Cinema Scholars reviews The Iron Claw, a new biopic about legendary pro wrestlers, the Von Erich brothers. The film is written and directed by Sean Durkin and stars Zack Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, and Holt McCallany. A24 will release The Iron Claw in theaters everywhere on December 22, 2023.
Introduction
There have been many professional wrestlers who have become household names. Hulk Hogan, Dewayne The Rock Johnson, and Stone Cold Steve Austin are some of the most famous. Yet, there are legions of legendary lesser-known characters who made their indelible mark on the entertainment sport. Diehard and casual professional wrestling fans of a certain age will recall the meteoric rise and tragic fall of the Von Erich brothers in the 70s and 80s. Through their father’s Dallas-based wrestling exhibition company, the brothers embarked on a testosterone-filled quest to bring the championship belt home.
As with many success stories, the Von Erichs also faced an inordinate amount of tragedy along the way. In Sean Durkin’s new drama, The Iron Claw, the writer/director combines the highs in the professional wrestling ring with the Von Erichs’ painful personal lows to paint a fascinating portrait of one family’s fame and misfortune.
Synopsis
Durkin’s telling of the Von Erich story centers on golden boy Kevin Von Erich (Zac Efron). Kevin lives, breathes, and sleeps training and wrestling. While his brothers also have a stake in the family wrestling business, Kevin is being groomed by his father to be the next champion.
Soon, however, his father’s loyalty seems to shift to brother David (Harris Dickinson). This dynamic is complicated further by the homecoming of Olympian brother Kerry Von Erich (Jeremy Allen White), who also hopes to join the business and win their father’s favor. As the family drama unfolds alongside sequences of high-energy and often-grueling grappling, the unfortunate series of events that befall the Von Erichs is the stuff of legend.
Discussion
Like any good biopic, Durkin doesn’t veer far from the proven formula. The brothers rise through the ranks and stumbling blocks of the professional wrestling world. A romantic subplot with a plucky young woman emerges. And eventual lessons are learned through trial and tribulation with ultimate triumph and/or personal resolution at the conclusion. With that blueprint firmly in place, Durkin fleshes out the rest of the story with action and details, unlike the typical biopic.
Heart-pounding sequences in the ring evoke the excitement of the successful regional wrestling organizations of the day. Though the theatrics of professional wrestling are alluded to, there’s no question that the athletes’ strength and endurance are legit. Likewise, scenes of intense grappling and crowd-pleasing acrobatics prove that the actors not only bulked up for their roles. They also trained to make their physical performances as authentic as possible as their characters fly across the ring, bounce off the ropes, and leap from the corner turnbuckles.
Aside from the glitz and theatrics in the ring, Durkin also crafts a visually compelling story as well. For instance, a straightforward locker room scene feels downright voyeuristic when shot through ceiling-height windows. Likewise, hardcore training sequences feel much more grueling when focused at the pounding mat level. Durkin also takes great care in quieter moments of the film, capturing intimate moments in silhouette or lingering on characters to better capture the nuance of his impressive performers.
Performances
Efron is astonishing as the ridiculously ripped Kevin Von Erich. His incredibly jacked physique is distracting to be sure. But the bigger takeaway is Efron’s tour de force performance as the ultimate Von Erich torch-bearer. While his physicality and testosterone-fueled prowess in the ring are impressive, it’s the sweet and often heartbreaking moments he shares with his brothers as well as his wife that make all the antics truly meaningful.
Though he doesn’t make his appearance until the second act of the film, Jeremy Allen White brings charismatic cool with his take on Kerry Von Erich. The most professionally successful of the brothers, Kerry’s need to prevail and impress their father is demonstrated intensely by White. Like Efron, White’s physical transformation into a muscle-bound athlete is noteworthy. But White’s authenticity and dedication to his character’s tragic arc help elevate an otherwise morose narrative turn.
Harris Dickinson also turns in a captivating portrayal of David Von Erich. As the natural hype man of the crew, Dickinson captures the quick wit and eloquence that won David so many fans worldwide in the ring and on the mic in promo spots for their matches. Through Dickinson’s steady performance, David’s protective nature comes through in every scene. Especially as he forsakes his health and safety to continue the family tradition and win his father’s favor.
The Iron Claw would be incomplete without the domineering paterfamilias, Fritz Von Erich, portrayed with Type-A confidence by Holt McCallany. While his character is a one-note macho man, McCallany infuses the elder Von Erich with the tough-love callousness that drove the success (and perhaps the downfall) of the family.
Further Discussion
Throughout the ups and downs in the Von Erichs’ lives as well as in the ring, production designer James Price keeps The Iron Claw planted firmly in the 70s and 80s with very specific attention to detail. Price, who also worked his magic on this year’s Poor Things, eschews the cliche disco and neon for a more authentic palate people who were alive during that era will remember well. A time when harvest gold and brown hues dominated the general aesthetic, and 50s and 60s motifs were still prevalent throughout homes. Price’s skill helps hold the line as far as time, place, and context throughout the period piece.
Kudos also go to music supervisor Lucy Bright for orchestrating one of the best needle drops in recent memory. Rush’s Tom Sawyer is already a beloved classic, but hearing the próg rock anthem play as the Von Erichs enter the wrestling arena takes the excitement to a whole new level. Like the sport itself, this moment encapsulates the perfect over-the-top, fist-pumping goodness.
Though the love story between Kevin and his sweetheart Pam (the always-effervescent Lily James) may feel a bit obligatory, the subplot is charming nonetheless. As Pam wins over the Von Erichs in due time, it’s James’s winning performance that woos the audience and demonstrates a soft side to the testosterone-laden family dynamic.
Conclusion
The Iron Claw takes a winning biopic formula and laces it perfectly with equal parts heart-pounding action and heartfelt moments of love and loyalty. For fans of professional wrestling, the film is required viewing. But those not already indoctrinated into that world will discover the high-octane action and compelling character study to be captivating nonetheless. A24 will release The Iron Claw in theaters everywhere on December 22, 2023.
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