FILM REVIEW - The Iron Claw
By The Masked Medic
Okay, you know I told you guys that I was going to start taking this venture a little more seriously. To me that means that although it’s good that I’m rewatching films and giving you my critical analysis on them, I also need to push myself to watch new films. So when I got invited to watch ‘The Iron Claw’ in a preview screening, I thought to myself, firstly, wow I’ve made it. Secondly, this was a fantastic chance to get ahead of the crowd and write my thoughts before I read or heard anyone else’s. Please note, by the time you’re reading this, the film will have been out for weeks. Ahaha!
‘The Iron Claw’ is a story inspired by the lives of the Von Erich family who were famous wrestlers. Fritz Von Erich, the patriarch, was once a famous wrestler himself and dreams that one day, one of his kids can become the NWA World Heavyweight champion having been denied the chance himself. There are four brothers, Kevin, Kerry, David and Mike. Kevin, the eldest, is an amateur wrestler, who is being trained by his father to become the number one contender for the heavyweight fight. At the same time, Kevin’s younger brother David begins to join him in the ring and shows promise on the speaking side of things. Meanwhile, their brother Kerry is preparing to go to the Olympics, however, due to tensions with Russia, that year the US decided to pull out of sending their athletes over. Kerry, upset, returns home, where their father Fritz convinces him to join his brothers in the ring. Kevin is overjoyed, he gets to spend time with his brothers, and his life changes when he begins to date Pam, a local girl who asked him out. However, Fritz then decides that David will be the first one to fight for the World Heavyweight Championship. From there on out, Kevin finds that he becomes increasingly distanced from his father. As things begin to get difficult for the Fritz family, Kevin’s attempt at keeping his brothers safe becomes more of a priority. Can he make his father proud and become World Heavyweight Champion? And can he keep his family together?
I usually start with the main characters, but this time, I want to speak about supporting actors first. Playing the two younger Von Erick siblings, David and Mike, were Harry Dickinson and Stanley Simmons. Dickinson was very much giving me Ryan Gosling vibes from ‘The Notebook’. Not the character, but the look. Meanwhile, Simmons did a good job of playing Mike, who was clearly the black sheep of the family. Playing the patriarch, and sort of a subtle antagonist, was Holt McCallany as Fritz Von Erich. McCallany’s portrayal was done very well, and there were aspects of his performance which harkened to Robert Patrick’s performance in the personally heartbreaking film ‘Bridge to Terabithia’. Excuse me whilst I go and cry for a few minutes. Now we move on to, what in my opinion, were the three main performances in this film. Starting with Lily James as Pam Addkisson, the love interest of the leading protagonist. I thought she did a notable job and continues to prove that she’s got versatility in her abilities. Starring, as the second oldest Von Erich brother, Kerry, was recent fan favourite Jeremy Allen White. Although nowhere near the acting chops we’ve seen from him in the extremely well-received TV show, ‘The Bear’, Allen White is going from strength to strength. Finally, we got to the main character. How often do I do it this way around? Zac Efron stars as Kevin Von Erich, the oldest of siblings. I think I saw somewhere on a bus, an ad for this film that said Efron puts in the performance of a lifetime. Believe me, that is not hyperbole. Long gone are the days when teenage musicals were all that this man could do, and if anyone doubted why he’s in the business, this film will silence all critics. Efron’s stellar performance is nothing short of extraordinary and it carries the film!
I love going into films not knowing what I’m getting myself into, and I have to admit that the buzz behind the film was what inspired me to take up the offer to go and see it. Although a fairly basic plot, the film does well to move viewers through a multitude of emotions. I will however say, that on reflection, the final act of the film certainly feels a little rushed. That’s not to say that it wasn’t good, but just that the pacing of the film is where it falls a little. With films based on true stories, there’s always the scope for inspiration and ‘The Iron Claw’ definitely does that. It tugged on many of my heartstrings and I didn’t anticipate that I would feel so much for the characters in the film. I mean, I thought it was just a film about wrestling. I know that a lot of people have good things to say about A24 as a studio, and their reputation as an independent studio that allows creators to create without compromise means that films like ‘The Iron Claw’ will only continue to elevate their status. This studio is here to stay and it’s here to give good films whilst it does!
I often speak about how many Hollywood films have now come to rely so heavily on special effects that viewers are left wondering sometimes, which of the scenes they are watching are even real. ‘The Iron Claw’ sits on the other end of the spectrum, and given that it’s based on a true story, it’s only right that it gives us this visceral and real experience. I felt that the cinematography in that sense was basic, but done quite well. Some of the shots of the characters fighting in the ring were excellently done. That being said, I felt that the film severely lacked on the music front. There were moments when music was used, but it was few and far between. Given the time period the film is set in, I would have anticipated far more input from the musical department. Overall, however, ‘The Iron Claw’ is an excellent character study and a superb performance by Zac Efron means that although it struggles with pacing and certain aspects of cinematography, this is definitely a film you guys need to see!
Rating:
Story: ★★★½
Acting: ★★★★
Cinematography: ★★★½
Music: ★★½
Enjoyability: ★★★★