W.A.F. Reviews: "Monster Brawl" (2011)

When you were younger, do you remember sitting down with your friends and talking about your favorite monsters? Better yet, remember when those talks always broke down into which monsters would win in a fight? Could the Wolfman really hang with Dracula? How would Frankenstein fare if he were to battle a zombie? In 2011, Anchor Bay Entertainment and writer/director Jesse T. Cook decided to attempt a film which would showcase the battles that were always dreamed of actually happening, within a pro wrestling setting. This is “Monster Brawl”!

Now it’s not like movies about monsters fighting haven’t been done before. Universal loved pitting their monsters against each other in the 1940s & ‘50s. But what was produced for this film was unlike anything that had come before. For example, the ring was set up in the center of a graveyard, void of any human fans in attendance. If you wanted to watch the fights, you had to view them on a special TV & internet broadcast, with commentary by Buzz Chambers, played by “Kids In The Hall” alumni Dave Foley, and “Sasquatch” Sid Tucker, played by Art Hindle.

The fights were broken up into two classes: the Creature Conference (Cyclops, Swamp Gut, Witch Bitch & Werewolf), and the Undead Conference (Lady Vampire, Zombie Man, the Mummy & Frankenstein). Basically, the monsters would fight each other in their own class, with the winners of both conferences facing off with each other in the Main Event for the right to be called Monster Brawl Champion. Oh, and there weren’t any pinfalls, DQ’s, or count-outs.  It was a fight to the finish. There was a referee for the first match, UFC’s Herb Dean, but he was dispatched fairly quickly.

In no way whatsoever does this film take itself seriously. It’s incredibly campy, especially with showcasing that the ring announcer & interviewer is WWE Hall Of Famer “The Mouth Of The South” Jimmy Hart, who of course has his own bevy of beautiful ladies by his side. Hart isn’t the only WWE Hall Of Famer in this picture, though, as Zombie Man is accompanied by Colonel Crookshanks, played by Kevin Nash. There is also a narrator, who may or may not be the voice of God, which is portrayed by Horror movie icon Lance Henriksen.

I absolutely love the way they gave each creature a backstory. Before a new fight starts, they would showcase a video detailing where the monster comes from and how dangerous they can be. Werewolf is a guy who is bitten by the very wolf he is hunting down to gain revenge for the death of his wife. Witch Bitch wants to take revenge on the small village that hates her, and accepts the training from a troll named Grub. Frankenstein of course features the monster’s creation with Dr. Victor Frankenstein. Those little touches were a welcome addition.

This movie probably won’t be on anyone’s must watch list, or become a Halloween viewing tradition. But I could see it grow a cult following, even if it’s only a small one. I give them credit for making some of the choices they do, and absolutely love the way they embraced the pro wrestling aspect of what they were doing. And when it comes right down to it, THIS, in my eyes, is the much better film to feature both pro wrestlers and zombies. Until next time…