Legendary 2010

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: The script, by actor turned writer John Posey, has structural problems and motivational issues in between the cliches. And Cena, a few movies into his career, is still all presence and no acting. Read more

Stephen Holden, New York Times: Follows a straight narrative line to its cliched ending without a deviation from formula. Read more

David Fear, Time Out: It's as if the filmmakers swallowed the sports-movie handbook and regurgitated every cliche in half-digested form. Read more

Ted Fry, Seattle Times: Like the inspirational sagas that show up on low-grade cable, Legendary follows a familiar blueprint designed for maximum feel-good effect. Read more

Nathan Rabin, AV Club: Finally, WWE Studios has made a film that wouldn't feel out of place on the Hallmark Channel. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: 1985's Vision Quest is still the best movie on the subject, and that isn't saying much. Read more

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: Legendary is so intent on paying heartfelt tribute to dogged young athletes that it neglects basic story needs. Read more

David Roark, Dallas Morning News: Legendary relies heavily on veteran actors Patricia Clarkson and Danny Glover. However good they are, they're incapable of making it any better than a made-for-TV movie. Read more

Adam Markovitz, Entertainment Weekly: A well-meaning dud that'll put you out faster than a sleeper hold. Read more

Sheri Linden, Hollywood Reporter: Patricia Clarkson's charismatic warmth elevates an awkward inspirational sports drama. Read more

Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times: A school wrestling drama so mired in family-film cliches it can never shake loose the suspicion that -- not unlike certain high-gloss mat bouts -- the emotional fix is in from the get-go. Read more

Connie Ogle, Miami Herald: A by-the-numbers sports drama with a death grip on cliches and acting every bit as flat as the mat... Read more

Lou Lumenick, New York Post: It may not live up to that grandiose title, but this rousingly sweet little flick is certainly nothing to go out of your way to avoid. Read more

Rex Reed, New York Observer: Talk about movies that cannot possibly live up to their titles. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: It's a feel-good Kleenex(TM) dispenser of a movie, and there's nothing necessarily wrong with that, but it's routine Hallmark Hall of Afterschool Special material. Read more

Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Every emotional moment is punctuated by plinking piano, and every wrestling match is underscored by hard rock. Read more

Scott Bowles, USA Today: For a movie with a star wrestler at the center of it, Legendary doesn't pack much of a punch. Read more

Ronnie Scheib, Variety: Better thesped and helmed than its schmaltzy premise probably warrants. Read more

Melissa Anderson, Village Voice: [A] slow drip of high-fructose corn syrup. Read more

Stephanie Merry, Washington Post: Exactly what you might expect, right down to the montage of blindfolded tussling, jogging and high-fives to the tune of unrelenting inspirational music. Read more