No Holds Barred 1989 by AverageMansReviews

No Holds Barred 1989 by AverageMansReviews

Review Time

Warning: there is flashing effects/colourful effects/shooting/men on woman violence/beginning stages of sexual assault/electrocution/biking/medical.

Someone must have really liked the Rocky franchise at this point in its history: Rip Thompson [Hulk Hogan] is the WWF Heavyweight Champion; he has a brother by the name of Randy Thompson [Mark Pellegrino.] Now Rip has an offer to join this TV network; WTN [World Television Network] which has low ratings, but under its new regime of Tom Brell [Kurt Fuller] offers Rip a blank check [any figure Rip writes down he will accept and make it happen,] but Rip declines. So eventually Kurt comes up with this concept known as "Battle of the Tough Guys." The winner of the tournament will win $100,000, so on the night of this tournament this ominous figure makes his presence known by pushing this wall down walking through this entrance, it is Zeus [Tiny Lister;] he becomes the champion of "Battle of the Tough Guys," but at some point down the line Rip and Zeus will cross paths and the pacing for this 93 minutes film is reliably solid.

Action and comedy; in short at the end of this action sequence where Rip has taken care of Tom's henchmen, Rip turns his attention to a limousine driver/henchmen of Tom's which he is terrified of what Rip can and probably will do to him, Rip asks him  "What is that smell?" Which this individual response it is dookie [another word for poo] or later on we have Rip dealing with these criminals with a little bit of food fight from him and of course we have wrestling and physical combat.

The character developments and the performances; I will discuss them, more later on, but for here and now; the character developments and the performances are good. I mean no one is going to win any Oscars here, but if the director was going for reliable versions of his character types and then likewise reliable performances; he should be happy with the outcome here.

This film receives: 6/10, this film is good; now this mark may need some explaining. This film uses a storyline model and similar characteristics like to the Rocky films, I should very quickly hasten to add generally speaking no way is good as the majority of the Rocky franchise [I can't say the same for the Creed films, because I haven't seen the first one for a long time, I know I have seen it once. I haven't seen the second one and they are currently working on Creed III scheduled to be with us in 2023; I should just cover my back by saying when this was first dictated.] Hulk Hogan had a very short roll in Rocky III 1982 as Thunderlips [a sequence.] Rip as Rocky Balboa cares deeply for Adrian and vice versa Rip [like Rocky cares for his family] cares for his brother Randy and vice versa, Rip also cares over time for Samantha Moore [Joan Severance] vice versa and Zeus is just a extreme like a 15 on a 10 scale version of Clubber Lang [Mr. T also in/from Rocky III.]

Don't get me wrong I know as my marking would suggest this film is after everything is said and done solidly good, I just wouldn't push my luck by saying anything other than solidly good, so if you'd like a the Rocky franchise, take a look at this film but I really just advise to adjust your expectations to open minded and/or reasonable and Stan Hansen is also in this film as Neanderthal.