A documentary in memory of the legendary, mysterious and World Wrestling Entertainment fighter Bray Wyatt, titled “Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal” was released as a tribute to his respected career on April 1.
“Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal” is a biographic documentary that was released on the streaming service Peacock. It follows the journey of the renowned fighter, known by his stage name Bray Wyatt, and birth name Windham Rotunda.
The sad retelling of Wyatt’s life is worth the time to watch as fans and supporters alike will enjoy seeing his mysterious and hidden journey told in detail for the first time.
Wyatt, before his passing in August 2023, was a fighter known for his character changes, winning titles, creative genius and compassionate persona. The documentary does a superb job of highlighting these characteristics throughout the film.
This film left fans high in anticipation after the WWE released its announcement. Although Wyatt’s career was only 14 years long, his career is one that is still talked about today.
Director Steve Conoscenti does a great job of following Wyatt’s journey chronologically from beginning to end.
Fans worried the film would tarnish Wyatt’s memory by the portrayal of how they told his story. Especially after the hype of the 2024 film “Iron Claw” and the retelling of the Von Erich family, fans worried the retelling would be more editorialized than true. But Conoscenti’s decision to tell this story through clips and interviews of Wyatt and people he knew, is what makes this story stand out.
Wyatt was a fighter who throughout his career took on personas of all kinds, such as Husky Harris and The Fiend. Each of his character changes had a specific persona and meaning, but with each change came an increase in fandom support and attention.
His creativity was shared through stories and retellings of former coworkers, such as Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch and Mark Calaway.
Calaway, also known to WWE fans as Undertaker, was the narrator for this documentary and did an excellent job on the retelling of Wyatt’s journey.
The interviews within the film recapture and highlight the relationships in Wyatt’s life; all coworkers spoke highly about him, which helped highlight the fighter’s humanity. The characters that wrestlers portray on TV are completely different from their true psyche.
Wyatt’s persona The Fiend, is a perfect example of this, as his power to scare and raise a reaction from the crowd is what made him stand out.
A way that both Calaway and the film capture the essence behind Wyatt’s career changing journey is by encapsulating the praise received for his creativity and the positive energy he brought to the roster.
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Some of Wyatt’s more recognizable fights are included in the documentary including his Wrestlemania highlights against Randy Orton, John Cena and the Undertaker. What makes these scenes so important is their intense and memorable nature. These fights were considered highlights of his career.
The film progresses toward the devastating ending of Wyatt’s WWE career when he was released from his contract. Many fans were shocked when he got released, because of his repetitive TV stature. Bray being on TV every week made him more of a fan favorite and then fans suddenly got the news of his release.
This film does a great job showcasing the compassionate nature Wyatt had toward helping others elevate their own wrestling careers. He is someone that fans continue to look up to because outside of his fights, he was a person who worked to make relations and connections with fans around the world.
As the film concludes, the dark ending of Wyatt’s life begins to unveil. Fans were devastated to learn that at 36 years old, Wyatt sadly passed in his sleep, but it tastefully portrays this truth by a detailed retelling of his family and friends discovering his passing.
What makes the loss of Bray even more devastating is that there were many wrestling news reports confirming WWE saying that he was going to be returning in September 2023.
This documentary was beautifully done and showed the love and support for one of the best fighters. It also showcases what Windham’s character was and who he could have been.
If you have never watched a wrestling documentary before and want to know more about the WWE’s most respected and beloved wrestlers, the retelling of Wyatt’s story in “Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal” is a great film to start with.
