The Smashing Machine: The Rock Shines, But Mark Kerr’s Story Gets Lost

It’s funny—after spending two full hours watching this, I still feel like I didn’t actually learn anything about Mark Kerr. First off, The Rock is great here; this is genuinely one of his best performances to date. He disappears into the role in a way we haven’t seen from him before, and his chemistry with Emily Blunt is terrific. She brings a grounded, emotional presence that complements him perfectly.

But aside from their scenes—and a handful of tense, emotional moments—I struggled to understand the purpose of the story. For a film centered on a pioneer of the UFC, you don’t walk away with any meaningful insight into what made Kerr important, what shaped him, or what went on behind the scenes during that era. The movie never digs deep enough to give you anything truly compelling or revealing about his life or career.

The supporting cast also doesn’t mesh particularly well with the leads, leaving the narrative feeling uneven and scattered. As the film goes on, it becomes clear that The Smashing Machine feels less like a cohesive feature film and more like a script built primarily to showcase The Rock in a dramatically different kind of role. It leans heavily on biographical beats without offering the depth or exploration you’d expect from an actual biopic.

In the end, The Smashing Machine plays more like a lightly dramatized documentary than a fully realized drama, lacking the insight needed to make Mark Kerr’s story resonate.