Dark Match (2025) Movie Review - Weirdly Enjoyable
Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are taking a look at Lowell Dean’s horror movie Dark Match which hit VOD earlier this year. This movie is an amalgamation of professional wrestling drama and satanic cult horror. Sounds weird? Well, that’s because it is. There are B-Movies and then there is whatever the hell Dark Match is.. The weird thing, however, is that I kind of enjoyed it.
Satanic Pro Wrestling
Growing up, I was a bit of a wrestling fan, albeit a poor one. Living in the UK and not having sky television in my house. I was restricted to random showings of WCW on ITV. As I got older, I grew out of it, but the appeal of professional wrestling has continued to grow. Stars like Stone Cold Steven Austin, The Rock, and The Undertaker, as well as Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall in competing company WCW, propelled wrestling to unseen new heights in the mid to late 90s. Sparking a period in WWE known as the Attitude Era.
One of the stars of that era, who has maintained an enviable level of success up until this day, was Chris Jericho. Jericho was relatively undersized compared to the larger than life stars of that period. But he had charisma for days. Something he has carried forward into a successful music career and, in recent years, into podcasting and acting.
With all of that being said, it still came as a surprise to me to see him with an actual starring role in a horror movie, following on from his brief appearances in the Terrifier series. I mean, don’t get me wrong, wrestlers transitioning to horror is nothing new. CM Punk did it, Glen Jacobs (Kane from WWE) did it, and there are a few other names that come to mind. But one thing that stood out with Jericho’s latest movie is that it is actually based on wrestling.
Dark Match
The story, here, takes place in the territorial era of the 80s and follows a group of traveling wrestlers heading to a new town for a wrestling event. Promised a hefty payment, when they arrive at the compound. They quickly realise that the event is being run by a shady former wrestler who seems to have a cult like hold on the people there. But what does he have in store for the visiting wrestlers?
A dark match is a match that takes place at a wrestling event but goes unrecorded and, basically, is never intended to be aired. They usually take place before the event starts or after the final match of the night to send the audience home happy. The term “dark match” in this movie, however, refers more to the shady nature of what is taking place. After all, you know for sure that these wrestlers aren’t heading to this event to collect a quick pay check.
It turns out that the matches they compete in are not scripted and are, actually, life or death. All at the behest of a man dubbed, simply, Leader (Chris Jericho). Our main character, Miss Behave (Ayisha Issa) has been held back by her promoter. Always made to play the heel (a wrestling term for bad guy) and always made to lose. An event she initially sees as a chance to get over quickly becomes a fight for survival.
B-Movie Horror Fun
This is ultra B-Movie level stuff. Old fashioned, silly, 2am horror that you would stumble upon and end up watching because it is just so ridiculous. The theatrical nature of wrestling lends itself well to this type of story. The characters, here, are over the top caricatures as it is. Miss Behave is a nasty heel who wants for more. Mean Joe Lean, played by GTA V’s Steven Ogg, is a washed up former mega star. Kate The Great, played by Influencer and Superhost’s Sara Canning, is an up and comer looking for her big break. The characters, sort of, write themselves.
Their atypical way of living and need for moving around from show to show affords some believability to how they ended up in this scenario. But all of that is wilfully thrown out of the window once we get to the action. It’s just outright horror silliness, almost in the vein of The Running Man. As our wrestlers do everything they can to survive and escape the compound. The matches are so farcical and the characters so over the top that it is actually quite enjoyable.
Dark Match doesn’t take itself remotely seriously and has a ton of fun telling its completely over the top story. Each match promises a new, more devious, stipulation. Characters, desperate for survival, turn on each other, and the ludicrously silly backstory slowly unfolds to reveal why all of this is happening. Naturally, there is a connection between certain characters that has lead to this. But it’s all so farcical that it is pretty redundant. You just have to switch off your brain and enjoy it for what it is.
Worth Mentioning
Obviously there are a bunch of issues. Lowell Dean avoids backstory like Rey Mysterio avoids a Brock Lesnar clothesline. Sliding in between legs and exiting over the top rope to escape having to elaborate on anything in any meaningful way. There are hints at deeper stories and connections between characters but they are barely elaborated on. Leaving plenty of storytelling meat on the suspiciously easily broken table. The plot is utterly ridiculous in the most B-Movie of ways. Dark Match is ruthlessly predictable in a way that almost lampoons professional wrestling itself. You will feel like you had access to the booker sheet with how easily you will guess what happens.
Jericho hams it up in much the same way that he does his characters in wrestling. He is over the top and extremely theatrical but it fits well with the theme. Steven Ogg is fantastic. Managing to make his character feel believable and sympathetic. Ayisha Issa is decent, as well. Her stature makes her feel every part the real life pro wrestler. Some of the action scenes can feel a bit disjointed. I am assuming due to cuts to stunt actors rather than the actors themselves. It all gets a bit repetitive after awhile, as well. There’s only so much you can do with this type of story.
Should You Watch Dark Match?
It really depends on your tolerance for B-Movies. I don’t think Dark Match is a good movie so much as it is a fun movie. It’s just so silly. Wrestling fans might get a kick out of it for the familiar themes and the nods to the 80’s territorial scene. Others might simply enjoy how farcical and ridiculous it is. If you want to switch your brain off and just laugh at something that really shouldn’t work but kind of does. Give Dark Match a try. Just don’t expect too much.
Our Scoring Philosophy: A Fair Fight
Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.
A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.
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