By Jonathan Klotz | Published
Ask anyone to name the greatest wrestler of the ’80s and you’ll know if he lived in the Northeast, which was WWF and Hulk Hogan territory, in the Southeast, which was Ric’s country Flair, or Texas, which belonged to Von Erichs. A talented wrestling family led by their patriarch, Fritz Von Erich, wrestling brothers Kevin, David, Kerry, Mike and Chris helped World Class Champion Wrestling take over the Dallas Sportatorium every week. Now you don’t need to go into the depths of The wrestling observer to learn the history of the Von Erichs thanks to The iron clawstreaming on Max.
World-class triumph and heartbreak
An A24 production, The iron clawnamed after Fritz’s final blow, takes you through the rise and fall of the First Family of Wrestling. From the beginning, with Kevin (Zac Efron), David (Harris Dickinson) and Mike (Stanley Simons) trying to break into the business, to Kerry’s (Jeremy Allen White) success in the WWF and the constant string of tragedies heartbreaking, even one of which would break up a family forever, the film doesn’t seem to pull any punches. Except it is.
The iron claw bounces between heartfelt optimism and heartbreaking tragedy in no time, and all centered around Kevin’s point of view, which makes sense, since he’s the only brother still alive and was involved in the making of the film . It’s not a spoiler that several brothers end up committing suicide, after all, this is all based on a true story and it all happened, and in fact the movie isn’t as dark as the real life of von Erichs.
The film combines brothers Mike and Chris into one character, echoing aspects of the real-life fates of the two. In The iron clawMike wants to get in the ring and be like his bigger, more athletic brothers, which was a trait of Chris’s in real life, but the way he got injured happened to Mike on a tour of struggle. If the multiple suicides in the film seem a bit excessive, just know that they cut out one, and it’s still one of the most tragic stories ever depicted on film.
The greatest tragedies of wrestling
I’ve been a wrestling fan since 1993, when I begged my parents to order the Royal Rumble, and so the Von Erichs were before my time. I was vaguely aware of Kerry, known as The Texas Tornado in the WWF, thanks to his awesome spinning figure, but it wasn’t until I logged onto America Online and started wandering the wrestling forums I heard about Von Erich. For decades, in wrestling circles, they were known as tragic figures. This is why, when The iron claw was announced, fans braced themselves, knowing what was going to happen.
And yet, even knowing their fate, The iron claw was an incredible experience for wrestling fans and non-fans alike, thanks to stellar performances from everyone, including Maura Tierney and Holt McCallany as the parents, Doris and Fritz, and Lily Allen as Pam Adkisson’s a firecracker of energy every time she’s on screen. Less impressive is the Ric Flair impersonator they brought in, who does a worse job than Jay Lethal at bringing the Nature Boy to life.
The best film of the decade
Despite the clarification of Von Erich’s story and the questionable factual accuracy of certain events, including the involvement of Jerry Jarrett, The iron claw is a must-see biopic that shines a spotlight on one of the most famous wrestling families. Once you’ve seen it, you’ll wonder why it was left out of all the major awards shows, and you’ll come away with the opinion that Kevin Von Erich is Zac Efron’s greatest role. There are a few films every decade that becomebilled as a “must see” by movie buffs and theatergoers once a year, and for this decade, it’s The iron claw.
The iron claw is currently streaming on Max.
