Review: ‘The Iron Claw’ spends most of its time outside the squared circle

A scene from ‘The Iron Claw’ courtesy of Elevation Pictures

‘The Iron Claw’ tells the story of the “Von Erich curse,” which plagued a wrestling family by taking the lives of five sons before age 35.

It’s odd to think of wrestling as a divisive subject, yet it very much is considered a matter of contention in some circles. Debates generally occur in relation to the Olympic sport, which people try to keep as far as possible from entertainment wrestling, though there has been some crossover. Participants in both are athletes, but while one is a real-life contest, the other is a scripted performance with a predetermined winner. The latter is thought to be a joke or a low form of entertainment by many, yet devoted fans continue to sell out arenas and tune in by the millions to watch televised matches. These competitors put their bodies on the line each night, some with serious consequences, as demonstrated in The Iron Claw.

Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany) was a professional wrestling entertainer with World Class Championship Wrestling in Texas, but he never got the title shot he thought he deserved. So, he trained his sons to be athletes and strongly encouraged them to pursue wrestling entertainment, hoping one of them would one day bring home the belt. As the eldest, Kevin (Zac Efron) took to the ring first, building a fan base and reestablishing the family name. Soon, his younger brothers, David (Harris Dickinson), Kerry (Jeremy Allen White) and Mike (Stanley Simons), join him and suddenly it looks like the Von Erichs are on top again — until the family curse rears its ugly head and ruins every glimpse of good fortune that crosses their paths.

A family legacy of broken dreams is not much to build upon, yet Fritz refuses to allow his family to give up his ambitions. Disappointingly, their mother (Maura Tierney) refuses to get involved as long the boys keep going to church when their home. It’s a domineering family dynamic in which the young men worship their father into adulthood and can’t imagine disagreeing with him, regardless of whether they feel he’s right or wrong. Consequently, it’s easy to blame the father for the horrible calamities that afflict his sons, resulting in a very sad series of events that tears the family to shreds. Still, this is a cinematic portrayal that takes some liberties with the story, including the exclusion of the youngest and smallest Von Erich brother who also died by suicide.

The film is based on a real-life wrestling dynasty that was eventually inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009. Only Kerry Von Erich made it to the “big show” — the World Wrestling Federation — as the Texas Tornado in the early ‘90s, but the family name carried weight in the business. Efron goes through a total physical transformation for this role, forming body builder muscles and learning to wrestle barefoot like Kevin. Similarly, White gets into excellent shape, though it’s not as drastic as his co-star’s makeover. The movie requires all the Von Erichs to be in top physical condition and their efforts are undeniable.

Even though this is a movie about wrestlers, there isn’t a lot of time spent in the ring — even the one representation of a WWF superstar is a bit laughable. Instead, the focus is on relationships, making it accessible to a wider audience. Most of the narrative unfolds behind the curtains, observing them training and tending to their injuries, celebrating the victories and mourning the losses, and watching the bond between the tightknit brothers grow stronger even when their father tries to drive a wedge between them.

In the end, it will still appeal more to wrestling fans than the average moviegoer, but the family drama takes precedence in the story.

Director: Sean Durkin
Starring: Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White and Harris Dickinson