Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson takes his biggest performance risk yet in “The Smashing Machine,” an A24 biopic about mixed martial arts legend Mark Kerr. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival, ending with an enthusiastic 15-minute standing ovation, a sign that Johnson’s transformation has impressed critics and fans alike.
The movie follows Kerr’s rise to becoming one of the most feared fighters of his time, while also revealing his struggles with addiction and his relationship. Emily Blunt co-stars as Dawn Staples, Kerr’s partner, bringing emotion to a story filled with bruises and battles.
Johnson is almost unrecognizable as Kerr, wearing heavy prosthetics, a wig and makeup that recreate the fighter’s face and body. He also bulked up beyond his normal physique to match Kerr’s imposing frame. The prosthetic work is stunning – the scars, bruises and stitches look real, and fight injuries are shown in painful detail.
Johnson gave a powerful performance. This feels like his first “real” acting role, far from his usual action-hero persona, seen in films like “Black Adam.” He plays Kerr as powerful but vulnerable, which makes the fight scenes even more intense.
Even though “The Smashing Machine” is set in the world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), it works for people who don’t follow the sport. Director Benny Safdie uses horror-like sound effects and piano cues to warn viewers when trouble is coming. Those touches helped me as a viewer feel the stakes and tension inside the cage.
During one scene, I even spotted a Hofstra University T-shirt, a small detail that stood out and gave the movie its lived-in feel.
The film has the rich colors and sharp camerawork A24 is known for, with close, handheld shots that pull you into the fights. Between bouts, the cinematography captures quiet moments of pain and doubt. I thought the camerawork and coloring were among the film’s biggest strengths.
Blunt is also excellent, as her chemistry with Johnson is the actual story that is being told here. She adds emotion to scenes that might otherwise feel cold or technical.
Even with all its strong moments, the story sometimes feels like a string of events rather than a smooth, connected narrative. We jump from fights to addiction to recovery without always seeing how one leads to the next, and a lot of it happens off-screen. While Johnson and Blunt do their best to hold the film together, the pacing made me feel less invested than I expected.
The Venice audience clearly loved it, and early critics have praised Johnson’s dramatic turn. But some reviews note the same structural issue I saw. On Letterboxd, I gave it a three out of five stars, and other fans seem to agree, as it’s Letterboxd average sits at 3.3 out of five – it had solid acting and visuals, but the story could flow better.
Even so, “The Smashing Machine” stands out as a bold move for Johnson and a well-crafted production from A24. It is not just a sports movie but a portrait of a man fighting demons outside the cage as well as inside it.
With its powerful performances, realistic prosthetics and stylish visuals, “The Smashing Machine” shows what Johnson can do beyond action blockbusters. The film isn’t perfect, but it proves he can take risks and deliver. For MMA fans, it offers authenticity; for everyone else, it offers an intense, human story.
