Fans of 80’s wrestling will remember former WWF Intercontinental champion Kerry Von Erich, The Texas Tornado, but his tragic family history isn’t quite as well known.
Canadian filmmaker Sean Durkin writes and directs this true story of the Von Erich clan, who made wrestling history in the early 80’s under the guidance of their domineering patriarch Fritz (Holt McCallany).
Told from eldest brother Kevin’s point of view, the film charts the family’s rise to the top of the wrestling business and their unfortunate demise.
Zac Efron bulks up and looks insanely ripped as Kevin, the lead and occasional narrator of the story. His astonishing physical transformation is matched by a career best performance.
He is joined by Harris Dickinson and Jeremy Allen White as his brothers David and Kerry, while Lily James takes on the role of his loyal girlfriend Pam.
The film is sombre in tone as it tackles weighty subjects like grief and toxic masculinity, while Durkin draws appropriately heartfelt and emotional performances from his cast.
The real life Von Erich family were so afflicted by tragedy that local legend claimed they were cursed, but in truth the only curse was their upbringing at the hands of an overbearing father and apathetic mother.
Fritz, a former wrestler himself, was a suffocating force of authority with an unbreakable grip on his family’s destiny. Hence the Iron Claw of the title, which is also the name of his finishing manoeuvre in the ring. Something that is passed from one son to the next, as they are put to work on the Texas wrestling circuit in a bid to live out his failed dreams of glory.
Fourth brother Mike, an aspiring musician (played by Stanley Simons) with a slight build and little interest in the sport, is also forced into the business when tragedy befalls David, and Fritz needs a quick replacement. Unfortunately, this is simply the catalyst for yet more heartache.
Unbelievably, the true story is even sadder, with a fifth brother Chris, actually omitted from the film entirely for fear of overloading the story with too much grief.
The bond between the brothers is strong and at the heart of the film, so as their self-appointed protector, his siblings fate take a heavy toll on Kevin and put a strain on his relationship with Pam.
The wrestling action itself is very well staged and wholly believable, with the addition of real-life wrestlers Maxwell Friedman and Chavo Gurerro to the cast, bringing valuable insight into the industry and adding a vital layer of authenticity.
With powerful performances, The Iron Claw is a compelling yet incredibly sad re-telling of the Von Erich’s self-destructive wrestling dynasty.
Its heart wrenching finale is a real tearjerker and will have even the most hardened of souls reaching for the tissues.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Paul Steward
17/02/24
X @grittster