The Smashing Machine – Movie Reviews by Ry!

The Smashing Machine – In the Fervor of Punches … I Strike with Character

In a world of achievements, what does it mean to succeed?  We walk along life’s path, hoping that we step forward with genuine purpose.  These ideals can be a marker of many things, but it becomes an honest touch, especially in sports.  In this review, I look at the latest sports/drama to hit the big screen.  Through a slice of life tale, we dive into the world of MMA in its earliest days.  With strong leads, The Smashing Machine is an ingenious tale that provides a look at more than just the fights … but what it means to be a person that fights. 

In a tale of personal struggles, we watch Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson) strive to become the best MMA fighter in the world.  In general storytelling, it is a crossroads of foundational points and honest grips.  When mixing in sports, there is that added layer of showcasing the brightest moments with the gravitas of drama.  With this sports film, it becomes a dueling of showcasing the early days of mixed martial arts, but providing a relative grip through the main character, Mark Kerr.  In the beginning, we come into this world through the drop-in method that layers its focus between the ‘fighting’ as well as the ‘person’ of the fighting.  This dancing of vignettes becomes a foundational grip, building up a journey through raw conversations and life-like moments.  As you follow Kerr, you see a man that has this ‘focus’ on being the best (at the sport), but also a homely person that has genuine zeal.  From the fights to dialogue, the driving factor of the moments is in the riveting humanistic scenes.  You feel the viciousness in the fights, but also the flawed individual that comes with choices (after the fights).  That dueling directive is driven by an open storytelling technique that moves along a loose journey for the sake of living in the moment.  This mostly works because of the strong aura from Johnson’s acting, but also through the chemistry with Emily Blunt, who plays his girlfriend, Dawn Staples.  The mixing of their relationship with the intensity of the fights becomes an ironic clash of fury vs. fervor.  It is here that the film is at its strongest, seeing the characterized look at what it means to be a fighter in the early days of MMA.

As Mark Kerr continues to rise up the ranks, certain situations lead to emotional turmoil.  At this point, the strong characterization starts to unravel through the allure of subplots.  As Kerr deals with multiple things happening in his life, the open storytelling starts to feel disjointed.  Even when the journey starts to derail a little, the strong chemistry between the leads drives the momentum into the third act.  It is in the final act where everything comes full circle, building towards great moments that end with a great climax and epilogue.  The Smashing Machine is a character tale that showcases the early days of MMA.  If you are a fan of sports, drama or character films, this is one for you.  At its core, I think there is enough here for a good time at the theaters.

Full Score – 3.5 out of 5 (Matinee)