By Shawn Valentino, PWTorch specialist

Living in Los Angeles has plenty of advantages, from gorgeous, sunny weather year-round to beautiful beaches and marvelous mountain ranges. It truly is a scenic paradise befitting its Hollywood namesake. Given its status as the Entertainment Capital of the World, there is also an endless array of events for those who are passionate about movies. On Wednesday, I was fortunate enough to get a press-pass for an early screening of WWE Studios's latest release, "Dead Man Down."

Premieres and screenings in Tinseltown are often glamorous, star-studded affairs that help set the tone for a major movie release. This was not one of those ritzy affairs, as it was more of a functional event to help generate a buzz for the film amongst fans. The audience ranged in age from eight to about eighty, and I must say that I chuckled seeing a group of grandmothers taking their seats for a production by the same studios that gave us such classics as "Knucklehead" and "The Chaperone."

Unlike those campy cheese-fests that were seemingly created solely for a Mystery Science Theater parody, Dead Man Down is a competently made thriller with a respected pedigree, no pun intended. When World Wrestling Entertainment first launched its film division, I thought it could be a brilliant avenue for its wrestlers to reach a wider following. I was on the Red Carpet years ago for its initial release, the Kane slasher-fest, "See No Evil," and I must say that it is still surreal seeing the WWE logo appear on the big screen.

I always thought that the best way for WWE to maximize their movie division was to try to lure real movie-stars into the production and utilize their status to elevate their superstars in supporting roles. Any of us that have had to suffer through such excruciating fare as "The Marine" and "The Condemned" approaches their films with wary eyes, but I must say that I was impressed that not only had they signed on A-List actor Colin Farrell, but the picture also co-starred Roomy Rapace and was directed by Niels Arden Opev, both of Swedish crime classic "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo fame."

Dead Man Down was a moody atmospheric thriller with a tense atmosphere, solid performances and shadowy characters. It is the story of Victor, played by Farrell, a brooding widower who seemingly has become emotionally detached with reality, and Rapace’s Beatrice, whose facial scars from an accident mask much deeper bruises inside. They are neighbors that are pulled together by loneliness, vengeance, and a search for redemption. The awkwardly guarded relationship between the two damaged souls is the heart of the film. There is adequate chemistry between the two leads so it keeps the film watchable as we bear witness to several brutal killings and fight sequences. Terence Howard, an Oscar-nominated actor, plays Alphonse, the villain of the picture, in a slightly hammy fashion.

The story centers around Beatrice’s search for revenge on the man she feels destroyed her life and Victor’s thirst for any type of human connection after tragedy stole his family. The concept and performances are solid, but the movie is painfully slow at times and ultimately fails to distinguish itself as anything more than a forgettable potboiler. Of course, when WWE is involved, even adjacently, expectations are low, but given the star-studded cast, I hoped for a more intriguing film. By the conclusion, I had a similar feeling that I do after sitting through an average episode of Raw, mildly entertained but also realizing I would forget about most of the show by the next day. Thankfully, the film has the good sense to be less than three hours.

I would recommend it as a Redbox rental at best, but you would be wise to wait until it pops up on Netflix streaming to avoid the trip to the kiosk.

I am sure some of you are wondering how Wade Barrett figured into the film, and there is a reason I have not even mentioned him in the review. He rarely appears and probably has about one or two lines at most. Although I agree with WWE’s strategy of letting the real actors do the acting, you would hope for a slightly meatier role that at least showcased Barrett’s fighting chops.

Now let me rewind back to when WWE decided to get into the movie-making business. It was obviously a risky venture, but unlike the ill-fated XFL, it seemed to be a logical extension of its core product and an opportunity to expand mainstream recognition. Unfortunately, I do not believe a single wrestler has benefited from starring in these productions other than to be able to put "movie role" on a resume. It is partially a sign of our over-saturated pop culture climate, where nearly anyone can show up on television, given the overabundance of channels and demand for content, but you would think that having your own movie studio would provide a platform to at least further some of their wrestlers into bigger stars.

Despites its inability to become a large profit-grosser, I would like WWE to continue its present strategy of featuring real movie-stars with wrestlers in ancillary roles.

Sadly, the most memorable emotion I had watching the movie stemmed from the haunting irony that William Moody had died the day after the Dead Man returned to WWE television and the day before this screening of Dead Man Down. Rest in peace, Paul Bearer, and thanks for the memories.

Please send questions, comments, and feedback to valentino.torch@gmail.com and check out my book The Showstopper Lifestyle on Amazon. Feel free to add Shawn Valentino on Facebook.

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