With a resume that includes movies from The Fast and The Furious franchise, Black Adam from the DC Universe, and Rampage (a personal favorite), it’s clear that former professional wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is a bona fide movie star. But can the guy act? Well, we’re about to find out, because here he comes with The Smashing Machine.
Set between the years 1997 and 2000, The Smashing Machine is about UFC/MMA fighter Mark Kerr (Johnson), who took his wrestling background into the cage to compete in some of the first Ultimate Fighting Championship events, back when there were literally no rules and the competitions were illegal in 49 of the 50 states. As a tough-guy fighter, Kerr winds up treating his injuries with powerful painkillers, with predictable addictive results. And his best friend/fellow fighter Mark Coleman (MMA fighter Ryan Bader) and girlfriend Dawn Staples (A Quiet Place’s Emily Blunt) are along for the stressful—and painful—ride.
That’s kind of all there is to The Smashing Machine. Writer/director Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems, Good Time) does the best he can with the material, but truth be told, the story itself isn’t all that interesting. Of course, Kerr’s exploits are more intriguing than those of the average joe, but it’s not Major Motion Picture compelling. It’s just a story of trials and tribulations, of hardship and redemption. And it’s a story we’ve all seen a million times.
Stylistically, it’s not even as kinetic as Safdie’s other films. The fight scenes are suspenseful and engaging, but much like the fights themselves in the no-holds-barred early days of the UFC, they’re over pretty quickly. The massive anxiety of Uncut Gems or the utter chaos of Good Time just isn’t there. For a filmmaker as exciting as Safdie, it’s a very average movie.
There are two edges to the sword of The Smashing Machine. One shows Kerr training and fighting in the sport which he loves, and which provides him his livelihood. And the other is the relationship between Mark and Dawn and the ups and downs that come with it. Neither are very fascinating alone, and the combination of the two isn’t much more exciting. Again, it’s all very average.
What saves the movie is the answer to the question at the beginning of this review. Can Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson act? The answer is a resounding YES. While it may seem as if the role of Mark Kerr is the closest Johnson has come to playing himself in a movie, what we get here is transformational. Instead of Johnson giving us the same character in different situations (as we’ve seen in his other movies), here he becomes Mark Kerr and shows an impressive emotional range while doing it. Johnson is able to portray both the highs and lows of Kerr’s character believably. This may be the role that Johnson was born to play, but that doesn’t change the fact that he nails it.
Emily Blunt is also very good, but her performance isn’t as surprising as that of Johnson. Audiences expect range from an Academy Award-nominated actress. What is surprising about Blunt’s performance is the chemistry that exists between her and Johnson. We saw some of it in Jungle Cruise, but while that was more comedic chemistry, what exists in The Smashing Machine is both powerful and explosive. Blunt and Johnson portray a couple who obviously love and care for each other but seem always on the edge of imploding. They are each other’s strength but also each other’s weakness. They hold each other up while tearing each other down. Good for each other, yet also bad for each other. And both Blunt and Johnson sell it.
Basically, The Smashing Machine is an average movie of an average story that’s elevated by a pair of fantastic performances. And that makes it a draw. Or, in the case of this movie, a No Contest. The most important thing that comes out of The Smashing Machine is Dwayne Johnson’s shift from Movie Star to Actor. And that’s an exciting shift that should be fun to watch in the coming years.
GRADE: B-
Rating: R for language and some drug abuse
Running Time: 2 hour 3 minutes
Release Date: October 3, 2025
Studio: A24
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