THE SMASHING MACHINE
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and Oleksandr Usyk
Director: Benny Safdie
ADRIANO
With all the chatter of Dwayne Johnson's big Oscar transformation, I was shocked to see just how un-awards-bait The Smashing Machine was. Director Benny Safdie shoots this film in a documentary kind of way, not so much watching a typical triumph sports film, but a stripped-down look at what makes Mark Kerr (Johnson) tick. Johnson himself, while physically unrecognizable, gives off more of a gentle giant performance, a soft nuance I wasn't aware he was capable of. All that to say, despite it coming off as rather stake-less, I fell for the calm approach here.
NICK
Despite a couple of teases, I’ve been waiting to see what Dwayne Johnson can do in a serious film. Well, The Smashing Machine is his chance, and he shows how much potential is there. Going into the film, I questioned why Mark Kerr (played here by Johnson) deserved a biopic, and after leaving the film… I still question why Mark Kerr deserved a biopic. As a vehicle for Johnson to finally spread his wings, it’s a great first step. As a sports biopic, it’s fine, but an echo of countless other stories within the MMA world. Now let’s see if Johnson can keep this up.
PAIGE
The Smashing Machine is propelled by its stylish documentary-style filmmaking and a surprisingly vulnerable performance from Dwayne Johnson, who arguably delivers his best performance to date. He does a great job of capturing both the tough side of Mark Kerr in the ring and his more sensitive, softer side. That said, the film stands out more for its craft than its actual story; a story I found a bit too broad. With sluggish pacing, the film doesn’t know what plotline to focus on or fully expand upon, whether it’s Kerr’s turbulent relationship with his girlfriend, his career in the ring, or his struggle with addiction. As a result, Mark Kerr's story loses some of its emotional impact.
AMARÚ
While Dwayne Johnson delivers a tender portrayal of UFC pioneer Mark Kerr, The Smashing Machine lacks the momentum to take advantage of his performance. The film primarily takes place in Japan, and much like Kerr’s interactions with the locals, the conversation between the screenplay and the audience gets lost in translation. Every time the script picks up steam, it stumbles into the next scene without any true emotional understanding of what just happened. The fights were brutal, and the score tonally fit, but those disparate elements couldn’t come together for what amounted to a Cliff Notes version of three years of Kerr’s life.
QUENTIN
While the story stays a little too wavetop, never fully exploring the toxic relationship between Mark (Dwayne Johnson) and Dawn (Emily Blunt), Mark’s drug use and recovery, or the initial rise and controversy surrounding UFC, The Smashing Machine is a showcase for Johnson’s mostly unseen dramatic acting ability. He is magnetic, carrying the film on his unbelievably hulking frame. That’s not to discount Blunt’s performance or Benny Safdie’s direction — both are noteworthy — but I simply couldn’t look away from Johnson even as some emotional beats felt unearned. If this signals a definitive career pivot for the superstar, I can’t wait to see what’s next.
This film was reviewed by Nick, Adriano, and Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and the 2025 Zurich Film Festival, respectively.