When The Resurrection of Jake the Snake critiques have been launched, there was a small divide between critics. Directed by Steve Yu, The Resurrection of Jake the Snake is a documentary that tells the story {of professional} wrestler Jake “the Snake” Roberts who was extremely well-known and standard within the Nineteen Eighties. The documentary primarily explores Roberts’ life between 2012 and 2014 during which he attended a rehabilitation program, which concerned a yoga course referred to as DDP Yoga, to assist him overcome his alcoholism, and drug abuse, and enhance his total psychological and bodily well being.
The movie premiered on the Slamdance Movie Competition, an annual movie competition in Utah, in 2015 and was screened in a restricted quantity of theaters on September 2 of the identical 12 months. When the movie was launched, it was largely met with a heat reception. Most critics and followers gave optimistic critiques for the documentary because it holds an 87% ranking on Rotten Tomatoes and holds a 7.8/10 rating on IMDb. Nevertheless, different pundits have been much less receptive to sure components of The Resurrection of Jake the Snake and gave it unfavourable critiques for these causes.
When The Resurrection of Jake the Snake was launched, it was largely well-received as a number of leisure websites like The Hollywood Reporter, IndieWire, and Den of Geek gave the movie optimistic critiques. Whereas every outlet had its personal factors of acclaim, the consensus was the movie supplied a deep, uncooked, and sincere portrayal of Roberts’ life between 2012 and 2014 and the way his bodily and psychological well being was declining due to his substance abuse. The Resurrection of Jake the Snake was additionally praised for being extremely inspiring, showcasing intimately how Roberts made the trouble to go to a rehabilitation heart and get higher.
In accordance with a evaluation from Vice’s Ian Williams, “…whereas Resurrection doesn’t fairly obtain the heights of the good professional wrestling movies in historical past—its moments of greatness come nearly regardless of themselves—there’s some greatness in it” (by way of Vice). Whereas The Resurrection of Jake the Snake is definitely not good, it has sufficient coronary heart and honesty that it could possibly make anybody, regardless in the event that they’re a WWE fan or somebody fully unfamiliar with the wrestling trade, really feel impressed.
Nevertheless, The Resurrection of Jake the Snake additionally had its detractors. In a evaluation from the Los Angeles Occasions, Robert Abele accused the movie of merely being an act of self-promotion as a substitute of an sincere portrayal of Roberts, stating “Although the central story is constructed to encourage, and certainly will for the numerous followers of wrestling who love a comeback (and know the ending given away by the title), the entire enterprise smacks of a pilot for one thing that is likely to be referred to as ‘Superstar Wrestler Rehab.” (by way of Los Angeles Occasions)
Different critics have identified that Steve Yu, the director of The Resurrection of Jake the Snake, is the president of DDP Yoga, a yoga course that was closely featured within the documentary because it helped Roberts together with his restoration (by way of Vice). This was from Ian Williams’ similar optimistic evaluation, however the critic couldn’t ignore this obvious facet of self-promotion. Nevertheless, no matter whether or not this documentary partially serves as an act of self-promotion, it nonetheless doesn’t take away from the general coronary heart and rawness of the movie.