The world of entertainment wrestling is silly to some. It is church to others. Wild and outrageous story lines are essential to the beefcake soap-opera that take place in and around the squared circle. It’s almost hard to fathom that the circumstances revolving around a single wrestling family could be more dramatic than any writer could conceive.
The history and tragedy of the Von Erich’s may be well known to the pro-wrestling faithful. The rest of the world is getting their first look at their tale through the new film, The Iron Claw. And even though the film does not tell the whole tale, you’d never figure so much devastation could fall on a single family.
The Iron Claw review
Though the word tragedy and the expectation of unfathomable stories preface everything I am about to write; I wish I went into The Iron Claw without a single piece of knowledge. Even though the first lines of dialogue spoken by Kevin Von Erich (Zac Efron) in the film mention the Von Erich curse, there is no way to tell just what that means. And even though I didn’t know any specifics of what happened to the family, I was aware they went through so many hardships, but even this would be hard to believe.
It is still hard to come to terms with just how difficult life as a Von Erich must be, and it is still just as hard to feel that I personally would have been more affected by the film if I had no idea. No specifics will be mentioned here, either. But, none of this should matter when it comes to how good or bad a movie is.
The Iron Claw is masterfully assembled by writer/director Sean Durkin. From the smooth, rich visuals to the cleverly recreated 80’s TV tropes, The Iron Claw is expertly crafted. The only flaw in its presentation are some slightly sappy moments at the end of the film that come off as corny and fail traditional trappings of tear-jerking manipulation.
That doesn’t make this a perfect film. Production and presentation are one thing. Connecting all the dots to a clear and concise message is another. Though the camaraderie and genuine love the Von Erich brothers have for each other is clear and concise, it butts heads a bit with the presentation of the entire family dynamic.
The True Iron Claw
You'd assume that the film's title refers to the signature move created by the family’s patriarch, Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany), that the kids then take on during their wrestling careers. Yet, it really refers to the suppressive grasp Fritz has on his entire family. The life decisions of Kevin, David (Harris Dickinson), Kerry (Jeremy Allen White), and Mike (Stanley Simons) are made by Fritz.
While you’ll hear about many viewers walking about of The Iron Claw phoning their siblings to tell them they love them, there is still an unspeakable cloud of depression hanging that no one wants to face. The importance of family and appreciation of loved ones comes across, the culpability of those involved seem to be left behind.
Kevin tries to ease Fritz's clutch at every point he can, but recoils at every instance of confrontation. No one can say that everything would have turned out different if he didn’t finally put his foot down earlier, or if any of his family stepped up. But it is hard to revel in the love of the Von Erich boys when you’re angry about how it all went down.
Buff Bods, Tender Souls
It’s not like Zac Efron hadn’t broken out of his pretty boy, High School Musical persona recently. We all knew he has been capable of more for a while now. And while he had some very dark, dramatic roles before in projects like The Paperboy, he hasn’t really had his real breakout performance until now.
Whether you want to revel in what he did to his body for the role, or his quiet presence of sweetness and power as Kevin Von Erich, there is a lot to like. With a big cast containing a lot of fan favorites such as Lily James and Jeremy Allen White, The Iron Claw is still 95% all Zac Efron. He carries the film on those hulking shoulders, but doesn’t come off as a scene-stealing hack.
Should you watch The Iron Claw?
For most people, The Iron Claw shouldn’t be missed and you shouldn’t wait for it to hit home video options to see it. It isn’t the instant classic and undeniable masterpiece that some people make it out to be, but it is a great theater experience that isn’t exclusively gunfights and tears — but still has plenty of fighting and feelings.
Even though there are facts those in the know will notice are missing (a whole sixth Von Erich kid for instance) wrestling fans on the other hand, have their Citizen Kane. It is a benchmark film when it comes to the sport and a shining example of what can be done for any subject when it is in the right hands.
Grade: B+
The Iron Claw will be released on December 22.
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