‘The Smashing Machine’ (review)

I went into The Smashing Machine completely unprepared for what I witnessed. I knew nothing about Extreme Fighting. I knew even less about one of its pioneers and legends, Mark Kerr.

Kerr, the subject of The Smashing Machine, is phenomenally portrayed by Dwayne Johnson, whose transformation for the film is astounding to behold.

Also starring Emily Blunt, a chameleon of an actor herself, she is sublime and honestly unnerving as Kerr’s volatile and oftentimes manipulative girlfriend Dawn Staples.

The new film, written and directed by Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems), is a near-perfect gem itself.

I know little to nothing about MMA, UFC, and Extreme Fighting. What tiny microbe of knowledge I have has been gleaned from living with a roommate years ago, who was obsessed with it. That was over 10-12 years ago.

This is an entirely new world for me to wander into.

Inspired by the life and trials of celebrated fighter Mark Kerr, The Smashing Machine takes some of its cues from the 2002 HBO documentary The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr.

Seen by Johnson around 2008/9 he was inspired and astounded by Kerr and his journey. He purchased the rights to the film in 2012, beginning a journey of his own that would culminate in the incredible motion picture I review here.

Benny Safdie has made what could have been another fighting movie full of the same tropes we have seen ad nauseam in such acclaimed films as Rocky, Raging Bull, and Million Dollar Baby. However, by adopting a documentary, “reality TV” style of filmmaking, the cameras always feel as if they are intruding on the events unfolding.

Unlike other fighting sport films, we are not allowed into the fighting arena. That is a sacred place. Like a documentary film camera crew, we can only get so close to the brutality at hand. We are never allowed to enter the ring. This creates electricity and anxiety in the viewer. Much like watching a Pay-Per-View match, the audience becomes even more riveted by what they can’t see than what they can.

As opposed to being presented with every hit and kick, Safdie and his Uncut Gems cinematographer, Maceo Bishop, turn the film into a voyeuristic docudrama that allows the audience an almost secret access to events they may not have been allowed to witness.

I love this stylistic approach.

In the hands of director Safdie, who also edited the film, and Bishop, the two auteurs have a visual shorthand and have created a heart-pounding and sometimes gut-wrenching portrait of a man. A man who, in his prime, hit the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.

Again, not knowing anything about his life, I was immediately carried along for an emotional rollercoaster of a ride.

Throughout the film, I had no idea what would unfold next. Would he beat his demons? Would the couple triumph over their differences and conflicts? Would Mark win it all and become the World Champion? What, if any, insane tragedy would befall him? I had absolutely no idea what would happen. I left my heart and my emotions in the care of the creators.

I need to talk about Dwayne Johnson for a moment. I have always loved him. His charm and charisma are unparalleled.

As I have said before, I was not a UFC or any of the extreme sports fan. I was a WWE fan back in the 80’s when it was the WWF and Hulk Hogan and Rowdy Roddy Piper were battling the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff. When MTV’s Rock ‘n Wrestling was at its peak and Cyndi Lauper had wrestlers in her music video for the song “Goonies R Good Enough”.

So I only knew of Dwayne Johnson as “The Rock” peripherally in the context of pop culture, and hearing my friends at the comic store I managed talked about him. It wasn’t until he began appearing in films that I really got to know him and his larger-than-life persona. He soon became a personal favorite action star of mine and my wife. So much so that any film he starred in she was the first to request reviewing any film he starred in. He became our favorite over-the-top silly action movie star. I mean, who doesn’t love “What The Rock was cookin’!?”.

When I had heard about this film and the 15-minute standing ovation for the film at the Venice Film Festival and its Silver Lion win for best director for Safdie, I was intrigued. As I saw more and more press and info on it, I needed to see The Smashing Machine.

I was not disappointed.

It lives up to all the hype and praise piled on it. Johnson delivers a grand performance. A performance that I am sure we will be hearing about come award season. A performance he rightly deserves the accolades for.

Emily Blunt, as I have said earlier, is a chameleon.

From playing the young Queen Victoria in The Young Victoria, to the badass “Angel of Verdun” Sergeant Rita Vrataski in The Edge of Tomorrow, to Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins Returns, Emily Blunt can literally play anyone and anything she sets out to portray. I have yet to see a performance of hers that I didn’t enjoy, regardless of whether or not I liked the film itself. She is always a joy to watch.

In The Smashing Machine, Blunt is tasked with depicting a pretty unlikable woman whose personal demons present a dangerous obstacle to Mark. They must overcome their internal struggles impacting their well-being before it destroys everything she and Mark have built. Blunt brings her usual A-game to a pretty undesirable personality in Dawn Staples and makes her wholly human and tragic so that by the end of the film, you sympathize with her condition and want her to be okay and for the couple to succeed.

I loved this film. In case you haven’t gathered by my review so far. I loved the acting. I loved the cinematography. I loved the editing. The soundtrack was so well utilized. The score is superb. Everything about this film spoke to me in a way I didn’t think a movie about an extreme fighter could have. It just goes to show you that it doesn’t matter the subject matter; if you make a superb, well-crafted film, then it will resonate with anyone.

I recommend this film on the performances alone.

This film did what my wife always hopes films like this do: it has made me want to go and watch the original documentary about Mark Kerr. It may not make me a UFC or Extreme Fighting fan, but it has piqued my interest enough about the man to make me want to see a film I normally would not have watched in a million years.

And that in and of itself is a triumph. It is what good filmmaking is all about.

Making the audience engaged and curious about the subject matter that the filmmakers have presented.

*  *  *  *  *
Produced by Benny Safdie, Dwayne Johnson, Eli Bush,
Hiram Garcia, Dany Garcia, David Koplan
Based on The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times
of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr by John Hyams
Written and Directed by Benny Safdie
Starring Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt,
Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, Oleksandr Usyk