The Smashing Machine

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The Smashing Machine

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70%

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286 Reviews

76%

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500+ Verified Ratings

MMA fighter Mark Kerr reaches the peak of his career but faces personal hardships along the way.

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Critics Consensus

Dwayne Johnson goes the distance with his transformative turn as Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, a gritty biopic that sidesteps cliché even at the expense of narrative satisfaction while still landing the dramatic body blows that count.

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Audience Says

While The Smashing Machine may not break any records as a sports classic, Dwayne Johnson’s knockout performance transforms a familiar story into an unexpectedly memorable experience.

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Sergio Burstein

Los Angeles Times

This is a machine not worth opposing. [Full review in Spanish]

Oct 14, 2025

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Dwight Brown

DwightBrownInk.com

Surprisingly, Johnson excels most in the dramatic scenes. The emotional tug-of-wars with Blunt and him are scorching.

Rated: 3/4

Oct 13, 2025

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Mark Kermode

Kermode and Mayo's Take (YouTube)

It's really well made... if it gets award attention is going to be for Dwayne Johnson. The story itself is somewhat unremarkable.

Oct 10, 2025

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Leandro Ariel Porcelli

Cinéfilo Serial

A noble project with little personality that aims to honor the fighters that helped make UFC what it's today while offering a barely decent The Rock performance and a disappointing start to the youngest Safdie solo career. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 5/10

Oct 20, 2025

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Dionar Hidalgo

Algo Más Que Cine

The Smashing Machine drowns in its own ambition. Despite striking visuals and intense sound design, it feels hollow and emotionally detached—a stylish but lifeless portrait that never connects with its audience.

Rated: 3/10

Oct 20, 2025

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Agustín Pérez

Emol.com

“The Smashing Machine” packs a real punch thanks to strong performances from Johnson and Blunt, even if the story itself lacks a bit of muscle to deliver a greater impact.

Rated: 3.5/5

Oct 20, 2025

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Joe S

Great movie - support mark Kerr and the sport!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/21/25

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Joshua

Very good movie. It was enjoyable watching the Rock dig into a bigger acting bag. I think he did a phenomenal job, making the emotions he was conveying seem realistic. It was a sad movie, but it was about a tumultuous time in Mark Kerr's life.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/20/25

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Ken

Not really sure why this film was made , the ending is anticlimactic.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

10/19/25

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Robert R

My son wanted to see this movie and based on everything I had read (including Dwayne Johnson's minutes long standing ovation following the movie's premier) I happily went along. I was then treated to 2.5 hours of choppy editing, rushed plot lines, and such "over-acting" that the actors seemed like they were practically begging to be nominated for an academy award, or any award for this matter. Had I been streaming this movie, I wouldn't have lasted 45 minutes, but when you pay 55 just to walk in the door, you suffer through it, and that's just what I did..."suffer."

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/18/25

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joseph

absolutely gripping. The emotion and raw feel during every emotional moment. People want this over exuberance of dramatic feel completely forgetting that THIS is what its like in those moments, and they nailed it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/17/25

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Lisa

It was great! The rock was amazing in this movie!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/17/25

Full Review

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Benny Safdie

Director

Dwayne Johnson

Mark Kerr

Emily Blunt

Dawn Staples

Ryan Bader

Mark Coleman

Bas Rutten

Self

Oleksandr Usyk

Igor Vovchanchyn

The Smashing Machine: Movie Clip - Made This For You

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Dwayne & Emily's On-Screen Relationship

1:48

The Smashing Machine: Featurette - Playing 2000s Trivia

1:58

The Rock on Transforming Into Mark Kerr

1:41

'The Smashing Machine' Cast Share the Hardest Part of Their Character Transformations

20:39

The Smashing Machine: Featurette - First Look

1:46

The Smashing Machine: Trailer 2

2:30

The Smashing Machine: Trailer 1

2:30

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Synopsis

MMA fighter Mark Kerr reaches the peak of his career but faces personal hardships along the way.

Director: Benny Safdie
Producer: Benny Safdie, Dwayne Johnson, Eli Bush, Hiram Garcia, Dany Garcia, David Koplan
Screenwriter: Benny Safdie
Distributor: A24
Production Co: Out for the Count, Seven Bucks Productions, A24
Rating: R (Language and Some Drug Abuse)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Sports
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 3, 2025, Wide
Runtime: 2h 3m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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