- Date of Release: 10 October 2025
- Genre: Action, Biopic, Drama, Documentary, Sports
- Language: English
- Watch On: Theatres Only
The Smashing Machine
Introduction
It is interesting how the new English film The Smashing Machine traces the journey of A UFC MMA fighter Mark Kerr, both externally and internally. For instance when you are first introduced to Mark (Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock), you see him being true to the title of the film – he is tall, bulky and packs a punch while beating his opponent to pulp. You can instantly make out that there is no remorse in his armoury even as he treads about from one fight to another in a non-chalant manner. He is a beast in the ring, but his personality outside it is that of a gentleman. In a subsequent scene, you see Mark being friendly with his young fan while telling him not to fight. The scene allows you an incentive into his life that is drastically different from his in-ring persona – something that remains his livelihood, even as he wishes to branch out into the PRIDE Championship set in Japan, a tournament designed on the lines of UFC for the Asia-Pacific corridor. But despite these varied shades in his personality, Mark epitomizes an individual who is vulnerable, a clause that branches out of his addiction for substances to bulk up his body, invariably making his journey internal. The question for Mark remains on whether he will be half as good without the use of drugs and substances.
Story & Screenplay
Written by Benny Safdie and set between the years 1997 and 2000, one of the crucial themes of The Smashing Machine remains Mark’s toxic relationship with his then girlfriend (and later his wife) Dawn (Emily Blunt). The first tryst of their toxicity is revealed right at the start when Mark is visibly frustrated with Dawn for preparing his bulking shake incorrectly, before apologizing and being thankful for her efforts. The scene is fleeting but it acts as a good starting point for their toxicity, something that draws its parallels with Mark’s drug and painkillrr addiction, both of which go hand-in-hand. In that regard, the drama here is a more humane approach to a sports biopic that doesn’t follow a conventional route, while wanting delve deep into the psyche of Mark.
During its first act, you get a sense of the kind of baggage that Mark has being carrying on his shoulders. If the first scene is anything to go by, Mark can be attributed to the popularity of UFC while gaining a reputation of being unbeaten. But as they say, this reputation often comes with a price, or in Mark’s case, a sense of vulnerability of ‘not wanting to lose ever’. This trait of his is directly linked to the efforts that he exerts off the ring – be it hours in the gym to bulk up, or additional efforts to ‘remain in shape. It is more of an addiction to keep the show going, something that unconsciously starts to make his body hollow – looking bulky and strong from the onset, but deeply impacted within. It is interesting how the internal and external journey of Mark is extended to the internal and external health of his body.
In the midst of the chaos, the central distraction for Mark remains his girlfriend Dawn, who has no qualms in intruding in his personal space and psyche moments before his fight. It is the kind of toxicity that overlooks the toxic lifestyle for Mark, almost citing his first ‘unofficial’ loss to bouts of distraction, without actually taking into account the toll that his body has been enduring, both in and out of the ring. And it is interesting how the health of Mark is kept in the background. In a scene, you spot Dawn calling Mark’s long time friend and trainer Ryan (Mark Coleman), when Mark suddenly collapses and has to be hospitalized. You don’t actually see the event unfolding, almost like how Mark has overlooked his health all along.
The final act is extremely niche and something that will divide the viewers. The reason is more external to the viewers expectations versus what is actually showcased. The general wiring would tell you that this is a sports biopic and so it has all the ingredients of an underdog story. The buildup follows this trope too – you are witness to a much fitter Mark taking the ring again in order to reclaim his crown. He steamrolls his first opponent while having a buildup around his much-talked about fight with his bestie Ryan, before actually suffering a shocking defeat in the penultimate round. It is the perfect anti-climax that laces the narrative, something that immediately felt like a shocker to me. But the more time I invested in thinking about the incident, the more attracted I was towards this ‘negative’ ending.
In a parting shot, you see Mark standing in a shower post his shocking defeat, smiling away to glory. And it almost felt like a sense of relief. The question that the drama wishes to ask is whether Mark was a winner after all? Surely, if you were to look at it superficially, you would say NO! Before the fight, he even suffered a breakup with Dawn who almost wished to commit suicide; his reputation was up in smoke after the defeat; and he had just lost his shot to the throne. But then what made him a winner – the answer to it lies in the subtext of the outro wherein you are privy to actual images of Mark Kerr. He (probably) did not have to exploit his body as much with a drug addiction, he reconciled with his girlfriend who then became his wife (even though they underwent a divorce later on). The idea of choosing happiness in life over stress (physical and mental) is something that the drama wished to highlight at the end, and that may definitely divide the viewers given its unconventional finale, but if you probe closely, the answer would resonate with your life too!
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues have an undercurrent of a humane trait, something that doesn’t allow the protagonist to venture into the category of being larger-than-life. It grounds him, and makes him vulnerable – a trait that is prevailed through the understated lines. The BGM is pulsating during the moments in the ring, but mildly melancholic in moments of vulnerability for the protagonist. The cinematography offers an interesting theme during the fights in the ring. The camera is often placed on the sidelines, and never inside the ring that gives you an impression of the filmmaker wanting to keep the fight sequences as a superficial medium deliberately, while formulating tight close-ups in scenes of vulnerability for the protagonist. In hindsight, this was exactly what the theme of the drama was designed to be through its writing. The makeup and prosthetics department deserve a shoutout for their outstanding work in ‘building’ the look(s) of the protagonist. The editing pattern is crisp, allowing the fight sequences to give you the high early on, while considerably staying in the moment with the emotional core of the protagonist during passages of stillness.
Director Benny Safdie, the one of of the Safdie brothers duo who had directed the brilliant film Uncut Gems (2019), approaches the subject with a sensitive lens. It is clear that his narrative style remains unconventional, never once using the conventional tropes of a sports biopic, while focusing on the humane angle of the protagonist. As a result, you are acquainted with the vulnerabilities of the protagonist while also being invested in his emotional core, that makes for a pondering watch. This is a brave and bold attempt by the director in repeatedly creating an anti-thesis of a genre that we are wired with, and it almost accounts for a commendable outing by Benny.
Performances
The performances are wonderful by the members of the cast. Oleksandr Usyk as Igor would have been ‘The Smashing Machine’ in a parallel world (and movie), given how his immediate traits are similar to that of Mark. And he does a swell job here. Ryan Bader as Mark Coleman is sincere and endearing while having traits of a loyal friend to Mark, thereby adding a gentle trait to his giant demeanor. Emily Blunt as Dawn exudes of vulnerability and insecurity with traces of toxicity in a character that mostly plays out in the grey. As a result, you don’t fully distance yourself from her, or get too close – a unique feat that Mark exhibits with his shared dynamics with her. And the calibre of an actor in treading this fine line, is beautifully reflected in Blunt’s performance.
But the star of the show is Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock as Mark Kerr. This was an anti-casting in many ways simply because the journey remained more internal than external, or more outside the ring than in the ring. Johnson beautifully accounts for a strand of vulnerability that eventually grows throughout the drama. So behind the massive figure is a man who just wants to be happy in life, while having to put his reputation at stake every single time due to his profession. This remains a career best for the gentle-giant who adds an understated dignity to his performance, so much so that you are always emotionally connected to his journey while being empathetic of his addiction. He was brilliant to witness here wherein he smashes it out of the park!
Conclusion
Boasting of an unconventional and divisive finale while steering away from the generic tropes of a sports biopic, The Smashing Machine is a complex portrayal of a potentially generational talent, and featuring solid performances that make for a wonderful watch. Available in a theatre near you (from 10th September’25 in India).