The Mosley Review: The Smashing Machine
Growing up, I was mostly watching the Attitude Era of WWF, now WWE, at the time. Slowly but surely, mixed martial arts started to creep into the public eye and I heard whispers of the rise of the Ultimate Fighting Championship League. I was always interested in the origins of the sport and the pioneers of the league. This film was that look into the beginnings of the UFC and highlighted a key pioneer of the MMA world that I had no idea about. That was the selling point for me in this film and I was thoroughly entertained. Now the story may not have been outside of the realm of the typical physical and emotional hardships most athletes in must face, but it doesn't mean it wasn't compelling in any way. The fights themselves are entertaining and brutal but at its core, it was the performances that kept me invested.
Dwayne Johnson steps out of his leading action star comfort zone and delivers a very complex and gentle giant performance as real life fighter, Mark Kerr. Dwayne captured his natural charm and warm public persona. Its the moments when he is alone with his girlfriend and closest friend, that you get to see the real man. It was a reminder that Dwayne can deliver a layered performance as he shows his passion for the craft. Emily Blunt portrays Mark’s girlfriend at the time of the story, Dawn Staples, and she is just as wonderful as you'd expect. Their chemistry is something magical as they both walk the minefield of a stressful, sometimes toxic and co-dependent relationship. The amount of anxiety I felt watching the many arguments slowly start to grow in intensity was almost unbearable. Emily delivers that emotional core and in one scene midway through the film and then matches Dwayne’s physical presence. Ryan Bader was excellent as Mark's friend, coach and fellow fighter, Mark Coleman. He was a family man that wanted to follow along with Mark, but also rise to the top in his own right. It was an interesting balance act and he did great. The bond between Coleman and Kerr was truly felt throughout and I loved that he could cut straight through the facade Kerr tried to put up. The hospital scene was one of their best moments together. It was a friendship that quickly turned into brotherhood.
The score by Nala Sinephro was excellent and brought home the stress and more heartbreaking moments of the film’s third act. The sound design was really good as the mix between dialogue from interviews was intertwined with an early fight that narrated the mental control behind the punches. I loved the sound design of the combat as the meaty hits to the face and bone crunching knees to the head were tough to hear. I truly enjoyed this looked into an important period of the life Mark Kerr and the roots of the UFC. It may not have been the most showstopping film I've seen cover the sport, but it has knockout performances that shouldn't be missed. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
