Dark Match (2024)

March 7, 2025 8:32 AM

[TRAILER] A small-time wrestling company accepts a well-paying gig in a backwoods town only to learn, too late, that the community is run by a mysterious cult leader with devious plans for their match.

Starring Ayisha Issa, Steven Ogg, Sara Canning, Chris Jericho.

Written and directed by Lowell Dean. Produced by Rhonda Baker, Don Depoe, Michael Feehan, John K. MacDonald, Michael Peterson for Dept.9 Studios/Blue Finch Film Releasing. Distributed by Shudder. Cinematography by Karim Hussain. Edited by Dean Evans.

68% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Currently streaming in the US on Shudder. Rental options also available. JustWatch will have streaming/rental options for your country.

posted by DirtyOldTown (8 comments total)

I don't want to oversell this, as it's a B-picture, but I had a good time with it.

This sidesteps all of the obvious reservations some may have about wrestling by presenting this from entirely behind the curtain as a gritty blue-collar job. However fake the show is, these folks are busting their asses for meager pay and they are regular, relatable people. Issa and Ogg in particular are great here.

The plot is fresh, the setting is interesting, the characters have personality, the cult aspect is fascinating and resolves in a fun way, and the gore is on point.

Solid horror watch.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:37 AM on March 7 [3 favorites]

My favorite bit in the movie is where Enigma--who has stayed constantly in character as a "wordless mystery man"--finally speaks, after it is revealed he didn't die in the ring, he was just faking to escape.

"How the hell did you--"
"Kayfabe."
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:49 AM on March 7 [2 favorites]

I don't want to oversell this

I get that I have particular tastes but I watched the trailer and I thought it looked fun... The problem is I've been burned by contemporary horror far too many times. It is on the list.
posted by Ashwagandha at 10:31 AM on March 7 [1 favorite]

Very weird to see Ogg as the good guy!
posted by ejs at 11:09 AM on March 7

To be clear, I am not telling you this is steak. I'm telling you it is a very good corn dog.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:12 AM on March 7 [5 favorites]

I mostly like wrestling better in theory than in practice and I thought this was tons of fun. "very good corn dog" is a perfect description, and that ending!
posted by Pope Guilty at 1:03 PM on March 7 [2 favorites]

The ending rocks.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 1:06 PM on March 7

You sold me just with the title.

This sidesteps all of the obvious reservations some may have about wrestling by presenting this from entirely behind the curtain as a gritty blue-collar job. However fake the show is, these folks are busting their asses for meager pay and they are regular, relatable people.

There's a good novel to be written about that milieu.

The indy show I went to had its final match postponed by 20 minutes because they had assembled the steel cage backwards.
posted by Lemkin at 9:36 AM on March 8 [1 favorite]