The Iron Claw provides some tragedy with a side of tragedy

The Iron Claw (2023)

If you watched professional wrestling in the 80s and 90s, you probably watched the Von Erich’s face off against all of the best tag teams and stables of the time, some of them even reaching the pinnacle and becoming World Champions.  The Iron Claw is an in depth look at the family of Texas wrestlers.  As a younger wrestling fan, I only knew the Von Erich’s from their recent induction into the WWE Hall of Fame and from replays of their rivalry with the Fabulous Freebirds.  It all seemed so nice, wrestling and travelling the world with your brothers and sharing those moments of triumph with your family.  I was wrong.  In fact, I couldn’t have been more wrong.  The Iron Claw is one of the most, if not the most tragic movie I have ever seen.  I haven’t felt this crushed leaving a theater since watching A Monster Calls in 2016.  If you are looking for a good family time, or even just a single smile, then you should avoid this movie.  But if you are down for the sadness, this movie is a masterpiece.  It is masterfully built, with a superb cast, bringing the famous family to life (mostly).  Zac Efron and Lily James shine as a couple in love as the world tries its hardest to end around them.  In all honesty, it took 5 to 10 minutes for me to see Efron as Kevin Von Erich and not as Troy Bolton, but his performance was emotional and immersive and easily the best of his career.  If not for the magnificence of Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer, Efron would be my favorite for the Oscar for Best Performance in a Leading Role.  Running the gamut of emotions with Efron as the world spun out of control around him was more of a roller coaster ride than any of the generic action blockbusters that have been underperforming for the past 5 years (I’m looking at you Transformers).  Efron is supported by great performances by the likes of Jeremy Allen White, Maura Tierney, and Holt McCallany.  He was even trained by Chavo Guerrero, a wrestling legend with his own tragic family history, to make the movie’s wrestling seem equal to and, at some times, better than the product that WWE currently produces.  While devastating, The Iron Claw is a remarkable telling of one of wrestling history’s greatest secrets and shames.  Even though it made me lose my smile for a few hours, it was excellent and one of the best movies of the season.  I give The Iron Claw a ONE … TWO … THREE! out of three.