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- Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan Co-Wrote No Holds Barred (And It Shows)
- No Holds Barred Is Hulk Hogan’s Best Movie (Which Isn’t Saying Much)
- McMahon’s Mishandling of No Holds Barred Helped Dwayne Johnson and John Cena
As a seasoned observer of the world of wrestling and Hollywood, I must say that the story of Hulk Hogan’s foray into film is a fascinating one. It’s a tale of ambition, missteps, and ultimately, lessons learned – a journey that paved the way for future stars like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and John Cena.
In Netflix’s Mr. McMahon documentary series, it’s evident that Vince McMahon, currently retired, was an audacious entrepreneur. Yet, outside of professional wrestling, his business ventures have generally not fared well. These missteps include a bodybuilding league, a minor-league hockey team, a social media platform, a WWE-themed restaurant, and notably, the XFL.
In 1989, McMahon ventured into feature film production for the first time with the release of “No Holds Barred,” an action movie that introduced 1980s wrestling legend Hulk Hogan to the big screen. The larger-than-life character and undeniable charm of Hulk Hogan mirrored McMahon’s concept of sports entertainment, helping him to fulfill his ambition for worldwide influence through Hulkamania’s power.
Nevertheless, even though McMahon played a significant role in turning Hogan into a wrestling legend, McMahon failed miserably at capitalizing on Hogan’s widespread wrestling fame when it came to the big screen. This was evident in the movie No Holds Barred, which ended up being both a financial and critical flop for McMahon, who invested $8 million in its production.
Instead of emphasizing Hogan’s unquestionable talents as an actor, the movie No Holds Barred tarnished his once shining reputation by its lack of originality and excessive crudeness. It seems as if Vince McMahon couldn’t have selected a more detrimental role for Hogan in No Holds Barred, had he intentionally planned to sabotage Hogan’s career and lose $8 million.
Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan Co-Wrote No Holds Barred (And It Shows)
In the movie “No Holds Barred,” which saw Hulk Hogan’s first significant role since his entertaining portrayal of the fictional wrestling champion Thunderlips in “Rocky III,” Hogan takes on the character Rip Thomas, a wrestling champ. As the story begins, Rip encounters a dishonest TV executive named Brell, who seeks to recruit Rip for his network. However, when Rip declines Brell’s proposition, a vindictive Brell embarks on a destructive path of harassment and physical threat against Rip, pushing him to ultimately agree to battle a ruthless ex-convict named Zeus, portrayed by Tiny Lister, in a brutal wrestling match broadcasted live.
Although Dennis Hackin is given credit for writing the screenplay for “No Holds Barred”, it’s important to note that this original script was not well-received by Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon. In a surprising move, they rewrote the script in a Florida hotel during a three-day period right before filming began, as they felt the need for changes.
Instead of maintaining a family-friendly approach like in the TV show, McMahon unexpectedly chose to fill the movie with an overwhelming amount of violence, sexism, and grotesquery. In one instance, Rip, finding himself trapped inside a limo, blows apart the roof, slaughters Brell’s henchmen, and then confronts the terrified driver who wetts himself out of fear.
In another setting, Brell commands his henchmen to abduct and violate the love interest of Rip, a woman that Brell had earlier employed as a corporate spy to ensnare Rip. Later on, Zeus viciously attacks Rip’s cherished younger brother, leaving him bedridden in a wheelchair. This heinous act was orchestrated by Brell to provoke the ultimate showdown between Rip and Zeus, who engage in a fierce fight within a box-like television studio that looks more like a massive dumpster.
No Holds Barred Is Hulk Hogan’s Best Movie (Which Isn’t Saying Much)
On June 2, 1989, the movie “No Holds Barred” premiered in North America. It opened in second position behind the continuing hit film “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”. During its opening weekend, it earned around $5 million, eventually totaling approximately $16 million in earnings.
Although No Holds Barred didn’t lead to a financial catastrophe for Vince McMahon, as he managed to recover his $8 million investment through distribution fees, the movie failed in its attempt to make Hulk Hogan a leading film star. However, the movie did reasonably well, given the negative criticism it received, indicating that Hulk Hogan might have become a film star with good material, which McMahon seemed unable to provide.
Although McMahon didn’t participate personally in Hogan’s 1991 science fiction comedy film “Suburban Commando”, he encouraged him to take up the role of Shep Ramsey, an interstellar warrior whose spaceship accidentally lands on Earth. A peculiar suburban family then forms a bond with the stranded alien Shep.
On the other hand, although the lighter-themed movie “Suburban Commando” represented a shift from the gritty “No Holds Barred,” its subpar special effects and overly goofy nature turned off Hogan’s primary young fanbase, who were now maturing beyond his wrestling persona.
The movie titled “Suburban Commando,” which earned only $7 million at the box office despite costing $11 million to produce, was Hulk Hogan’s final significant film role and signaled his separation from McMahon. In 1993, Hogan parted ways with McMahon’s wrestling promotion, then called the World Wrestling Federation, supposedly to focus on an acting career. However, this acting venture took a turn for the worse following the release of the disappointing 1993 comedy film “Mr. Nanny.
McMahon’s Mishandling of No Holds Barred Helped Dwayne Johnson and John Cena
The flop of “No Holds Barred” was a setback for Hulk Hogan’s ambition to become a major movie star, but it ultimately benefited Vince McMahon in the long run. It seems that McMahon took valuable lessons from the missteps made with “No Holds Barred,” and these lessons proved instrumental in preparing Dwayne Johnson and John Cena for their success in feature films.
As a passionate movie enthusiast, I can’t help but notice the significant strides made in the careers of Dwayne Johnson, John Cena, and Dave Bautista compared to Hulk Hogan in the 1980s. These modern-day wrestling-turned-acting giants have undeniably benefited from a more refined creative process and quality control standards that were lacking back then.
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2024-09-29 02:31