Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is finally doing it. He’s putting down the jungle explorer khaki shirts and the "superhero who doesn't kill" mantle. People have been begging for this for years. A real, raw, dramatic performance that doesn't involve a CGI explosion or a quip about his bicep size.
The Smashing Machine is the latest movie by The Rock, and honestly, it’s the most jarring thing he’s ever done. It’s not just another action flick. It’s a biopic about Mark Kerr, the legendary MMA fighter who dominated the early UFC era while battling a crippling addiction to painkillers.
If you’re expecting Jumanji vibes, you’re in for a massive shock.
This Isn't the People's Champion Anymore
Usually, when you go to see a Dwayne Johnson movie, you know exactly what you’re getting. A big smile. A heroic rescue. Maybe a helicopter crash. But in The Smashing Machine, Johnson looks… different. He’s gone through a physical transformation that actually involves looking like a human being who has taken a few thousand punches to the face.
The film is directed by Benny Safdie. Yeah, the guy behind Uncut Gems. That should tell you everything you need to know about the tone. It’s anxiety-inducing. It’s sweaty. It’s uncomfortable.
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The Rock plays Mark Kerr during the late 90s, specifically his transition from a collegiate wrestling powerhouse to the "Smashing Machine" of the No-Holds-Barred fighting world. But the real meat of the story is the 2002 documentary of the same name. It follows his relationship with his girlfriend Dawn Staples (played by Emily Blunt) and his internal struggle with the very substances he used to keep his body from falling apart.
Why The Smashing Machine Matters for His Career
Let’s be real. The Rock’s brand was starting to feel a bit stale. Red One had a rough time with critics, and even though Moana 2 absolutely crushed the box office in late 2024, the "brand" was becoming more about business than acting.
Working with A24 is a pivot. A huge one.
- No more "contractual invincibility": Rumors have swirled for years that Johnson has clauses in his contracts about how many times he can lose a fight on screen. The Smashing Machine throws that out.
- The Safdie Effect: Benny Safdie doesn't do "polished." He likes the dirt under the fingernails. This movie captures the grime of early MMA.
- Emotional Weight: This isn't about saving the world; it’s about a guy trying to save himself from a needle and a pill bottle.
Honestly, it’s the first time in a decade where the conversation isn't about how much money the movie made on opening weekend, but whether or not Johnson can actually win an Oscar.
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The Physical Toll and the Transformation
The makeup work here is incredible. They used prosthetics to give Johnson that specific "fighter's brow" and a slightly different nose structure to match Kerr’s likeness. But the physicality goes deeper. Johnson actually trained in MMA properly for this, moving away from the "bodybuilder" aesthetic to the "heavyweight wrestler" build.
Mark Kerr was a beast, but he was a fragile one.
The movie covers the 2000 PRIDE Grand Prix in Japan. That’s where the wheels really started to come off. You see the contrast between the guy who was supposedly the most dangerous man on the planet and the guy who couldn't get through the day without narcotics. It’s heartbreaking.
What’s Next for Dwayne Johnson in 2026?
While The Smashing Machine is the "prestige" play, the blockbuster machine isn't stopping. He’s got a massive 2026 lined up that balances this new serious side with the global hits we expect.
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- Moana (Live-Action): Set for July 10, 2026. He’s returning as Maui, but in the flesh this time.
- Fast X: Part 2: The "main" saga is supposedly wrapping up, and Luke Hobbs is back in the center of it.
- Jumanji 3: Expect this one toward the end of 2026.
It’s a weird dichotomy. One month he’s playing a drug-addicted fighter in a gritty A24 drama, and the next he’s a singing demigod for Disney. But hey, that’s the range he’s trying to prove he has.
What You Should Watch Before The Smashing Machine
If you want to understand the story before the movie hits streaming or your local theater, go watch the original 2002 documentary The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr.
It is one of the rawest sports documentaries ever made. It shows Kerr’s injections, his breakdowns, and the terrifying reality of what those early fights did to a person’s brain and body. Knowing the "real" Mark Kerr makes Johnson’s performance much more impressive because you realize he isn't just playing a character—he's playing a tragedy.
Your next steps for following this release:
Check out the HBO Max (now Max) schedule if you missed the theatrical window, as A24 films often land there within months of release. If you’re a fan of the "old" Rock, maybe skip this one and wait for Moana. But if you want to see if the world’s biggest movie star can actually act, this is the only movie on your radar that matters. Keep an eye on the late-season awards buzz; if the performance holds up, you’ll be hearing about this one well into the next ceremony season.