Skilled wrestling is extra fashionable than ever, and CM Punk’s return to WWE is a giant motive why. Punk, whose actual title is Phil Brooks, left WWE in 2014 and remained out of wrestling till his shock return to AEW in 2021.
After two years in AEW, he stunned followers once more by returning to WWE, the place he shortly turned a fan favourite. Followers admire CM Punk’s expertise on the microphone. He has a novel manner of talking that makes him stand out, so it’s no shock that in 2019, whereas he was taking a break from wrestling, he determined to make use of these abilities in movies.
Directed and co-written by Travis Stevens, “Woman on the Third Flooring” marks Punk’s characteristic movie debut. The movie is a haunted home horror that, whereas imperfect, continues to be value seeing, particularly for individuals who get pleasure from wrestling, horror, or sensible results. The movie’s themes linger lengthy after the credit roll.
Skilled wrestlers turn into actors
Wrestling and flicks have many similarities. Wrestling is usually known as pretend, however it’s truly a deliberate efficiency. The strikes will be painful, however the wrestlers comply with a script, performing in entrance of an viewers and cameras, with traces to recollect and markers to hit.
It appeared odd when wrestlers turned actors, however why wouldn’t they? Hulk Hogan and “Rowdy” Roddy Piper had been the primary to have success within the 80s. Whereas Hogan’s movies weren’t nice, Piper starred in John Carpenter’s “They Reside.”
Over time, it turned widespread for wrestlers to transition into performing, resulting in WWE creating its personal movie division. A few of right this moment’s largest stars, akin to Dwayne Johnson, John Cena, and Dave Bautista, first rose to fame as wrestlers. Roman Reigns is anticipated to be the following huge Hollywood star when he retires.
CM Punk is likely one of the finest storytellers in wrestling, however as a consequence of his smaller measurement, it appeared unlikely that he would transition to motion movies. As an alternative, Punk selected to debut in a horror movie, which was a sensible selection contemplating the robust bond between wrestling and horror followers.
An actual haunted home setting for ‘Woman on the Third Flooring’
Many wrestlers have appeared in big-budget motion movies with shootouts, explosions and plenty of supporting characters. However like Punk’s wrestling character, “Woman on the Third Flooring” is completely different. Punk performs an ex-con named Don Koch who buys a run-down home to repair up for his pregnant spouse.
Many of the movie reveals Don alone in the home, with many quiet moments and no villains or henchmen. As an alternative, Don is confronted with one thing far worse. “Woman on the Third Flooring” is a haunted home film, which turns into clear when black gunk begins leaking from the partitions.
Then an odd lady named Sarah (performed by Sarah Brooks) seems and seduces Don, inflicting him to make unhealthy choices that he tries to cover. With out giving an excessive amount of away, the home has a darkish historical past, with disturbing secrets and techniques hidden inside its partitions. Somebody has died in the home, and the film was truly filmed in an actual home the place a homicide befell.
In an interview with the podcast Nightmare on Movie Avenue, author and director Travis Stevens talked about shopping for the deserted home featured within the movie as an actual property funding.
After listening to native tales about what had occurred inside, he determined, “Earlier than we do what we’ll do with it, we’d as effectively make a film about it.” When his different script concepts did not work out, Stevens wrote one utilizing these native tales.
He defined: “Once we shoot a haunted home film in an actual haunted home, we have now to do our greatest to at the least honor the historical past of the trauma that occurred there.
In any other case, it’s completely exploitative.” The home had been a brothel many years earlier, and the story goes {that a} man murdered a younger lady who labored there. Whereas tragic, this story allowed “Woman on the Third Flooring” to the touch on vital themes.
Similarities to different horror movies
The girl Don seduces, Sarah, provides complexity to his character, making him a flawed hero we nonetheless root for regardless of his dishonest on his pregnant spouse. The secrets and techniques Sarah harbors, revealed via spectacular sensible results, reveal the story’s darker themes.
The movie touches on critical subjects akin to sexual abuse, trauma and the injustices males inflict on ladies, which is extra terrifying than any gore scene. “Woman on the Third Flooring” excels in specializing in these themes, however generally fails by feeling an excessive amount of like different haunted home and horror movies. For instance, some scenes are paying homage to “The Shining,” with ghostly sightings and a person shedding his thoughts.
Travis Stevens admitted to Nightmare on Movie Avenue that “it was simpler to have the framework of one thing so well-defined as a haunted home film, as a result of it was nearly like coaching wheels.”
He acknowledged that following a well-known system gave him room to be artistic, and he realized he was making a variation on a theme. Stevens even mentioned, “Possibly in two movies we’ll do one thing actually authentic.”
It is refreshing to listen to a brand new filmmaker admit he is nonetheless studying and has no plans to revolutionize the style, however that does not imply “Woman on the Third Flooring” is not nonetheless spectacular.
The sensible results are wonderful, the bounce scares are real, and CM Punk delivers a robust efficiency. When he finally retires from wrestling, anticipate him to affix the ranks of sports activities entertainers who’ve gone on to profitable Hollywood careers.
“Woman on the Third Flooring” will be streamed within the US on Tubi.
