I Wasn’t Sure What To Expect From Dwayne Johnson In The Smashing Machine But Critics Have Me Pumped For His ‘Scarily Unstable’ Performance

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Dwayne Johnson is widely recognized for his professional wrestling background and his roles as a charismatic action star in movies like Jumanji and Fast & Furious. However, his upcoming project takes him into unfamiliar territory. The Rock will feature in A24’s film titled The Smashing Machine, a biographical sports drama based on MMA fighter Mark Kerr. Initially, I wasn’t certain what to anticipate from the actor in this intriguing new role, but the praise from critics following its debut at the Venice International Film Festival has me eagerly waiting for its release.

The movie titled “The Smashing Machine” had its debut at the film festival a month prior to its 2025 release schedule. Critics, particularly Nicholas Barber from BBC, had plenty to discuss about this Benny Safdie production that brings Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt back together, who previously collaborated in the 2021 film “The Jungle Cruise”. Contrary to a Disney theme park ride, asserted Barber. In fact, he suggested the possibility of seeing Johnson’s name on the Oscars list, giving the movie a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

Despite its rugged, hardened main character and somber indie feel, the film subtly explores a person capable of pain, both physically and emotionally. Johnson delivers a compelling portrayal of vulnerability as Kerr struggles with life’s challenges, and his interactions with Dawn are tense and unsettling, particularly during their frequent disagreements.

According to Ryan Lattanzio of IndieWire, the upcoming A24 film is skillfully made and surprisingly heartwarming, but he doesn’t believe it will be recognized in awards circles. Lattanzio suggests that director Benny Safdie employs familiar themes to portray the tender relationship between Dwayne Johnson’s opioid-dependent boxer and his dependent girlfriend. In Lattanzio’s words:

“Benny Safdie effectively tells a story through well-known tropes about a soft duet between Dwayne Johnson’s character, an addict boxer, and his codependent lover.

Johnson’s acting is simply fantastic, blending body and soul in a way that perfectly captures Safdie’s vision, resulting in what undeniably stands as the most complex role of his career. Blunt, too, gives a stunning performance, masterfully portraying Dawn’s conflicting emotions during a heated argument with Mark after his post-rehab emotional turnaround, making us laugh and cry at the same time.

According to Owen Gleiberman from Variety, “The Smashing Machine” is described as “invigorating, truthful, and piercingly compassionate.” Unlike traditional sports biopics, Benny Safdie delivers an up-close documentary style, employing the same cameras used by PRIDE FC to make the fights appear authentic. In this film, Dwayne Johnson explores uncharted territory in his acting career. Gleiberman notes that this role represents a fresh chapter for The Rock.

In a surprising transformation, Johnson portrays the character of Mark with an air of enigma, making him seem like a different actor altogether. He skillfully imbues Mark Kerr with a sense of mystery, portraying him as a colossal figure harboring unspoken inner turmoil. The audience is captivated by this performance and yearns to witness the healing of those hidden demons. While it may appear that ‘smashing’ is the central theme in the film’s title, it’s actually ‘machine.’ Mark is a man who has crafted his entire being – physique and character – into a disciplined instrument of destruction. The story revolves around the transformation of this mechanical man into a genuine human being.

Jordan Mintzer of THR observes that the fights in the movie don’t appear contrived in any way, which is ironic considering Dwayne Johnson initially gained popularity through scripted WWE matches. The critic notes that unlike typical sports films, The Smashing Machine focuses more on human resilience rather than athletic triumph, stating:

In Benny Safdie’s gripping and unconventional biopic, The Smashing Machine, Kerr exhibits a complex mix of temperament, swinging between calm and volatile, relaxed on the couch and demolishing a door in his home, revealing a vulnerability that outweighs his burgeoning musculature. Portrayed by Dwayne Johnson in one of his most captivating performances as an actor, the mixed martial arts champion leads a dramatic film about a rise and fall in the fighting world. This film borrows elements from the genre but refrains from delivering a classic Rocky-style triumph; instead, it steers clear of such a climax.

According to Cody Dericks from Next Best Picture, the movie “The Smashing Machine” earns a rating of 7 out of 10. Dericks notes that the screenplay has some significant flaws, but Dwayne Johnson delivers a career-best performance in the film. Despite these script issues, “The Smashing Machine” is not only bearable to watch, but it’s also engaging and emotionally impactful, as per Dericks’ review. He further adds that Johnson’s performance makes the movie truly captivating.

Johnson exhibits an authentic exterior tenderness towards Kerr in his portrayal, which is later validated by real-life footage of Kerr at the end of the movie. His playful demeanor makes the scenes where Kerr appears under the influence of painkillers all the more startling. Johnson avoids clichéd representations of drug addiction, instead showing Kerr as a man transformed – as if a curtain has fallen over him. His life seems to drain from his eyes, and his behavior takes on an unsettling new direction. Johnson’s acting is further enhanced by the convincing prosthetic work of the Academy Award-winning makeup artist Kazu Hiro.

The significant physical changes Dwayne Johnson undertook for this role, including extensive makeup that virtually made him unrecognizable as The Rock, have generated a lot of discussion. Yet, it’s his powerful performance that has critics raving after the film’s premiere at festivals. These reviews have piqued my interest in seeing The Smashing Machine when it arrives in theaters on October 3.

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2025-09-02 02:09