Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt star in this unforgettable story of legendary mixed martial arts & UFC fighter Mark Kerr.
I was able to sit down at home and watch the movie The Smashing Machine on HBO Max. I’ve heard it was up for many awards as it showcased a different side of early MMA fighting and focused on Mark Kerr. The movie stars Dwayne Johnson as Mark Kerr who battles opponents in the early days of Pride and UFC. This is during the times where UFC and Pride are looked down upon as grotesque battles instead of the fighting sport as it is today.
The movie features Mark Kerr and his lifestyle around the sport of mixed martial arts but also showcases other fighters that were influential in mixed martial arts. Fighters such as Mark Coleman gave an additional look in the movie of fighters dealing with the early growth of Pride and UFC. I felt though, this movie is VERY IMPACTFUL on the history of early UFC and Pride that it should have been a TV series. There are so many stories that could have been told just on Mark Kerr’s side that featured his struggles and growth in the early days of mixed martial arts.
Good movie!
Pro:
- Early MMA heroes
- The movie includes information on early MMA fighters such as Mark Coleman which shows a different side of the MMA sport before it became a household phenomena.
Con:
- A little long, Should have been a TV series
- I felt so much information from Mark Kerr’s story was crammed in this movie. I enjoyed watching this documentary, but I felt this would have been perfect for a TV Series. This would have been epic if it was 8 episodes showcasing more of early Pride and UFC events.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Watch The Smashing Machine on HBO MAX here: https://www.hbomax.com/movies/smashing-machine/bdf72d38-d39b-477a-b366-3c873bd31aa5
