We usually imagine Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson flexing in Fast & Furious, spouting one-liners in the WWE, or endearing kids as Maui in Moana. However, in the new sports biopic The Smashing Machine by A24, he is not only The Rock anymore, but Mark Kerr, a scars-on-his-soul MMA champion. And honestly? It is the most exciting thing he will ever do.
The movie is not only about fights in the cage, but it’s also guided by Benny Safdie, who is half of the Uncut Gems duo. It is a story of love, addiction, perseverance, and the untidy loveliness of human existence. And it also has Emily Blunt playing the role of Kerr’s partner, Dawn Staples.
The film had its world premiere in Venice, where Safdie won the Silver Lion for Best Director, incidentally, before going to Toronto, and is already being acclaimed in the press as one of the most electric movies of the year.
The Metamorphosis That Gave Emily Blunt Goosebumps.
There is no use denying the fact that Dwayne Johnson is already one of the most prominent stars in Hollywood. But that evidently was not enough. Safdie even asked him to gain more weight so that he could fit Kerr, who had an incredible physique.
Blunt admitted in a new first-look featurette that the physical change had sent chills down his spine. “Like… jaws dropped.”
And she’s not exaggerating. It is as if Johnson has vanished from the screen. The Rock we know and love is gone. The remaining one is Mark Kerr, and it is somewhat astounding how realistic it is.
Wrestling Meets UFC
Johnson best explains it himself. In the featurette, he discusses projecting his own WWE career into the battles of MMA by Kerr:
“My life experiences have enabled me to understand what it’s like to be in Mark’s shoes. I understand how it is to feel like I have to deliver and ruin my body each night.”
That’s why this role is different. It’s a combination of muscle and charisma, but Johnson is also offering lived experience, heartbreak, and intensity. It can be his Oscar moment.
Critics are already possessed.
The movie is currently holding at 80 percent approval on Rotten Tomatoes after Venice and Toronto screenings. The career-best praise has been crashing upon Johnson, and Blunt is next to him, being, as ever, the magnetic Emily Blunt.
Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and Oleksandr Usyk provide supporting characters that make the cast entirely believable as a fight world.
Safdie and A24’s Knockout
This is not a mere sports biopic due to the direction of Benny Safdie. It is crass, personal, and simply exciting. According to him, the journey of Mark Kerr is to accept who you are. That’s a triumph. That’s a win.
The Smashing Machine crashes into theatres everywhere on October 3, 2025.
