The Smashing Machine: Movie Review

Cast: Dwayne Johnson; Emily Blunt; Ryan Bader; Bas Rutten; Oleksandr Usyk
Director: Benny Safdie

There are not quite enough punches pulled in Benny Safdie's take on a short period in MMA fighter Mark Kerr's life that shows his ascent in the fighting arenas of Japan and his fall in the home environment he shared with partying girlfriend Dawn (Blunt in a thankless underwritten role).

But this film's more interested in showcasing a more vulnerable Johnson who undergoes a radical physical transformation to play Kerr, as he tries to deal with his addiction to painkillers and to the highs being in the ring brings.

Yet what emerges is a somewhat sanitised, stylised and somehow stereotyped take on a fighting underdog story - and perhaps while Safdie was going for a film that was about the origins of MMA and how the underapplauded first players in the ring were, what comes from it is more of an underwhelming film that never really truly hits anything out of the ring at all.

Perhaps more successful is the relationship between Johnson's Kerr and Ryan Bader's fellow fighter and coach Mark Coleman. At its heart, this film seems to have bromance in its sights, rather than the fractious relationship between Mark and Dawn which could have been the true emotional heft of the piece.

As the two Marks, the pair embodies a strong collegial bond that borders on brothers more than anything - and most of what intercepts around this relationship dwindles in its orbit sadly.

Key moments in the relationship revolve around the toxic nature of Dawn and Mark. From the sniping that turns aggressive to some shocking moments, by not overdramatising the rift between the two of them, when the horror comes, it's more effective thanks to Safdie's restraint.

Scenes in the ring are perfectly workmanlike in many ways and seek to convey the brutality and bone-crunching nature of what's transpiring - but there's never any stylistic touches here other than a kind of early '90s VHS vibe that gives proceedings a veracity.

While all eyes will be on some of Johnson's best work here, it's all leading up to the idea of what the male ego does when it's defeated - and in his hands, he digs deep and provides moments that remind you he's more than just the broad actor we've come to know and appreciate.

Ultimately, The Smashing Machine isn't quite the dramatic KO you'd expect, but it is worth going a few rounds with for the experience.