No matter how strong, tough, or successful you are, the future will always be unpredictable. This concept of unpredictability, even amongst the toughest and strongest people, is crystallized in The Iron Claw (2023). Inspired by a somehow even more tragic true story, this film revolves around the Von Erich family of professional wrestlers during the early 1980s. Aside from being physically gifted performers and athletes, the family is haunted by a proverbial curse that brings misfortune and death. While the devastating events of this story are the centerpiece, there is a brotherly love that is the beating heart of this film. 

The Von Erich brothers are the stars of this show. Kevin (Zac Efron), Kerry (Jeremy Allen White), David (Harris Dickinson), and Mike (Stanley Simons) are all played with such beautiful sincerity. From their work inside and outside the ring, it’s clear that all the actors have a chemistry that bonds them like true brothers. Efron, in particular, showcases an incredible physical commitment to the role as well as an emotional one. His performance should be regarded as one of the best this year had to offer. 

Aside from the electric performances, the other major strength of this film is its attention to detail. Director Sean Durkin takes so much care in the accuracy of the wrestling world presented. Everything from the match announcing, rings, wrestler attires, promo work, and even the broadcast visuals are perfectly attuned to the film’s time period. Thanks to proper coaching from real professional wrestlers, the matches feel as dramatic as any I’ve ever watched. The use of handheld camerawork, specifically, puts viewers right into the boots of these wrestlers. This is their life; this is real to them, so having the audience so close to the action heightens the sense of drama every time. 

The primary issues with The Iron Claw come from the writing. While there are many scenes that are emotionally affecting in a very successful way, the film does, at times, fall into melodrama in a noticeable way. Some of this melodrama stems from condensing the time between significant events in the story. A lot of those real-life events are separated by multiple years. Of course,  creative license was taken to consolidate that time. In some cases, this consolidation was smooth and other times it was distractingly jarring. All that being said, even in those moments, the performances are a constant bright spot that anchors even the most melodramatic elements in the film. 

As far as emotional films go, this one never feels baseless. There is no manipulation or cheap tactics used here to incite a reaction. Instead, it smartly relies on its cast and atmosphere to drive the emotions home. Up to the very last frame of the film, I was a puddle in my chair. Even the ride home from the theater was filled with teary eyes as I reminisced about the journey of these brothers, and Kevin Von Erich in particular. The themes of traditional family values, shared ambitions, brotherhood, competition, social pressures, familial pressures, fate, and love all swirled around in my head like the dizzying “airplane spin” wrestling maneuver. Suffice to say, there is a lot to take away from this beautifully crafted piece of art. With stellar filmmaking all across the board, it’s so exciting to finally have a film that does justice to the world of professional wrestling. As the new undisputed heavyweight champion of wrestling movies, The Iron Claw will be hard to dethrone for many years to come. 

Review Courtesy of Gabe Lillianthal 

Feature Image Credit to A24 via Vulture