In the mid to late 1980’s, there was no bigger name in professional wresting than Hulk Hogan. His popularity helped spearhead a period of unprecedented growth for the WWE. Hulk Hogan’s small part as Thunderlips in Rocky III had been well received, and with WWE owner Vince McMahon looking to expand his brand, producing a movie starring Hogan must have seemed like a no brainer. Unfortunately, the result, No Holds Barred, has no real story and lacks dramatic tension.

Not wanting to stretch thing too much, Hogan plays Rip Thomas, the World Wrestling Federation champion and the most popular wrestler of his time. Fans love him and he adores them. His television ratings are through the roof, and no one can come close to beating his time slot. A television executive named Brell, played with over-the-top bravado by Kurt Fuller, is so desperate to sign Rip to his network he resorts to having ol’ Rip attacked by thugs in a parking garage, set up a con with a PR specialist played by Joan Severance, and eventually host ‘The Battle of the Tough Guys’ competition, to entice Rip into a no holds barred brawl that’s ninety percent for profit, and ten percent revenge.

In its own way, No Holds Barred does a good enough job of setting up the hero vs. villain scenario. The problem is, the film insists on continually top itself with one crazy turn after another. Hulk Hogan can’t act his way out of a paper bag, but he clearly enjoyed enjoyed playing the good guy; smashing heads when necessary. Joan Severance, Hulk’s love interest here, isn’t one of America’s great thespians either, but she clearly gave everything she had to the role. Nyone with access to Cinemax in the 1990’s and beyond, will likely recognize her as a staple of their late night lineup.

No Holds Barred is a pretty lousy movie. Filled with a lot of the “believe in yourself, eat your vegetables stuff” that made Hogan a legend of the WWE, its pure ‘80s cheese. Despite its awfulness, I admit to enjoying it for what it is: a strange product of its time. I went through a brief time in the 1980’s where I got caught up in the Hulkamania craze and No Holds Barred is simply an extension of that period.

Presented in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio, the 1080p transfer from Image is serviceable, but rather flat. Overall, the appearance looks rather soft, Detail is okay, but it doesn’t really have a filmic look. Color wise, the lively blues and reds fair best in the transfer. Black levels are consistently washed out, and occasional debris is evident. This is a slight step up from the previous DVD release, but nothing special.

No Holds Barred arrives on Blu-ray with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Similar to the video, it’s serviceable, not great. Music is spaced pretty well, with a nice amount of heft. However, ambient sounds lack any real punch, and dialogue has a slight hiss at times.

English SDH subtitles are included.

The following extras are available:

  • SummerSlam Match (SD, 29:51) Zeus & “Macho Man” Randy Savage w/ Sensational Sherri vs. Hulk Hogan & Brutus Beefcake w/ Miss Elizabeth. SummerSlam, August 28, 1989.
  • “No Holds Barred” Steel Cage Match (SD, 18:12) From December 27, 1989.
  • Photo Gallery (HD).