The heart aching descent into the Von Erich’s cursed history is one of utter despair. The complete and total annihilation of one family. Forcing dry eyes during the funerals, Kevin Von Erich played bravely and vulnerably by Zac Efron, is stripped of the thing that made him whole. One-by-one, the family tears at the seam, with Kevin being the lone member with any semblance of humanity left in the aftermath.
Efron’s turn as the almost legendary Wrestler is a career best, displaying a pathos and developing strong emotional arcs through his softer expression. His final scene of the film is a release and moment that underlines the whirlwind of his life. The moment with his boys broke me entirely.
Thematically speaking, The Iron Claw touches on many aspects of the Von Erich’s lives. A domineering father (Holt McCallany) driving competition through the family with an inhumane approach and the kids fight for his attention bitterly. His detachment to the kids emotionally outside the ring, makes his manipulative practices even more vile. Ranking the family is a psychotic showcase of his disposition.
Moreover, the ensemble was fantastic, and wish we got more of them all together. Harris Dickinson, Jeremy Allen White, and Stanley Simmons are the emotional center and give fantastic supporting performances. The slip from reality is within each of these actors portrayal and heighten the devastation later. As for Sean Durkin, he crafts Kevin’s mental state with grace and disjointedness. Disjointed in how he remembers and the pain he has to aceept to survive. Durkin uses many visceral wrestling moments to underline the behind the scenes drama, and each wrestling scene is so beautifully shot and choreographed. The dim lighting gives it the aesthetic. The moments in the ring translate emotional pain into physical reckoning.
Brutal, devastating, showmanship that sacrifices the soul of a family for a mere shot at glory. The reward in no way, shape or form is worth the end results.
Rating: ☆☆☆☆ (86)
Weird Cinema 