Starring: Scott Hamm, Bree Turner, Roger Fan
Written by: Robert Boris
Directed by: Robert Boris
In the world of pro wrestling, there’s a certain elegance in being so terribly off-the-mark and so much less than what might have been. It often creates an endearing sympathy for the poor person that is forced to suffer in the mire of a terrible character or storyline. Surely some of Kane‘s fan base still feels that he deserves to enjoy some of the good life after donning the personas of “Isaac Yankem” or “Fake Diesel”. In films, it’s not that different. We all have guilty pleasures of the “It’s so bad it’s good” variety.
In the list of “Bottom 100” on the Internet Movie Database (the 100 films that have scored the lowest user ratings of all time), Hulk Hogan reigns as champion. Three of his films have a pretty secure place in the list: Mr. Nanny sits at 59, 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain is right down there at number 7, and Santa With Muscles is a real threat for the title at number 4. Not that far from the top, though, is Backyard Dogs at number 16.
Portion of review by Walter Chaw, found at Film Freak Central:
Cole (Scott Hamm) and Lee (Walter Jones) are young dreamers who, one magical day, aspire to perform with Japanese professional wrestlers on a pay-per-view television show. Recruiting the services of a hot Internet expert Kristy (Bree Turner), whose live dorm-cam has landed her in a bit of legal trouble, Cole and Lee build a website through which they attract the attention of a powerful backyard wrestling promoter. A series of datelines follow our heroes as they blaze a trail through the backwoods and trailer parks of California en route to the big event under the moniker “The Backyard Dogs.” Meanwhile in hot pursuit is their arch-nemesis, an evil and portly gentleman called “Voodoo Jones” (Dale L. Evans). With an endless series of continuity errors arising from a combination of carelessness and lack of editing and camera skills, Backyard Dogs can be entertaining for only the most non-discriminating of wrestling fans, if then.”