Finally, the cloak of mystery is torn from The Undertaker

3 / 5 ( 2 votes )

Written by Lizette

For almost 30 years, The Undertaker has cultivated a personality of mystery and intrigue.

Until now.

Arguably the most famous WWE superstar of them all, The Undertaker (real name Mark Calaway) has finally dropped his guard for “The Last Ride”.

It pulls back the curtain on a man whose sense of dread – and power and athleticism – earned him enormous popularity among WWE devotees. Not only did he act out his dark, foreboding character, he performed with a malevolence that drove fans wild. His rivalries with the like of Stone Cold Steve Austin, Kane, The Rock, Shawn Michaels, Triple H and Kurt Angle became the stuff of legend.

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The Undertaker’s reputation was forged by his reluctance to do publicity with even public appearances getting short shrift from the American legend.

The Undertaker fiercely guarded the “Man behind the Deadman” for all these years, but recently decided to tell his story, taking his fans on a remarkable journey.

It is bookended by his early years on the domestic circuit and, ultimately, by the internal battle that came with him facing inevitable retirement. Now aged 55, he knows the end is close, no matter his still adoring fans and ability to put on a show as few others can.

What “The Last Ride” does is show the reality of The Undertaker’s world, revealing him to be a fun, warm-hearted man who is utterly revered in WWE and beyond. His relationship with Vince McMahon, the patriarch of WWE, is extraordinarily strong and the pair share a bond that is reflected in poignant scenes in the documentary.

Context is everything in a show such as this and it comes with interviews with some of the greatest names in the business, among them Triple H, Mark Henry, Batista, Stone Cold, John Cena, Kurt Angle, Kane, Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair, Roman Reigns and Big Show. Their regard for The Undertaker, a trailblazer for many of them, is palpable.

Seeing The Undertaker talk on camera is astonishing in itself because it’s taken all these years for him to break character and help unravel the man behind the mystery. What you get is a gracious, humorous, deep-thinking man which only adds to the legend whose fame and feats allowed him to transcend wrestling and become a cross-cultural hero to millions.