POWERBOMB *** USA 2020 Dir: B.J. Colangelo & R. Zachary Shildwachter. 80 mins
At what price does a shot at a wrestling title come?
In Powerbomb we are introduced in a fun and familial way to the life of semi-pro wrestler Matt Cross (played well here by himself) as he struggles to balance a shining wrestling career with the normal demands of life, involving his retired wrestling partner Amy and their daughter Cash who is their sole inspiration. Matt’s agent Solomon (Aaron ‘Pants’ SeChrist is good here) is pushy, greedy and very dodgy and after a fall out the unexpected suddenly occurs when Matt is kidnapped and caged in the eccentric pit of a deranged fan called Paul who is also played well by Wes Allen who pulls off a good Misery-style obsessive villain. Matt’s jailer wants to “retrain” his idol, but he just wants to escape this madman in a good story that has some nice comedic and very dark and violent touches.
A dark thriller aura of disturbed and decaying human life builds around you in Powerbomb as the frailties of the American Dream are made all too apparent in a gripping psychological thriller which comes across as being based on a true story. The plot is well constructed and supported by some good acting and presents an intriguing tale of murderous obsession and the innate human fear of failure. However, it probably won’t enthrall lovers of fantasy horror and high imagination with it’s more tense real life situational dramas.
The crazed kidnapper Paul starts to raise the ante as Matt grows angrier in his desire to escape his demented clutches, although Wes Allen’s performance does engender a small amount of sympathy for his obsessive and uncontrollable behaviours. The final battle then boils down to who will crack first and to whom the finger will point?
Powerbomb is a good psycho morality offering from Sickening Pictures and all you Stephen King fans out there will devour this with it’s shady moments and dark nuances of human desire.
Who really is the most disturbed? The captive or the captor?
As the level of interest and depraved madness ramps up towards a good ending you will find yourself sucked into what is a realistic and gritty thriller where the fires of jealous rage overcome you and captivate your senses.
Review by Nathan Sandiford