The Smashing Machine takes us back to the late 90s to tell the story of UFC legend Mark Kerr. Starring Dwayne Johnson as Kerr and Emily Blunt as his partner, Dawn Staples, the film captures Kerr’s meteoric rise and the devastating spiral of addiction and obsession that nearly cost him his life.
Directed with a clear eye for immersion, visually, the film's cinematography utilized an indie-documentary style with a "gloomy, cloudy" palette that perfectly evoked the grit of the early MMA era. It was paired with an unconventional, chaotic jazz score that felt dated in a way that heightened the tension.
Despite the heavy themes of obsession and the high-stakes world of fighting, there were moments where it felt like there wasn't quite enough story to sustain the runtime, leading to some boring lulls.
The production’s commitment to authenticity shined through the casting, featuring real-life fighters like Ryan Bader playing Mark Coleman, which added a layer of legitimacy to the cage sequences that I appreciated. The transformation of Dwayne Johnson is the film’s biggest talking point. Thanks to incredible hair and makeup, Johnson physically disappears into Kerr. His performance was at its best when he was conveying the quiet agony of addiction; the "masks" he puts on to hide his depression from those around him were genuinely well-done. However, while Johnson was solid, he lacked the transformative emotional range that usually attracts major acting awards. Emily Blunt, predictably excellent, shared great chemistry with the cast, but the depiction of their relationship was exhausting. The constant, petty arguments highlighted a toxic dynamic that was difficult to watch at times.
Ultimately, The Smashing Machine felt like it struggled with its own pacing. It aimed for the raw, emotional gut-punch like The Wrestler, but didn't land with the same impact. It was a respectable effort that succeeded in its aesthetic and authenticity, but it fell just short of the legendary status of the sports dramas it tried to emulate.
Ultimately, The Smashing Machine felt like it struggled with its own pacing. It aimed for the raw, emotional gut-punch like The Wrestler, but didn't land with the same impact. It was a respectable effort that succeeded in its aesthetic and authenticity, but it fell just short of the legendary status of the sports dramas it tried to emulate.
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