The Smashing Machine, 2025 - ★★★★

The Rock truly can act. It's been forever since I last saw The Rock take on even a remotely dramatic role, and his performance is exceptional. However, I feel the film is too artistic and distant for the story it presents. Rather than immersing us in the characters, the film maintains a distance, preventing a prolonged engagement with the raw and emotional aspects of these individuals.

The cinematographic choices and the editing were occasionally strange but brilliant at other times, which makes the pacing a bit jarring and clunky. There were mostly just fragments of great scenes, rather than a single cohesive narrative. However, the scenes involving the couple were always excellent. 

I still appreciate the movie for its depiction of the brutality of MMA sports in its early days and the outstanding performances throughout. The film really captures the emotional struggles of these individuals. Unfortunately, it doesn't allow us to truly linger and grow with these people, opting instead for a more stylistic approach, which is a shame. Nonetheless, I still really like the movie.