The Iron Claw
- Thread starter Bondurant
- Start date
Zhamnov5GoalGame
Former Director of GDT Operations
We haven't picked the date yet, but a certain podcast duo is going next week and will be sharing our thoughts shortly after. For what it's worth Jeremy Allen White (portraying Kerry) looks a lot like the Dynamite Kid... which makes him a bit of an odd choice to play the Von Erich... BUT... he's a great actor so I'm sure he'll make it work.
Bondurant
Registered User
Good call on the likeness to Dynamite. Who would play the Rougeau's in the roll of quarters scene in the Dynamite biopic?
Zhamnov5GoalGame
Former Director of GDT Operations
TheBeastCoast
Registered User
Saw it last night. Really really good movie. Highly recommend even for a non wrestling fan. Worst part of the movie was probably the guy they cast as Flair could not do Flair…at all lol
Jussi
Registered User
Yeah I heard from John Rocha or someone else that while the movie is really good, Flair not looking like Flair, was a bit distracting for a wrestling fan.
TheBeastCoast
Registered User
Unholy Diver
Registered User
It's kind of amazing that this was the case, I don't think there is really a shortage of people who can imitate Flair
Jussi
Registered User
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
It's been interesting seeing non-wrestling fans react to how insanely tragic the Von Erich's story is.
Big Poppa Puck
HF's Villain
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
Bondurant
Registered User
The Iron Claw opens with something I dread whenever watching a movie about a topic I am familiar with: "Inspired by true events". This is a tell tale sign liberties will be taken for dramatic purposes and this film is no exception.
It's always disappointing but appreciate the warning out of the gate and I know not to set my expectations too high and not to nitpick the film.
Despite its foibles and a few aspects I did not care for the filmmakers and cast did a great job. The triumph and tragedy of the Von Erich family is a lot to cram into a film running a bit over two hours. Using the framework of the narrative that was chosen, they succeeded.
Biopics are typically lacking in narrative but deliver in the performances of the actors. The Iron Claw keeps with this tradition but unlike other attempts, Maestro comes to mind, this is not boring.
Good, not great. I anticipate The Iron Claw will work better for people with little or no knowledge of the Von Erich's or wrestling.
Someone above mentioned the casting of Ric Flair. Harley Race, Bruiser Brody and Ric Flair are shown in small but important supporting characters. Race and Flair get the most and a full promo provided for each. Whomever was cast as Race did the best and was the most like the actual person. Brody has a few lines and they guy playing him looks somewhat similar but not correct body type. But the guy playing Flair made zero attempt to even act like Flair aside from the tan and bleached hair. Sticks out like a sore thumb.
Despite it's flaws The Iron Claw is a solid picture. I had no qualms spending my hard earned $5.99 matinee ticket price. I respect the effort to bring the Von Erich story to the big screen.
3.5/5
It's always disappointing but appreciate the warning out of the gate and I know not to set my expectations too high and not to nitpick the film.
Despite its foibles and a few aspects I did not care for the filmmakers and cast did a great job. The triumph and tragedy of the Von Erich family is a lot to cram into a film running a bit over two hours. Using the framework of the narrative that was chosen, they succeeded.
Biopics are typically lacking in narrative but deliver in the performances of the actors. The Iron Claw keeps with this tradition but unlike other attempts, Maestro comes to mind, this is not boring.
Good, not great. I anticipate The Iron Claw will work better for people with little or no knowledge of the Von Erich's or wrestling.
Someone above mentioned the casting of Ric Flair. Harley Race, Bruiser Brody and Ric Flair are shown in small but important supporting characters. Race and Flair get the most and a full promo provided for each. Whomever was cast as Race did the best and was the most like the actual person. Brody has a few lines and they guy playing him looks somewhat similar but not correct body type. But the guy playing Flair made zero attempt to even act like Flair aside from the tan and bleached hair. Sticks out like a sore thumb.
Despite it's flaws The Iron Claw is a solid picture. I had no qualms spending my hard earned $5.99 matinee ticket price. I respect the effort to bring the Von Erich story to the big screen.
3.5/5
The guy playing Flair sounded more like Dusty Rhodes. He was terrible but an otherwise great movie, although of course very depressing.
Why no Chris Von Erich? Wouldn't his death have just added even more to the story?
Also MJF was listed as an executive producer in the ending credits.
Why no Chris Von Erich? Wouldn't his death have just added even more to the story?
Also MJF was listed as an executive producer in the ending credits.
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
Big Poppa Puck
HF's Villain
Saw it last night it was very good. Could be nitpicky about timelines and some things they left out (Chris for one) but I won't. They did re-create the Mike press conference very well.
I will say though that was a very poor casting choice for Flair.
I will say though that was a very poor casting choice for Flair.
Yeah the locker room scene made him come across as a dick. I wonder what Flair thinks about that but he has been promoting the movie.
Saw it on Friday. I'd give it a 6/10. Some really questionable casting choices, like Jeremy Allen White really didn't work as Kerry Von Erich, they notably altered the story (No Chris) and sort of portrayed the brothers in the best light possible, when they had massive drug issues outside of Kevin and possibly David (although, the often repeated story about him was he died of quaaludes and saki, and then choking to death).
The casting of Flair was pretty bad too. They put in big name wrestlers such as Flair and Brody, but didn't really show the big names who ran WCCW alongside Fritz such as Gary Hart, David Manning, and Ken Mantell.
The casting of Flair was pretty bad too. They put in big name wrestlers such as Flair and Brody, but didn't really show the big names who ran WCCW alongside Fritz such as Gary Hart, David Manning, and Ken Mantell.
Bondurant
Registered User
He looked the part and did a credible job which makes the depiction of Flair all the more perplexing. When casting a film you will not always hit the look but to have zero attempt at bringing the character life is an odd choice of both the actor and director.
Especially considering Flair is the only character in the movie that a non-wrestling fan would know.
Guardian17
Strong & Free
I think all the chatter made it seem like the worst moment in movie history so that clip doesn't seem that bad, lol
I think it's pretty bad for wrestling fans familiar with Ric Flair. But a non-wrestling fan wouldn't catch what's wrong with it.
