Led by their demanding father, Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany), and their more conservative mother, Doris Von Erich (Maura Tierney), the inseparable Von Erich brothers chase championship glory within the brutal world of professional wrestling, while also battling their own personal demons and emotional struggles along the way. As fame, pressure and tragedy begin to consume the family, the cracks slowly start to show. An incredibly well-made, emotional and deeply moving picture that comes highly recommended.

Director: Sean Durkin
Writers: Sean Durkin
Starring: Zac Efron, Holt McCallany, Maura Tierney, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Stanley Simons

Directed and written by Sean Durkin, The Iron Claw tells the story of the infamous Von Erich family. Having suffered an unbelievable amount of tragedy across several years, the Von Erich’s remain one of the most well-known families in professional wrestling history, both for their accomplishments inside the ring and their heart-breaking personal struggles outside of it – many of which were actually shortened when their story was adapted for film. It’s also worth noting that the family were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009.

The filmmakers manage to balance the film’s heavily dramatic tone with the world of professional wrestling extremely well. Going into The Iron Claw, many viewers will likely expect a traditional sports-focused story, yet the real purpose is placed on the emotional struggles, pressure and heartbreak experienced by the characters throughout. Several moments within the flick are genuinely difficult to watch because of how raw, tragic and emotionally draining they feel, with the film never shying away from the darker side of the family’s story.

An aspect of the film worth highlighting would have to be its impressive production value and overall presentation. Like many strong period dramas, the flick successfully recreates the atmosphere of late 1970’s and early 1980’s America, bringing a believable sense of authenticity to the screen through its detailed costume and set design, as well as some of the old-school wrestling venues utilised throughout the one-hundred and thirty-two minute runtime.

In terms of the cast, Zac Efron adopted the role of Kevin Von Erich, commanding a large amount of screentime, while support reigned in from all directions, primarily from Holt McCallany, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson and Stanley Simons, portraying Fritz, Kerry, David and Mike, respectively. There were also appearances from Chavo Guerrero Jr, Kevin Anton and Aaron Dean Eisenberg, starring as wrestlers, Iron Sheik, Harley Race and Ric Flair.

All in all, The Iron Claw is an emotional and extremely powerful drama, balanced very effectively with the world of professional wrestling throughout. Whether you are a fan of the sport or not, the story itself, as well as the overall production value and performances from many of the key characters on display, is more than compelling enough to warrant a watch.

“I used to be a brother.“

Kevin Von Erich – The Iron Claw