‘Queen of The Ring’ Is An ‘Admirable & Entertaining Film Anchored By Rickards’ On-Point performance’

Queen of the Ring is helped immeasurably by Emily Brett Rickards (primarily known for her 154-episode run on Arrow), who commits fully to Millie’s southern accent and status as a single mother and transforms her body in a way that cannot be ignored. Rickards has often presented as a slim performer. In Queen of the Ring, her arms are full-on guns, but her lower body really sells her character from a physical perspective. Rickards’ legs may not have an ounce of fat on them, but they are thick and muscled. In short, she is physically authentic as a wrestler.

It’s almost amusing to think that at one time, Josh Lucas was seen as a possible romantic leading man (go all the way back to Sweet Home Alabama) when he’s always been best at playing some form of a cad. As Billy Wolfe, Lucas is charming at first, but the opportunist turns unfaithful at first, then brutal in search of his own gains, and he takes out his frustrations on Millie (whom he marries) in ways most foul, from beatings to deleterious business dealings.

When the two finally split, they become competitors with their own stables of female wrestlers. As the times would dictate, the courts favor the man over the woman, but Millie is undeterred despite her lack of resources. Her personality, stature, and decency allow her to compete against Wolfe’s superior financial resources.

Much of Queen of the Ring plays out in a conventional, almost Disney-esque fashion, but the film gains strength in the second half. While no one is going to confuse Queen of the Ring with The Wrestler, it’s a notable and honorable film about the uphill climb of a woman in a profession meant for (and run by) men.

Burke’s uphill battle speaks to the times she lived in, when women were marginalized in business and profession. Her hurdles were high and fraught with a sexist opposition and courts that favored men. Still, she persevered and made a career of a sport that was illegal in many places and marginalized as a novelty where it could be gotten away with. She almost single-handedly made women’s wrestling viable, profitable, and, eventually, legal.

Mildred Burke was a true trailblazer, whose time in wrestling bridged the gap between Gorgeous George and Vince McMahon Sr., which required extraordinary survival skills when facing down so much masculine muscle. Sure, there are times when Queen of the Ring feels like a really good TV movie from the ‘80s. One could accuse the film of playing it a little too safe when it comes to the inspirational sports genre (director Avildsen is the son of Rocky director of John G. Avildsen), but Queen of the Ring is an undeniably well-made film that gets the job done. It illuminates a time in the sport most are unfamiliar with and does a fine job of sticking the landing.

Queen of the Ring may not be “high art,” but during the cinematic dog days of the first quarter of the year, it is a more than an effective time-killer. It’s an admirable and entertaining film anchored by Rickards’ on-point performance, who deserves more than just good notices for her work here but also opportunities into the future that will expand and extend her career. The film rests on her muscular shoulders, and she carries it home.

Queen of the Ring can be seen in theaters starting on Friday, March 7, 2025.