The Smashing Machine: Dwayne Johnson's Transformation and Critic Reviews So Far

Liputan6.com, Jakarta The highly anticipated biographical sports drama, The Smashing Machine, has made waves in the film world following its premiere at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on September 1, 2025.

The film won the Silver Lion, marking significant early recognition from critics.

Directed, written, and produced by Benny Safdie, the film chronicles the life of Mark Kerr, a former amateur wrestler and legendary MMA fighter.

His story of struggle, triumph, and personal trials, including a battle with addiction, is now being brought to the big screen by A24.

Attention has focused on Dwayne Johnson's performance as Mark Kerr, which has been considered as the most impressive acting transformation of his career.

Dwayne Johnson tells us how ‘THE SMASHING MACHINE’ pushed him out of his comfort zone“The Jumanji’s and the Moana’s, which I love to do... that’s a comfort zone that I was in for some time. But I wanted to get out of that comfort zone and not just try but dive headfirst.” pic.twitter.com/y6Asj8soOR

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) September 30, 2025

The Smashing Machine is an adaptation of the 2002 documentary "The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr."

Benny Safdie, known for his intense and down-to-earth directing style, brings his unique vision to the project.

Produced by A24, Out for the Count, Seven Bucks Productions, and Magnetic Fields Entertainment, the film has a running time of 123 minutes and a production budget of $50 million.

The story not only focuses on the peak of Kerr's MMA career but also delves into the darker side of his life, such as his struggles with addiction and complex personal relationships.

In addition to Dwayne Johnson as Mark Kerr, the film also stars Emily Blunt as Kerr's wife, Dawn Staples, and Ryan Bader as Mark Coleman.

Bas Rutten plays himself, while Oleksandr Usyk plays Igor Vovchanchyn.

Dwayne Johnson's performance in The Smashing Machine has been a hot topic and sparked Oscar buzz since its festival premiere.

IGN critics called it a memorable performance that completely deviated from Johnson's usual image, showcasing a depth of acting never seen before and give the movie 7/10 score.

"The Smashing Machine punches hard for the most part, but stops short of a knockout," says IGN reviewer.

Rotten Tomatoes gives the movie 76% tomatometer, while noted the critical consensus that Johnson succeeded with his transformative performance, describing the film as a gritty biopic that avoided clichés.

Metacritic gave it a score of 69 out of 100, indicating generally favorable reviews, with many highlighting the vulnerability and depth Johnson brought to the character of Kerr.

While some reviews, such as those from Solzy at the Movies and We Are Movie Geeks, felt the plot was sometimes slow or lacked a dramatic "knockout," praise for Johnson's performance remained consistent.

The Smashing Machine punches hard for the most part, but stops short of a knockout.Our review: https://t.co/QS8cB0jih6 pic.twitter.com/4vPZRszLAc

— IGN (@IGN) October 1, 2025

Following its success at film festivals, The Smashing Machine is scheduled for theatrical release in the United States and Canada on October 3, 2025.

Other theaters, including Palace Cinemas and VOX Cinemas Egypt, will begin earlier on October 1, 2025, followed by Event Cinemas on October 2, 2025.

Critics have praised Maceo Bishop's textured cinematography and Nala Sinephro's jazz-inspired score, which adds depth to the film's narrative.

With its powerful blend of true story, bold direction, and a stellar acting performance from Dwayne Johnson, The Smashing Machine is expected to be one of the most influential films of 2025.