At its core, The Iron Claw is about forging one’s own path out of the shadow of another’s demands. Its intense visuals, quiet empathy, and phenomenal performances all result in a gripping lambasting of pressure in favour of individuality. The Iron Claw is showing in cinemas nationwide starting Friday, February 9th.
Sean Durkin’s feature film career is still relatively young, but he has demonstrated a knack for exploring the complexities behind human relations and psychology. His debut feature, the thriller Martha Marcy May Marlene, was a particularly nuanced exploration of paranoia and how past trauma can impact one’s life and relationships. His newest film, The Iron Claw, also delves into the complexities of family relations, using them to critique toxic masculinity against the backdrop of sports, where hyper-masculinity is part of the appeal.
Based on actual events, The Iron Claw recounts the legacy and tragedy of the Von Erich family, legendary Texas wrestling figures. The family patriarch, Fritz (Holt McCallany), was a pro wrestler who believed the NWA robbed him of his chance to become number one. As a result, he pushed each of his sons into wrestling or a similar, muscle-reliant sport, with the mantra that being the best was the only way to secure happiness and success.
Of Fritz’s sons, his eldest, Kevin (played by Zac Efron), is the most committed to wrestling and his father’s ideology. His brothers, Kerry, David, and Mike (Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, and Stanley Simons, respectively), all have varying degrees of enthusiasm or ambivalence toward the sport, but still find some truth in their father’s words. Yet, tragedy strikes the family repeatedly as they strive for the coveted WWE World Championship belt at any cost.
Wrestling is a popular sport, and one could argue that the performative spectacle of it is just as important as the fights themselves, as explored through films such as the hidden gem Fighting With My Family. The Iron Claw captures what makes the sport appealing to so many; its fluid wide shots showcase the complex, if exaggerated, moves of the fight, while intense close-ups reveal just how much effort even playful brawling can entail. The way Durkin and his team merge the two, by having wide shots slowly but surely zoom into close-ups, only highlights the connection between these initial contrasts. There is a grit to the cinematography and soundtrack that depicts the pressure on these men from all angles and both planes – physically and mentally.
It is in the exploration of the mental and emotional weight of the story that the true power of The Iron Claw, named after Fritz’s signature wrestling move, becomes apparent. Just as Durkin’s use of zoom-ins connects the spectator and subject, so does it emphasise the disconnect between mind and body.
During a particularly gut-wrenching moment, Fritz and his sons are in the ring after a glorious victory when he delivers a speech about his family’s future. The closer the camera gets to the family, the more we see how Fritz’s jubilation is at odds with the reactions of each son, who, despite vocalising shared joy, seem to be at different stages of confusion, frustration, or trepidation. Such is the chokehold a domineering father can have over sons who simply want to make him proud.
Throughout the narrative, Kevin confides in his significant other, Pam (played by Lily James), about his family and profession. He discusses the Von Erich curse, a vague belief about Von Erich men slowly but surely losing pieces of themselves until nothing is left, resulting in tragedy. While this may be a superstition, it effectively encompasses Kevin’s insecurities and the heart of the film’s lambasting of toxic masculinity, particularly in Fritz’s demanding parenting and how it chips away at the brothers’ identities. They may have unrivalled physiques, but on the inside, they are still boys vying for their father’s love, which is conditional on the basis that they perform their duties as per his wishes.
Just as wrestling can be performative, so too are the film’s family dynamics, as love and nurture are traded in for loyalty and prowess, attributes that erode everything that makes the brothers themselves, all in the pursuit of an imaginary image of ultimate masculinity.
Tying all the drama together is a compelling collective of characters brought to life by incredible performances. The brothers are all idiosyncratic men, to whom each actor brings delicate humanity despite their buff exteriors. Even though this is Kevin’s story, a film could’ve been made about any of the brothers. Perhaps it’s because, for so long, he was synonymous with the High School Musical films that it’s easy to underestimate Zac Efron, despite the consistently strong, dedicated, and occasionally thought-provoking performances he has delivered since his Disney Channel days. The Iron Claw might be his best work yet. His ability to subdue his emotions and give the outward appearance of toughness, while revealing a glint of vulnerability in his eyes or expressions, is truly riveting.
Meanwhile, McCallany’s demonstration of apathy, stubbornness, and religious and parental indoctrination turns Fritz, an already brilliant antagonist, into a towering force of intimidating brutishness – perhaps the quintessential embodiment of everything wrong with toxic masculinity and its effects on male mental health.
Occasionally, The Iron Claw threatens to become overstuffed with its extensive assortment of characters – one brother, Chris, even got cut from the story because of this. Its middle act also lags in pace as various tragedies befall the family one after another. But, at its core, this film is about forging one’s own path out of the shadow of another’s demands. Its intense visuals, quiet empathy, and phenomenal performances all result in a gripping lambasting of pressure in favour of individuality.
Whether these portrayals accurately represent the real people being depicted is up for debate, and this reviewer, with no expertise in wrestling, cannot contribute to this discussion. But it makes for captivating filmmaking and a story as powerful as a body slam.
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