New Flick – The Rock Fights FEELINGS, Not FOES!

Dwayne Johnson delivers a quietly devastating performance as MMA pioneer Mark Kerr in Benny Safdie’s restrained biopic, The Smashing Machine.

At a Glance

Dwayne Johnson portrays MMA icon Mark Kerr through his 1997–2000 rise, opioid addiction, and emotional unraveling
Emily Blunt co-stars as Kerr’s partner Dawn, offering emotional depth amid the film’s otherwise muted drama
Benny Safdie’s direction emphasizes internal struggle over spectacle, with minimalist sound design and intimate cinematography
The film premiered in competition at Venice on September 1, 2025, and will be released in the U.S. on October 3

Emotional Work Out of the Ring

Johnson’s performance is earning strong critical acclaim as one of his most emotionally layered turns to date—marked by physical transformation, tenderness, and raw vulnerability. Critics note the subdued violence outside the ring and the actor’s ability to channel Kerr’s internal torment through commanding physical presence rather than theatrical gestures.

Watch now: The Smashing Machine | Official Trailer HD | A24

Blunt’s Dawn offers a compelling counterbalance—“sensational,” according to several reviews—but the screenplay’s repeated depiction of her frustrations veers toward monotony, making her character both powerful and exhausting to watch.

Style Over Sweat

Safdie’s filmmaking leans into a quiet intensity: fight scenes are visceral and claustrophobic, sharpened by sound design and editing, while non-fighting sequences remain spare and emotionally resonant. As one critic put it, “nearly an hour into the film, the Rock tears a door in half like it was a UPS mailer”—a moment that hints at contained rage rather than explosive violence.

This approach may defy typical sports-biopic expectations: critics say it lacks the mythic grandeur of classics like Raging Bull or Foxcatcher, but applaud its commitment to realism and vulnerability.

Prelim Verdict and Awards Buzz

From Venice to early buzz, The Smashing Machine is being hailed as both a stylistic risk and an awards magnet. Venice’s artistic director reportedly shifted from skepticism to strong support after seeing scenes. Johnson is positioned as a serious Best Actor contender; Blunt’s performance and the film’s prosthetic makeup are also drawing awards-season attention.