‘Hulk Hogan: Real American’ Review – One Last Big Boot and Leg Drop

As a young kid, I could remember I would want to say my prayers and eat my vitamins just like Hulk Hogan. In the Netflix documentary Hulk Hogan: Real American, Hulkamaniacs will follow the larger-than-life star through his rise in the world of professional wrestling, including the controversial chapters that changed the trajectory of his name forever. It’s a raw, personal look at Terry Bollea and his final interviews before his passing.

What is Hulk Hogan: Real American about?

Hulk Hogan: Real American gives the world an inside look at how Terry Bollea became Hulk Hogan. From the early days of how he got started in the world of professional wrestling to becoming one of the biggest stars in the sport and how it all came crashing down towards the end of his life. With interviews from Bret Hart, Donald Trump, Cody Rhodes, and, of course, the final interviews with Hogan himself. 

‘Hulk Hogan: Real American’ Review

In the early moments of the documentary, Hogan says, “Once I get in that ring, I wouldn’t worry about kids, wives, bills, problems, legal, or criminal.” Very few truly understand that feeling, the feeling of being able to shut off the world to focus on the power of being in that ring. In my few years of working as an independent wrestler, that high you get from the ring is unmatched. I, like Hogan and many others, chase that high in different avenues, and it’s never the same. 

Much like any other kid born in the 80s, I was a Hulkamaniac. I had the action figures, t-shirts, and big plush dolls and would walk around saying, “Whatcha gonna do when Hulkamania runs wild on you?” Growing up in a wrestling family made you look at the sport a lot differently from most. But I didn’t grow to appreciate Hogan’s impact on wrestling until I was older. He put wrestling on the map, and it wouldn’t be where it is today without him. It’s something that he reminds audiences of quite a bit in this documentary too. 

There is nothing humble about Hogan’s interviews. He believes he is the greatest wrestler of all time. While that is far from the truth, very few had as much of a global impact as he did. The early stages of Hogan’s journey into the world of wrestling were nice to see. Overcoming the obstacles placed by his parents, wrestling in the territories, and eventually finding his way with Vince McMahon Sr. 

The birth of Hulk Hogan was the rise of Terry Bollea, but it was also the death of Terry Bollea. Once he became this larger-than-life star, nobody could tell him anything. From his first wife, Linda Hogan, talking about how the fame changed him to Bret Hart talking about his return that cost Hart a title run, it was evident that it went straight to his head. Hogan changes for the worse, and the back half of his career/life ruins everything he built. 

Even as I am writing this, I look back at Hulk Hogan, the man that I loved so much as a kid, and look at that variation now and try to separate the two. But at the end of the day, that is the same person. You can’t take away the fact that Hulk Hogan put professional wrestling on the map. Just like you can’t take away the damaging videos, his abusive power, continued lies, and, more recently, his political ways. The last of which saw him get booed in his final appearance at the WWE back in January 2025 for his vocal support of Donald Trump, who oddly enough appears in the documentary to say a few nice words about him. 

The fan in me enjoyed early aspects of what this documentary presented. The critic in me hated the fact they decided to really paint this story in a mostly positive manner. I understand as we were witnessing the final moments of Hulk Hogan, and even Terry Bolea, we don’t need to dance on his grave. Far too often in society, we gloss over someone’s actions because we have fond memories of who they were. The nostalgic nature of it all really is overshadowed by the dark cloud that ended Hulkamania. 

Is Hulk Hogan: Real American worth watching?

Did you grow up a Hulkamaniac like me? If so, you will find yourself enjoying many of the behind-the-scenes stories that are told from multiple perspectives about him. The biggest fault in Hulk Hogan: Real American is the fact that it is treated with kid gloves instead of delving into the truth. Hulk Hogan is one of the all-time greatest wrestlers, and nobody can take that away from him. However, through that rise, he stepped on many people, and karma came back to get him. Harvey Dent once said, “You either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain.”

All four episodes of Hulk Hogan: Real American are streaming on Netflix.