12/14/25 - The Smashing Machine (2025) - 5-10

An unlanded blow as we start en media res, expecting to get sucked in to the journey of this fighter as he battles his opponents, his partner, and his demons, but there is no connection with head or heart here. Characters and events are left mostly unchanged and unexplored, while the tone is often scattershot and unencumbered with the necessities of audience identification or story dynamics. Things just kind of happen and we get glimpses of emotion and interpersonal connection, but only enough to sketch a rough general outline of what we see.

The Rock and Blunt are decent enough but they lack a clear path. The fight scenes fluctuate between graphic and conservative, often juxtaposed against staccato percussion jazz, which…is a choice.

They tired some sports drama biopic usual stuff but it just didn’t come off as more than just there.