So, I noticed that Matt Hamill's biopic is now on Netflix instant, and decided to give it a watch. We all know how inspirational Hamill's story is, and so it had the potential to be either a heart rending, emotional powerhouse of a movie, or terribly cliche.

'The Hammer' falls into the latter category. I mean, seriously, holy shit this movie sucks. The movie starts out with Hamill's gruff grandfather responding to the news that his grandson is deaf with the line, and I quote, "You're not tryin' to tell me my boy is deaf and dumb!". Yeah, it gets worse. The title role is played by Russell Harvard, who couldn't act his way out of a paper bag, giving the nuance and depth of a 6'th grade drama club understudy... and the rest of the ensemble isn't much better.

It has a few genuine moments, but by and large, this is a movie littered with hackneyed themes, cheesy/ shallow dialogue, and flat acting performances. The wrestling is terribly stiff and choreographed, which I guess is to be expected considering that only the characters who don't have to do any acting are probably real wrestlers.

The best part of the movie might just be the subtle irony that Rich Franklin kicked the fuck out of Hamill's liver in real life, and then in Hamill's biopic, plays the role of the Purdue wrestling coach that kicks Hamill the fuck out of school.

If you're a real sucker for shitty, sappy sports movies, or are just a big Matt Hamill fan, then I say go ahead and watch it. Otherwise, don't say I didn't warn you.