Describe an entertainer who can – in character – recite complete monologues without the use of teleprompters and in front of massive, worldwide audiences. An entertainer who can perform improvised emotions such as pain, longing, and passion, mixing drama and comedy, while flying through the air and being slammed on rock-hard mats, sometimes through tables, over 300 nights a year in cities all over the globe.
That’s a professional wrestler.
Wrestling is live theatre mixed with intense athletic combat, creating one of the most spellbinding attractions ever seen in human history. It’s at its very best when those in the audience have some personal thread connecting them to the performers emotionally. Bryan Danielson, arguably, one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, once said: “One thing I truly believe: you show an excellent professional wrestling story to anybody, and they’ll enjoy it because excellent professional wrestling is fucking awesome.”
That sentiment has never been more accurate or sadder than is the case of The Iron Claw. A film seeping in tragedy tells one of the most prolific tales in the sport’s history: the story of the Von Erich Family. The film features the highest highs before delving into the lowest lows, taking moviegoers on a rollercoaster of sensations that will force even someone who has never seen a wrestling match to walk away, wiping away tears.
Starring Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich, The Iron Claw follows the story of 4 brothers following in their stern father’s footsteps directly into the 20×20 wrestling ring affectionately known as the “squared circle.” Coming along for the ride are Kevin’s brothers Kerry (Jeremy Allen White), Mike (Stanley Simmons), and David (Harris Dickinson). From the first time these 4 young men share a screen, it’s evident they share a fierce, unbreakable bond. Whether cracking jokes at the breakfast table, defending each other from their father’s harsh treatment, or sharing the same love for athletics, they are interconnected through a comfortable and safe relationship. When it comes time for them all to enter the same professional realm, the camaraderie outweighs any jealousy and allows them all to offer support – despite personal feelings.
Brotherhood at its finest allows your brother to lean on you in moments of triumph and tragedy. The way The Iron Claw defines and displays brotherhood, sets the stage beautifully. It’s easy to root for each individual path they walk.
However, the beauty in the way these men love each other sets the stage for the horrors of where their paths lead them. Within the first few moments, narration from the aforementioned Efron notes the widespread myth of a family curse attached to the Von Erich name. When family patriarch James Adkisson AKA Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany) began his wrestling career, he took on a stage name to embody the in-ring persona of an evil Nazi. While his career was in its infancy, his first son, Jack Jr., died after an accidental electrocution and drowning, causing his wife Doris (Maura Tierney) to delve into religion to fend off the self-prophesied curse. The film chooses not to mention the death of Jack Jr. or the existence of another brother named Chris simply because what the included brothers go through throughout the film’s 132-minute runtime is overwhelming enough, giving weight to the curse the matriarch so deeply feared.
While the story shares enough about the tragic deaths of Kerry, Mike, and Chris, it also shines a light on Kevin’s strength throughout all of it. He remains steadfast and loyal to his family and craft despite everything he’s lost. Zac Efron’s performance is so poignant and painful that everyone walking away from this film will likely regard this as his quintessential acting role.
Elsewhere, the film depicts the arts of professional wrestling so well. The process the performers go through of piecing a match together backstage before going out before an audience is highlighted throughout various spots in the film, showing non-wrestling fans just how intricately these performances are laid out. Additionally, the in-ring portions are a highlight of the movie as well. Chavo Guerrero, a former WWE Superstar who comes from his own iconic wrestling family, was tasked with getting the actors ready to pull off wrestling maneuvers during these scenes realistically, and he does a fantastic job choreographing the matches as well as giving them the tools they need to pull it off confidently. The actors took to the craft so well that Efron and White have gone on record saying he’d be open to stepping foot in a real WWE professional wrestling ring as celebrities like Mr. T, Bad Bunny, and David Arquette have done before them.
Above all else, The Iron Claw is a film littered with the aftereffects of parental influence, sibling rivalry, and the wrestling world as a whole. It takes this grand professional wrestling spectacle and shrinks it down to a personal reflection. It humanizes those thrust into the limelight, forced to put their bodies on the line for the entertainment of others. The desire to succeed is lessened by the desire to feel the warmth of those one loves.
The film tackles more significant themes such as masculinity, American capitalism, and the exploitation of entertainers while also taking the viewers along on a tender, personal ride of love and loss. Weaving expertly between exciting and energetic in-ring athletics and empathetic familial bonding, The Iron Claw is a wonderous case study of a tragic melodrama. While the story is based on actual events, it does not fall victim to the same issues some sports biopics by overstaying its welcome. Despite everything it takes from the men involved in the tale, The Iron Claw feels ambitious and might be the best film set in the wonder-filled world of professional wrestling ever crafted. Trauma and tragedy take center stage, but the final product itself is a triumph.
Rating: 10/10
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