Review: 'The Iron Claw' Wrestles With Obsessions And Shattered Dreams

HOLLYWOOD, CA — Make no mistake. “The Iron Claw” is not necessarily a story of triumph and resilience. Yes, at times, euphoric victory pervades; nevertheless, it truly is not a story about winning against all odds.

Rather, to a greater extent, it is a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked pride and ambition encased in a wrestling saga gone tragic. At its finest, it is a story of fraternal love and family bonds.

The latest effort by Sean Durkin — the auteur behind such psychological dramas as 2011’s “Martha Marcy May Marlene” and 2020’s “The Nest” — shines a spotlight on the true story of the Von Erichs, the first family of Texas wrestling. Their claim to fame is the family’s title claw, a brutally painful face grip that could make their opponents surrender to submission instantly. The patriarch Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany) concocted such wrestling hold in his pro-wrestling heydays in the ‘60s.

Fritz, now a successful promoter in the ‘80s, trains his sons in the execution of the family’s specialty, along with a pep talk, encouraging them to set their sights on the coveted National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) Heavyweight champion belt. To this day, Fritz still believes that the powers that be denied him the world title he so deserved.

Undoubtedly, Fritz loves his sons, but at the same time, underneath this affection is a rot of obsession that is slowly seeping into their lives. Forget about their dreams. They must simply keep an eye on the prize no matter what it takes.

At the heart of the story is the eldest, Kevin (Zac Efron), who is taciturn and steadfast by nature. He lives for his three siblings: the laid-back jokester David (Harris Dickinson), the Olympics-bound discus thrower star Kerry (Jeremy Allen White), and the aspiring musician Mike (Stanley Simons). In time, these young men will become the paragons of high-octane masculinity driven to success at all costs. But all that bravado will take its toll, and tragedies will strike.

“The Iron Claw” delivers a searing portrait of a sports family in American film, buoyed by an electrifying ensemble cast, especially Efron. His deep and sweet sensitivity shines beyond his amazing hulking physique. You cannot help but be in-awe at his jaw-dropping transformation. But more notably, his magnificent performance of a wounded soul deserves an Academy-award nomination.

Cinematographer Mátyás Erdély’s wondrous eye for feats of pure athleticism places audiences at the epicenter of the ringside action, showing intimate close-ups of the claw and body slams. The excitement is palpable, indeed!

Durkin’s stylistic atmospheric approach is one to behold. It flows seamlessly, persuasive and affecting overall. However, in times of anguish, sadness and despair, it feels as though the movie was dashing to get to the next peaks and valleys of the screenplay, as if swiftly suppressing any hint of heightened poignancy.

In all, the movie is impressive and compelling to the core, and it is worth a jaunt to the theaters.