The Iron Claw review: Zac Efron wrestling drama is a suplex of sadness

The story of the Von Ehrich brothers, a prominent wrestling family in the late 1970s and 80s, is a tragedy. The Iron Claw, which brings their story to the big screen, makes sure to get that across. Unfortunately, the Sean Durkin-directed movie starring Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Lily James and more fails to show another side of the family that would have made their heartbreaking story as impactful as it truly could have been.

The story focuses primarily on Kevin Von Ehrich (Efron), the eldest of the brothers who are all pushed for wrestling greatness by their father Fritz (Holt McCallany). Soon joining Kevin in the ring are David (Harris Dickinson), Kerry (White) and eventually the youngest Mike (Stanley Simons). However, horrible circumstances keep befalling the family and they struggle to change their ways despite the push from Kevin's wife Pam (James) or their mother Doris (Maura Tierney).

The idea that the family is always one step away from achieving all of their goals but has them unfairly taken feels like an apt comparison for The Iron Claw as a whole. There are really strong parts of this movie and it does what it sets out to do, but it falls just short in key areas that would have made it a truly good movie.

Let's start with the cast. It is an impressive ensemble of talent, particularly with the actors playing the Von Ehrich brothers, as Efron, White and Dickinson have garnered praise for their work in various projects. The problem is Efron feels miscast as the more soft-spoken eldest brother Kevin, as he is unable to use his trademark charm often and struggles having to carry so much of the emotional weight of the movie. Dickinson and White's David and Kerry offer more dynamic personalities, but we don't get the same focus on them that would let us see their performances shine.

However, both the movie and Stanley Simons nail the arc of the youngest brother Mike. So different from his brothers in physique and interests, Mike gets caught in the churn of his family's wake and what happens to him is easily the biggest gut punch of the movie. We hope to see more of Simons on screen soon.

James and Tierney give solid performances but are off to the side for much of it. McCallany, meanwhile, gives the performance that will probably get the most attention, as he plays the boisterous patriarch unwilling to see the errors of his ways. 

That fatal flaw that destroys the Von Ehrich's is not the curse that Efron's Kevin fears for much of the movie, but instead the idea that real men are tough and power through any adversity so there's no point to talk about things or show emotion. We see the negative impact of that mindset as each blow is struck to the family. Unfortunately, The Iron Claw makes sure you leave the theater understanding that with an eye-rolling final scene that spells it out for you. It's a shame, too. Not because it ruins the movie — how much tragedy you can take in two hours will determine that — but rather it undermines the work Durkin did in creating more poignant moments.

Another area where Durkin shines is his staging of the wrestling matches, which are highlights of the movie as it's here where we see the Von Ehrich brothers truly bond and have fun. It makes you wonder why we couldn't get more of those scenes, which very well may have helped those emotional moments hit harder later on.

The Iron Claw is more disappointing than anything. We've seen this cast and Durkin's talent before, and get glimpses of it here, but it never comes together as it could have, which has it falling short of its ultimate goals like its subjects.

The Iron Claw releases exclusively in US movie theaters on December 22. It premieres in the UK on February 9, 2024.