I had heard about this movie some time ago so when I came across it on Netflix I thought I'd check it out. As a pro wrestling fan from way back, the idea of a wrestler turned minister sounded somewhat appealing if unconventional, and the story itself is generally okay, but you can tell it's acted poorly and the production values place it in B movie territory. I thought the casting was a bit bizarre too, with the actress portraying hooker Valerie (Danielle Benton) the best looking woman in the picture. She certainly didn't present a wasted, street life character in need of redemption so much as someone who just needed to turn things around in her life.I wasn't aware that 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper had passed until I checked his screen credit here on IMDb. He was a pretty flamboyant character with the WWF, and it was a hoot to hear him state in the picture that pro wrestling hadn't been on the up and up since the Seventies. I had to laugh, does that mean when I was following Bruno Sammartino, Bobo Brazil, Gorilla Monsoon and Killer Kowalski throughout the Sixties, it was all legit? That would be pretty funny.The one concession the picture makes in it's blend of wrestling and religion was the name of one of the Saint's finishing holds - the faith breaker. When sizing up Brett Granstaff against James Preston Rogers' character, The Reaper, one gets a pretty good idea that size doesn't matter in pro wrestling when it comes to the script writing. But it should when it comes to making movies, and that's where this one falls a little short.

Brett Granstaff plays Chris who is an ex Professional and masked wrestler. He retires to become a Pastor in a parish that is on the wrong side of the tracks. Once there he sees the crime and violence and a church in the grip of a megalomaniac and a congregation that is dwindling beyond the point where the church could be economically viable.So he resurrects his old job to help his new community. This film is based on the true life of such a Pastor – so is the film any good? Well yes and no, it is watchable in a very basic way. The good guys wear white and the bad guys black. There is no subtlety here at all of ambiguity that would help to give the plot any kind of authenticity.The acting and dialogue is terrible in places and the direction is almost missable. It is though the story that lacks credibility and the idea of marrying a Christian story with the violence of 'wrestling' seems a bit incongruous – and it is. It is funny – when it is not meant to be and cringe worthy when it tries. If you like a guilty pleasure of a film though this sort of works. I found it to be watchable but no one was preparing an Oscar acceptance speech whilst this was in production.

I loved every second of this flix, I got lifted and remained so suspended on billowy clouds and just eased bax with the Saint at the helm to bear me to a better place transfiguring the temporal, transcending ennui, whereupon I was laid to rest onto the vast empyrean stardust in a providential transmutation. Kick ass job! The Reaper was incredible! Rowdy was awesome, totalee!!!! Just a throw-bax to some fun flix from my formative years and really enjoyed the message.... Good does triumph... unfortunately this is a flix so, yeah, afterwards I was a lil' let down , hey coming down isn't always easy, Yet, hand in hand with the Saint, reflecting on the lil' remembrances of this lil' gem, surely a graceful landing is vouchsafed! Pray, do give it chance, that is how I came across this lil' angel, by chance, or maybe divine providence? Who the hell knows, all I know is I had some fun! Chillexed and love it...

The Masked Saint (2016): Dir: Warren P. Sonoda / Cast: Brett Granstaff, Lara Jean Chorostecki, Patrick McKenna, Diahann Carroll, Roddy Piper: Better than average faith based film that takes Christianity and faith and crosses them with physical trials. Brett Granstaff plays a wrestler called The Saint, who dresses in white and wears a mask. After an injury he decides to pastor a church in a dangerous neighbourhood. While the church is in dire need of repairs, he finds his preaching less than effective. He soon becomes a local hero when donning the mask renders him fighting crimes in the street. This is much more ambitious than most of its kind with a decent setup and detailed structure. The ending is predictable with that preachy delivery that will turn off anyone outside of Christianity. Acting is also terribly over the top although Brett Granstaff as Chris Samuels does his best as the struggling preacher who learns that his strength might be fighting demons in the ring. Lara Jean Chorostecki plays his wife Michelle who discovers that she is pregnant with their second child. They already have a young daughter. Patrick McKenna has the unfortunate role of Judd Lumpkin, a bully type whose money finances the church. Just as bad is Diahann Carroll as Ms. Edna in a role that echos the War Room lady. Unfortunately "Rowdy" Roddy Piper passed away after completing this film. He plays a cynical promoter who decides to take the belt off the Saint and give it to the Reaper, a towering monster heel wrestler. While average in production Christians will grasp its message of being fighters and saints in the ring of life. Score: 6 / 10