a Series?

Clocking in at 2 hours and 20 minutes, Queen of the Ring is a long match. It spans over two decades and tries to cram in everything—social politics, personal drama, business deals, romantic fallouts, societal taboos, and historic matches.

At times, it works. At other times, it feels like it might have worked better as a miniseries. There’s enough content here for a four or five-part limited series—each episode diving into a different era of Mildred’s journey.

But even as a movie, it mostly moves. Every time you think the story’s winding down, it throws in another twist—another betrayal, another broken promise, another power play. It keeps the drama alive, even when you’re watching the clock.

The Verdict

Queen of the Ring is a solid, sometimes powerful film about an underdog who helped carve out a place for women in the wrestling world. It’s filled with strong performances, compelling drama, and a clear love for the sport. If you’re into wrestling, sports biopics, or any of the actors involved, it’s definitely worth your time.

But it's also one of those movies where the historical “enhancements” go a little too far—especially when they impact the legacy of real people. That holds it back from greatness.

Final Score:

7.5 out of 10 – or a solid B+
Come for the inspiring story and surprisingly deep character work. Just maybe don’t fact-check until after the credits roll.

Stay on your feet and keep grappling with great cinema at Land of Geek Magazine!

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