"The Smashing Machine" Trailer: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Faces Brutality and Vulnerability as MMA Fighter Mark Kerr in This UFC Drama from Benny Safdie, Co-Starring Emily Blunt

Johnson takes on a nuanced, low-key performance as the complex and vulnerable Mark Kerr, exploring the brutal world of MMA and the toll it takes.

This might sound a little like a backwards compliment, but Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has a great personality. But is he a great actor? Looking at his film career so far, he didn’t really need to be. He’s mainly chosen projects that fit his larger-than-life persona. He’s extremely personable and charismatic, and for many actors in Hollywood, that’s all you really need. The biggest criticism he’s faced lately is how it feels like The Rock has leaned into his personal brand, perhaps too much. You see, Johnson isn’t just an actor, but also an entrepreneur, salesman, philanthropist, social media influencer, and a possible future politician. And one might say his personal brand has taken precedence over his professional acting career. For the last couple of years, despite his innate charm and onscreen magnetism, it’s really felt like he’s been playing the same character—a version of himself. It isn’t Black Adam, but Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in a DC movie. It isn’t Hobbs from the Fast and Furious films, it’s really just The Rock kicking ass. Red One, Red Notice, Jungle Cruise, Baywatch—you name it, and it all really felt like Johnson was playing slight versions of his own personality.

Well, it appears Johnson has made a conscious decision to change the direction of his film career a bit, this time with the intent of stretching his acting chops, picking roles that feel more like a challenge than a safe bet. A few months ago, there was news that Johnson is working on launching a 1970s-set Hawaiian mob movie directed by legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese, where Johnson would star opposite Leonardo DiCaprio. The project was developed by Johnson himself, in collaboration with his Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt, who will also star. It’s clear that Johnson and Blunt have formed a strong working relationship since Jungle Cruise, which continues in their latest film together. This time, Johnson takes on the role of a real-life sports icon with a troubled history. And it just might be the role that propels him to a new level, one that demands not only his personality and physicality but also some genuine acting abilities.

Written and directed by Benny Safdie, marking his first solo directorial debut after co-directing the acclaimed dramas Uncut Gems and Good Time with his brother Josh Safdie, The Smashing Machine sees Johnson portraying former wrestler-turned-MMA fighter Mark Kerr, while Blunt plays his devoted wife, Dawn Staples. The film is pushing Johnson into playing a character that feels a step away from his natural gregarious self. It appears to be a nuanced and low-key performance that taps into Mark Kerr’s tender side and gentle nature, despite the violent profession he’s chosen to make a career in.

One of the first scenes in the film’s official trailer (watch it above) shows Johnson as Mark Kerr sitting in a doctor’s waiting room with a bruised face, a wound likely from one of his matches. He’s making small talk with a woman who is waiting with her grandson. He explains that his bruises came from participating in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the UFC. She acknowledges that she’s heard of it, calling it the “bloody thing they’re trying to ban.” She then asks a serious question: “Do you hate each other when you fight?” To which Johnson, as Mark Kerr, quickly answers, “Absolutely not.”

And this seems to be the underlying theme of the trailer, and possibly the film itself—the dichotomy of brutality and professionalism, violence and tenderness. Mark Kerr wasn’t just one of the best and most vicious fighters the sport has ever seen, but perhaps one of its most complex, as he seems to be a gentle giant, someone who embodies both strength and extreme vulnerability.

The film will cover Mark’s struggles both in the ring and outside of it, as painkillers and other prescription drugs become a prevalent issue during the early days of the sport. The easy access to these pain-relieving pills and the abuse that followed were key to Mark Kerr’s experience, as well as that of many of his colleagues, who were dealing with the painful physical tolls of years of fighting.

As a professional wrestler himself, Johnson might know a thing or two about the personal toll and debilitating effects of putting one’s body through immense physical strain for years. While this role looks like it could be a redefining career performance for Johnson, one that surely required him to step beyond his comfort zone, it also appears to be a role tailor-made for what he can do, but was never given the chance to fully prove it until now.

Seemingly falling in the same genre as award-worthy films like The Wrestler and The Iron Claw, The Smashing Machine finds itself nestled in an extremely strong group of searing wrestling dramas where the focus is not only on the physical and emotional tolls of the sport, but also on the raw intensity and deep personal struggle of an athlete who finds his time limited. And we’ve got to say, it looks like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is bringing it! He’s bringing in the heat. And we can’t wait to see how this turns out.

The Smashing Machine hits theaters October 3rd.