[ad_1]
The web went into overdrive this week as images of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson confirmed how he leaned into his function as MMA legend Mark Kerr by leaning out, dropping 60 kilos for what many critics are hailing as his most interesting efficiency but. In truth, the reception for The Smashing Machine has been so nice that DJ even shed a tear throughout its current premiere.
As The Rock went viral for slicing a extra svelte look whereas in Venice for the premier of his Mark Kerr biography, The Smashing Machine, the thrill was already starting round a doubtlessly profession defining efficiency that might add an Oscar to his listing of accomplishments. The movie, directed by Benny Safde who is probably finest recognized for Uncut Gems starring Adam Sandler, and likewise starring Emily Blunt, digs into the trials and tribulations of the two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion Mark Kerr, and relies on the 2009 HBO documentary, additionally referred to as The Smashing Machine.
In distinction to Johnson’s lighter roles in field workplace behemoths like Jumanji and Jungle Cruise, the previous WWE Champion would want to channel a extra weak aspect of his character to cope with a narrative that encompasses the psychological well being and substance abuse points that Kerr confronted throughout his illustrious however difficult profession. To develop into a plausible MMA fighter, Johnson labored with Kerr’s former rival-turned-friend, Mark Coleman. UFC’s president, Dana White has praised the venture, telling Collider; “I think that this could be the opportunity for The Rock to actually be nominated for an Oscar.”
Could Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Win an Oscar for ‘The Smashing Machine’?
While Johnson made headlines for his lean, imply, smashing machine of a determine in Venice, critics had been weighing-in on the film itself. “It’s difficult to recall another time when the actor has been so outwardly vulnerable on screen,” wrote Jack King of GQ Magazine. “You often forget it’s Johnson at all, in part due to the prosthetics behind which he is subtly masked, but also because he is so emotionally transformed.”
Yasmine Kandil of Discussing Film wrote, “The Smashing Machine is more than just another sports biopic, examining what makes or breaks us as humans through a spectacular lead performance from Dwayne Johnson.”
Some critics have been much less satisfied, nonetheless. “The awards season equivalent of a “fugazi” diamond,” wrote Kevin Maher of The Times. “It looks like an Oscar contender, it sparkles like an Oscar contender, but on closer inspection it’s entirely plastic and mostly worthless.”
Whether or not DJ will get his flowers come Oscar season, “The People’s Champion” has proven simply how a lot this efficiency has imply to him. The light large was lowered to tears through the 15-minute standing ovation that the movie obtained in Venice. A weak Johnson additionally acquired actual whereas mirrored on his performing resume, throughout a current interview with Vanity Fair. “I realized that maybe these opportunities weren’t coming my way because I was too scared to explore this stuff,” he defined. “I was so hungry for an opportunity to do something raw and gritty and rip myself open. And, all of a sudden, Smashing Machine comes along.”
The Smashing Machine hits theaters on Oct. 3, 2025. To observe The Rock on Instagram, click on right here.