The Smashing Machine (2025)

Punch after punch and raw emotions! Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson steps back into the ring in Benny Safdie’s martial arts biopic, revealing a new, vulnerable side.

Mixed martial artist Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson) is on the cusp of the peak of his career. His goal is to become the world’s best fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). But as he soars to new heights, the abyss seems to be drawing ever closer. The extreme sport and his opioid addiction push his body and mind to their limits – a balancing act between fame and self-destruction.

Mark Kerr is one of the icons of the early UFC era in the late 20th century, even before full-contact combat sports gained popularity in the mid-2000s. The pioneer is portrayed by Dwayne Johnson, who, under his wrestling name The Rock, won just under a dozen world wrestling championships. Casting him as Mark Kerr seems an obvious choice: yet another role in which The Rock is supposedly just playing a variation on himself. Yet, with a well-fitting wig and surrounded by professional martial artists, Johnson is almost unrecognisable at his very best. The blockbuster star disappears into the role, bringing Kerr’s complex facets to life on screen. The emotional depth is evident not only in the ring, but also in his private life, particularly alongside a spirited Emily Blunt in the role of his future wife.