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Some wrestlers such as The Rock and Batista have been part of some blockbuster films over the years, and it seems as though the idea that professional wrestlers can’t act is over. Even WWE Studios seems to have figured out the secret to moderate financial success.
But for every Rock or Batista flick that is released, there are a dozen’s of movies starring pro wrestlers that just plain stink.
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What makes it worse is that it’s not just ones made by WWE itself!
With all the terrible movies starring WWE superstars it was difficult to pin down just 10, but here are 10 Movies starring wrestlers that were just downright awful.
#10 The Condemned – Stone Cold Steve Austin
Let’s face it, it’s hard not to root for Steve Austin. However, it is even harder to give The Condemned a good review.
The film pits ten convicts against each other in an illicit game of cat-and-mouse where they must fight each other to the death while the whole charade is being broadcast to a public audience.
The movie, unfortunately, was a box office disaster. It lasted just four weeks in cinemas and taking a loss of over fifteen million dollars.
Stone Cold may have been the biggest star in WWE but his cinematic impact certainly didn’t live up to the same level of success his WWE career had.
#9 Bending the Rules – Edge
Unfortunately, Edge had been forced to retire from in-ring action due to the severity of his injuries he had built up over the years.
It does have to be noted that while Edge has since found a certain level of success with his acting career with a recurring role on the television series Haven, not all of his acting ventures have gone in that direction.
The 2012 action-comedy Bending the Rules was a movie where Edge starred alongside comedian Jamie Kennedy. Unfortunately, the comedic chemistry between the pair never quite evolved, despite a solid effort by Edge.
This redundant plot of two sides of the law coming together to work as one falls flat on its face and is one movie Edge probably doesn’t want to remember starring in.
#8 The Marine 2 – Ted DiBiase
The first Marine was a serviceable movie that played into John Cena’s strengths as an actor, namely, having a chiseled physique and never giving up. It wasn’t a great movie, but it was arguably decent. The first installment also had Terminator 2 star Robert Patrick as the bad guy, which at least guaranteed that it wouldn’t be a complete flop.
The second film in this now-long-running franchise has no such safety net. The movie traded out Cena and Patrick for the un-charismatic Ted DiBiase Jr.
The idea, presumably, was to push DiBiase as a new star in WWE with this feature film, but sadly, the young DiBiase was just as bland inside the ring as he was on the screen and both the film and his career have fallen flat on themselves.
#7 The Reunion – John Cena
This could have been the film that killed John Cena’s future as an actor but thankfully, Trainwreck gave his acting career a new lease of life.
The movie was a confusing and mostly boring tale of three brothers who can’t get along, trying to rescue a businessman being held by kidnappers in Mexico.
There is nothing about this movie that is worth watching at all. Well, that’s not entirely true, Amy Smart is in it for a few minutes.
It’s also an interesting point to note that this movie featured Cena as a bit of a Jerk. That’s interesting as his character on WWE hasn’t strayed away from a baby face since the start of the PG era.
#6 The Chaperone - HHH
The Chaperone was created as a comedy, but it’s not very funny. Also, it made roughly $50,000 worldwide in theatres and was an unmitigated financial disaster for the company.
HHH starred in the movie and is determined to go straight and be the best parent he can be to his daughter, Sally, and make amends with his ex-wife, Lynne. Ray struggles to find honest work when his old bank-robbing crew, led by Phillip Larue, offers him one last job.
He agrees at first, but changes his mind at the last second leaving the crew without a driver. Ray decides instead to serve as a chaperone for Sally's school field trip.
It isn’t terrible acting by HHH, but it certainly is not the best acting seen by a wrestler. The movie simply just wasn’t very good.
#5 Knucklehead – Big Show
This next movie is just oh, so bad in every sense of the word. The approach, delivery, writing, acting and the crappy attempt of comedy was awful in every way.
Knucklehead starred the Big Show as an orphan man-boy who destroys the kitchen of his former orphanage and now must raise enough money to stop the foreclosure of the very same orphanage.
In order to raise the money, he teams up with a manager and a worker from the orphanage to take on the world of amateur wrestling with the ultimate goal being to win the big tournament down in New Orleans.
The entire film was a disaster and is certainly not worth anybody wasting their time to watch it.
#4 Tooth Fairy – The Rock
I bet some of you didn’t think The Rock was going to make this list?
It has to be said that there are a number of bad movies starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, one particular flick stands out as the worst has to be the Tooth Fairy.
The plot of the movie sees a minor league hockey player nicknamed the “Tooth Fairy” due to his ability to knock out the teeth of opposing players upon a body check is one night transported to a magical world where he grows wings and becomes a fairy (I am being serious).
How did The Rock look at this script and think, “Hey, this role sounds like a real winner!”
The most electrifying man in sports entertainment even had to wear a too-too for the film.
I’m sure fans would never let him live this role down. Ever.
#3 Santa with Muscles – Hulk Hogan
Santa with Muscles? Even the name is off-putting.
Hulk Hogan plays a rich jerk who gets amnesia after he takes a blow to the head and wakes up in a Santa costume. This makes the Hulkster think that he must really be Santa Claus.
Yes, it was the 80s and they were a simpler time, but anyway, Hogan (now as “Santa”) meets up with some kids and helps them save their orphanage from bad guys who want access to an underground cave full of weird crystals that sit underneath the building.
It’s also an interesting fact to note that this movie is also known for being one of the first appearances of That 70’s Show star Mila Kunis, as one of the precocious pre-teen orphans.
#2 Santa’s Slay – Bill Goldberg
Bill Goldberg is not exactly the first professional wrestler that comes to mind when you think of one assuming the role of Santa Claus.
Santa’s Slay is a black-comedy (dark-humour) horror film in which Goldberg portrays the jolly man from the North Pole as a deranged killer.
The story goes as follows:
Santa was defeated by an angel 1,000 years prior in a curling match thus forcing Santa to deliver presents on Christmas for the next thousand years. You see, before Santa’s loss, Christmas was known as “the day of slaying” and now that his debt is resolved, Santa can return to his demonic ways.
It seems impossible to do but If you can actually make it through the end credits you will see Santa-Goldberg going over his “naughty list,” and inquiring to the camera, “who’s next?!?”
Yes they used his actual catchphrase. Need I say anymore?
#1 No holds Barred – Hulk Hogan
No Holds Barred is such an awful film. There is nothing too significant or interesting about the plot.
Hogan plays a wrestler named Rip Taylor who refuses to work for a cable network. The evil network executive holds a tournament which is won by Zeus who eventually challenges Rip to a match.
In between all of this, there is a spy working for the network who turns her back on them thanks to Rip’s good nature. She is assaulted and kidnapped. Rip’s brother is beaten to a pulp. All leading to the epic match in which Rip is victorious.
The acting in No Holds Barred is some of the worst you could ever imagine and it certainly is only worth a watch if you like to laugh at some terrible acting.
