Is Zac Efron’s ‘The Iron Claw’ The Greatest Wrestling Movie Of All Time?
The Iron Claw has taken the cinematic world by storm since its late December premiere. The biopic centers around the Von Erichs, a legendary wrestling family who dominated the Texas wrestling scene in the 70s and 80s. I recently had the chance to see the movie myself, and simply put, it may be the greatest wrestling movie I’ve ever seen.
Many months ago I posted a list of what I considered to be the all-time best wrestling movies ever. Though I had claimed that the list was in no particular order, I think I ended up subconsciously placing Darron Aronofsky’s The Wrestler as the final entry because it was my personal favorite.
However, at the risk of falling prey to recency bias, I feel confident in saying that The Iron Claw has surpassed it as my new favorite pro-wrestling-centric movie. But at the same time, dubbing it as simply a “wrestling movie” feels a bit reductive. Rather, the movie is centered around the unshakeable bonds of brotherhood, with wrestling serving as the backdrop.
Anybody who was even vaguely familiar with the story of the Von Erich family knew that The Iron Claw wouldn’t be a family-friendly romp. A friend of mine with whom I saw the movie is more into MMA, and even he knew the broad strokes of their story going in.
But even with my encyclopedic knowledge of all things pro wrestling, I still felt emotionally unequipped for this film. I promise you, whether you’re a diehard wrestling nerd like me, or a cynic dedicated to pointing out how “fake” the sport is, nobody is safe from the emotional vise grip The Iron Claw puts you in.
Without getting too spoiler-y, the story of the Von Erichs is deeply harrowing, with tragedies ranging from the unforeseen to the frustratingly avoidable befalling the family. In an effort to wash away the stigma of a supposed family curse, the clan’s patriarch Fritz Von Erich pushes his four sons to achieve the level of greatness he never could. But the further the film goes, the more apparent it becomes that his efforts were a self-fulfilling prophecy.
The sheer density of grief and pain this family goes through is staggering. In fact, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the film’s director and writer Sean Durkin reveals that he felt the need to cut out large chunks of the story from the final product.
But make no mistake, the film pulls no punches in its heartbreaking narrative. Being an A24 film, it was also able to utilize the stylistic visuals and intimate cinematography that has become the media company’s bread and butter. Throughout the film you notice that most of the in-ring action is shot from further away, almost putting you in the stands for the Von Erichs’ famous clashes with the Fabulous Freebirds. But it’s in those soft, quiet moments in between the matches that the camera takes you up close and personal, making you run the gamut of emotion alongside every single brother.
And speaking of, I commend the efforts of Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, and Stanley Simons in their performances as the cursed quartet. There’s never a single moment in the movie where you don’t feel the outpouring of brotherly love, and that’s due to the undeniable chemistry between the four performers. Efron especially shines in his portrayal of the tough but taciturn Kevin Von Erich, who endures most of the film’s heartache and pain. Efron manages to make Kevin’s battles outside the squared circle even more compelling and engrossing than his bouts inside of it.
And on that note, the in-ring action itself, for as briefly as it’s featured, is absolutely outstanding. Wrestling veteran Chavo Guerrero (who also comes from a prestigious wrestling bloodline) was brought on as a consultant for all the match choreography. His insight proved invaluable on screen, with the cast performing picture-perfect recreations of the flashy move set and breakneck pace that the Von Erichs were known for.
If I had to nitpick one complaint, it’s the offensively bad Ric Flair impersonation that comes in the latter half of the film. I’m sure Aaron Dean Eisenberg is a terrific actor and a nice dude, but he makes for a dreadful Nature Boy. And as a Carolina boy, it was especially disheartening for me to watch such a butchered impression in the heart of Flair country. Thankfully it only lasts for about 5 minutes so it’s not a dealbreaker overall.
This long-winded diatribe is really me telling you to go see this movie, ideally while it’s still in theaters. My viewing experience was actually enhanced with an audience around me, especially at the very end when the sounds of sniffles and ugly cries filled the cinema as Efron delivered a particularly devastating line.
You don’t have to be a wrestling fan to appreciate what The Iron Claw achieves in its 2+ hour runtime. Be that as it may, I remain convinced that it is without a doubt the greatest wrestling movie ever made. So much so that it warrants an entry in my list below.
