Athletic Women Blog

Rocky, Fight Club, Million Dollar Baby—you can make comparisons to those three movies, but Rigged is unique, a new twist in a threadbare genre. Rigged is about a female fighter; nothing new there, except this woman fights men—heavyweight bruisers—and beats the living crap out of them. And with a setup like that, well, you can imagine how eager I was to see it. I was fortunate to do so last night.

Rigged revolves around two characters. Michael Dublin (Chad Ortis) is a sleazy fight promoter, more a swindler actually, since he often fixes the fights for a handsome profit. One night, when Michael is in a particularly tight spot, he meets Katherine Parker (Rebecca Neuenswander) and soon discovers that she can punch out men twice her size (great scene). Of course, dollar signs immediately go off in Michael's head; he's found his meal ticket. This sets off a series of adventures with plenty of ring action. I won't say more about plot here, for fear I'll give away spoilers, only that the movie did not disappoint.

Fight scenes are crucial to a movie like Rigged, and they are presented here in novel but effective ways. But it is Neuenswander, a former taekwondo champion, who makes the fight scenes work. Katherine's fights with big, heavily muscled men look convincing (mostly)—not an easy thing to do—thanks to Neuenswander's ability to move and punch like a trained fighter and the muscle she packed on (20 pounds) for the role.



Neuenswander earns praise not only in the action scenes but throughout the film; it's easy to see why she recently won Best Actress at the SoCal Film Festival for her performance in Rigged. She is a wonderful young actress (not to mention a humanitarian: she is the founder and executive director of HALO, a nonprofit that helps orphans worldwide). I sincerely hope we see more from her soon.

And there is more to like. The film, for instance, has a noirish feel to it that I found pleasing. Ortis also delivers, and the banter between Neuenswander's Katherine and his Michael is entertaining, though often crass, and fills the lulls between action scenes nicely. Don't expect the typical romance subplot here, either: she sleeps with women, ostensibly lesbian but never quite certain of the matter herself. The ending may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I liked it. I walked out of the movie looking forward to seeing it again.

By now you've guessed, correctly, that I'm going to recommend you see Rigged. I am not doing that because I think it is the perfect, or nearly so, female action film, because it isn't. But it is much more, so much more, than we usually get—a little indie film that delivers what the big studios so rarely do. Rigged is a treat, and fans of the female action genre ought not to miss it.

Rigged is currently making the rounds at film festivals, with the hope that it will eventually go into wider distribution. Check the movie's website to see when it might be showing near you. I leave you with the official trailer:



Additional sources: lawrence.com

We get a peek at the growing sport of women's wrestling:



I feel heartened after watching this. Women's wrestling is accepted now, and young female wrestlers are encouraged; things really are changing for the better. Body Bar Systems has done its part to help make this happen. I give the folks at Body Bar a big thumbs-up for their steadfast support of women's wrestling.

Cogent points are made in this worthwhile piece by Kym of Championing Ourselves. If you're like me, you'll find yourself nodding your head in agreement through most of it. Not only a lament, the piece outlines what could be the ideal female action series and even gives directions on who should star (Rhona Mitra heads the short list, to which I would add Jessica Biel and perhaps a few others).

Dancing with the Stars does a good job featuring female athletes. Most seasons at least one of the stars is a female athlete, and they generally do well—Kristi Yamaguchi, for example, is the reigning champion. The new season of DWTS got under way last night, and Misty May-Treanor looks to be off to a good start (and no doubt has the best guns on the show):

Gina talks about fitness, her career, and more during her photo shoot for Shape Magazine, seen in this promotional spot for her upcoming fight on CBS:

Kacy Stuart, like Jaime Nared, is, so it seems anyway, too good for her own good. Kacy, who is 14 and just starting her first year of high school, can kick 50-yard field goals (something many National Football League kickers struggle with). Despite having this hard-to-come-by skill, Kacy was dismissed from her school's football team because she is a girl (video story). Fortunately, Kacy's mother is fighting back; but she needs help. Please use the information posted at Because I Played Sports to contact the school and let them know that it is inexcusable to deny talented female athletes their dream, that is, to prevent them from doing what nature—or Providence if you will—gave them the drive and the ability to do.

Much has been written about Kacy's plight, but I think it is Kacy who sums up her situation (and that of many other female athletes) best: "People were built for different things. I'm built to be a kicker. I just don't understand why people don't accept the fact that I like football and I want to play football" (quoted by 11Alive).

I've talked many times, here and elsewhere, about how the formidable physical potential of women is beginning to manifest itself. Indeed, it's now obvious that women can do far more in the physical arena than previously conceded, and what is most frightening to reactionaries, women may soon be routinely competing with, even outperforming, men. Thus it is no surprise that some, disturbed by this emerging, ominous challenge to traditional gender ideals, are laboring to keep it in check—by edict if necessary. (Special thanks to Megan for bringing Jaime's story to my attention.)

Felice gives us an update on her fight career in this behind-the-scenes look at her photo shoot for the August 2008 issue of Black Belt Magazine:

Jenna's story is moving, and one of interest to boxing fans I'm sure. The St. Petersburg Times tells it with written word and multimedia slide show.

I heard someone was selling a Sarah Palin superhero action figure; this sounded like a cool idea to me (not because I've picked a side in the presidential race, either). I should have known better—shoddy is one word that comes to mind; moreover, schoolgirl Sarah Palin has to be the silliest "action" figure I've ever seen.

Don't forget to watch the season premiere of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles tonight.

In March 2004, 1st Lt. Melissa Stockwell, USA, was deployed to Iraq. Not long after that, on April 13, she was leading a supply convoy through Baghdad when the Humvee she was riding in was hit by a roadside bomb. Melissa lost her left leg in that blast, the first female US soldier to lose a limb in Iraq.

But the bomb didn't damage her spirit, if anything it was made stronger. Since losing her leg, Melissa has taught herself again how to ski, become a prosthetist so she can help other wounded veterans, completed several marathons and triathlons, and set US Paralympic swimming records. Today, she is in Beijing getting ready to compete in the 2008 Paralympic Games. Melissa is the consummate female warrior-athlete.



TakePride—an organization supporting the troops through art, style, and story—has launched a T-shirt called Stronger in honor of Melissa. The shirt features an image of Melissa swimming and text that tells her inspiring story. A minimum of $5 from each sale of a Stronger shirt will go to the Wounded Warrior Project.





Stronger is available only at www.TakePride.com.

You can keep up with Melissa's adventures in Beijing by following her blog. We wish her the best.

Still no word on a live-action film, but here is a trailer for the upcoming animated movie:



Wonder Woman is slated for release on DVD in February 2009. The voice is Keri Russell's. (Visit wonderwomanmovie.com for more information.)