Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows (1998)

Strictly average movie

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

It's hard to believe that it took me like, forever, to finally get to see 'Bret Hart: Wrestling With Shadows", since I consider myself to be quite a wrestling fan, AND I was born in Calgary and watched Stampede Wrestling religiously (and went to a lot of their matches!). So I know a lot of the Hart family's history. This is of course, THE definitive documentation of went down during the Survivor Series incident in Montreal. It's sort of fun watching the whole thing develop, and sort of makes me wonder if the whole thing was a whole elaborate set-up, since of course, the documentary cameras were there to catch it all. It probably wasn't, so this is a classic piece of wrestling history caught on tape. This just doesn't cover that moment though, as it focuses on the latter part of Bret's WWF days, while providing a fascinating romp through the Hart family history. Stu Hart of course, even though he was quite cordial to everyone (me included (thanks, Stu, for letting me take pictures for my college course of some Stampede Wrestling!) he still was a borderline sadist for what he did to people in his dungeon. Of course, the REALLY sad thing about this is that this ends at precisely a ridiculous tumultuous downward spiral for the family. What with Bret's marriage falling apart, Owen's death, followed by Bret getting thumped on the head by Goldberg,, which led to his stroke..followed THAT by the death of Helen and ultimately Stu. So this is a bit of a sad film to watch if you follow wrestling. But even if you don't, this is still quite entertaining.

Vince didn't need to screw Bret Hart over. Bret had been loyal to the company for a great time over a decade. But Vince was still afraid that Bret might do something. So Vince took drastic measures. Shawn Michaels, that lying-conniving piece of trash was in on it. He had the audacity to lie to Bret's face right after the match. Bret wasn't gonna do anything to deface the world title. He simply wanted to retain the title in his native country in front of his fans. After that, he would make one more appearance on Raw the next night and drop the belt and leave the WWE forever. But alas, that was not to be. HBK put Hitman Hart in the sharpshooter, Vince quickly waved for the bell to be rang(Hart hadn't even tapped out, and he wasn't going to, the plan was for Hart to reverse the hold and eventually win the match)and the most infamous moment in WWE history was made. Damn Vince, damn him to hell. Damn Shawn Michaels to hell. That's my take on the whole incident. As for the documentary. I say it's fantastic and it desereved all of the awards and acclaim that it received. Bret"Hitman"Hart will go down as the greatest wrestler of all-time. He's the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.

This is a documentary but if Hollywood bought this story and made it into a movie they don't have to change a single thing. It is about Bret Hart a man that loved the WWF more then anything . He gave his heart and soul to the WWF for over 14 years. But in 1997 Vince just didn't have the money to keep him in the WWF. So he told Bret that he should jump ship to the WCW ( World Championship Wrestling) and he wanted to get out of there 20 year contract. Bret told Vince if he had to he will join the WCW but his heart is in the WWF. But when he singed with the WCW Bret was the WWF world champion. And he didn't want to lose the title in his home Country Canada. So he asked Vince if he can make his match with Shawn Michaels a double draw. And Vince said that is fine with him. But while Bret was wrestling Shawn for the WWF world title Vince thought that Bret would go to Nitro the next night and trash the WWF much like former WWF women's champion Medusa did back in 1995. And if Bret would do that on WCW TV that would end the WWF once in for all since WCW was killing WWF over the Monday night ratings. So what Vince did was when Shawn was doing the sharpshooter ( what Bret thought was that he will turn around and do the sharpshooter to Shawn and then Triple H and Rick Rude will run down to the ring and double team on Bret and make Bret win by DQ) to Bret, Vince called for the bell and screwed Bret Hart. This really made Bret mad since Vince promised Bret that he did not have to drop the title that night. This movie is a most see for all wrestling fans. But if you hate wrestling it is also a great drama. The ending is great and it really takes a good look behind the scene in the wrestling world. 8 out of ten stars . This is the 2nd best documentary I ever saw. Best is Bowling for Co.

I was absolutely amazed when I caught this documentary on cable. Up until his point the behind the scenes of pro wrestling were just that, behind the scenes. The wrestling business is famously protected, any peek we get into it's inner workings is absolutely Amazing. As a life long wrestling fan, I consider this documentary be a one of a kind, an other wrestling fans who see this would have to agree. Also a look at the white hot Sunny, in all her splendor. Now having put this over from a wrestling standard. Let us examine the now infamous events of Montreal,when Bret screwed Bret. The events are caught by the camera following Bret around for his last year in the WWF. Bret Hart tries his best to be the hero here, and I believe he is, but can't help but feel that Bret is a master of hi craft, Vinny Mac is a master of his craft, if these two, and a few others wanted to, they could fool he world. I will withhold my own personal opinion as to if the events as they are portrayed here transpired as this documentary says, or not. Was it all a work? Did Bret really screw Bret? "Hitman Hart:Wrestling with Shadows" is but a mere piece of the puzzle. Conspiracy wrestling hounds like myself love this sort of thing, but the non-wrestling fan might also enjoy it for the sheer human drama, I give it a 9 out of 10. I took away a point because I don't know if I can really trust Bret, the master worker, and I am also a huge Shawn Michaels mark, HBK 4 life.