NFL
By: Rick O’Donnell
It’s not every day that wrestlers who turned into actors become cinematic staples. For every good movie made, there was a host of terrible ones that came before it. From Hulk Hogan to HHH, to Stone Cold Steve Austin. Everyone in between who starred in their version of a sequel to The Marine hasn’t had it easy for wrestlers playing anyone outside of themselves in movies. However, the current class seems to be sticking around. Dave Bautista was a sneaky favorite in the MCU and gained even more popularity with Knock at the Cabin. John Cena has floated around the comedy genre but is taking off with Peacemaker. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has stuck to family-friendly movies and a new form of action movies. However, it took on a whole different role with The Smashing Machine.
From Google:
The true story of mixed martial arts and UFC fighter Mark Kerr, whose obsession with greatness made him a legend — and nearly cost him everything.
Biopics seem to be big-ticket items for today’s audiences. Still, The Smashing Machine was a tough watch, and it has nothing to do with the actors. Let the IWC (internet wrestling community) debate who the best wrestler-turned-actor is; there’s no place for that in this movie. Truth be told, Dwayne Johnson holds his own with his depiction of Mark Kerr. He and co-star Emily Blunt have good on-screen chemistry and tell a believable story.
Where this one seems to fall apart for the viewer is the pacing and context. First, they dive right into his story as biopics have learned to do. However, there’s no backstory on his life, his struggles, or any need to invest in the character portrayed. Which leads me to ask, who was this movie made for outside of Mark Kerr fans? While it tells the story of his career and struggles, it doesn’t elicit the sympathy you’re supposed to feel for this man. Outside of wondering “what ever happened to …” or seeing an actor/actress you enjoy the movie doesn’t entice the way it should.
Then there’s the movie’s pacing. The whole thing feels a bit fragmented. It hits on a few emotional scenes but quickly moves on to the next one, so it never resonates the way it should. Instead of feeling like a biopic, it came off more like an indie film where you knew it was based on a true story. As someone who loves a good indie film, I was used to this style of storytelling, but most of the emotion and empathy were lost in translation.
The Smashing Machine isn’t a bad movie. It was worth watching, but it left me wanting more, but not in a good way. Dwayne Johnson proved he’s not just an eyebrow-raising caricature of an action star. His portrayal of Kerr was believable as he’s come a long way as an actor. Yet The Smashing Machine left me feeling as if there were a lot of fatty pieces that ruined a good steak. The whole movie felt like they stretched a 30-minute second act from any other biopic into a full movie. As negative as it sounds, it wasn’t a bad movie; it just felt incomplete.
*The Smashing Machine is currently streaming on HBO Max.
