Max True Sports Story is the biggest tragedy imaginable

According to Jonathan Klotz
| Published 25 seconds ago

Ask someone to name the greatest wrestler of the 1980s, and you’ll be able to tell whether they lived in the Northeast, which was WWF and Hulk Hogan territory, the Southeast, which was Ric Flair country, or Texas, which belonged to the Von Erichs. A talented wrestling family led by their patriarch Fritz Von Erich, the wrestling brothers Kevin, David, Kerry, Mike and Chris helped the World Wrestling Champion take over the Sportatorium in Dallas every week. Now you don’t have to go deep Wrestling Observer to learn the story of the von Erichs thanks Iron Clawstreaming on Max.

World Class Triumph And Heart

An A24 production, Iron Clawnamed after Fritz’s finishing move, 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 a constant string of heartbreaking tragedies, any one of which would tear the family apart forever, the film doesn’t seem, that he would have some punches. Except it does.

Iron Claw bounces between honest optimism and crushing tragedy, all centered around Kevin’s point of view, which makes sense since he’s the only brother still alive and involved in the making of the film. It’s not a spoiler that several brothers end up killing each other, after all it’s all based on a true story and it all happened and in reality the movie is nowhere near as dark as the real life of the Von Erichs.

The film combines the brothers, Mike and Chris, into one character and takes aspects of the real life fate of both. IN Iron ClawMike wants to get in the ring and be like his bigger and more athletic brothers, which was Chris’s trait in real life, but the way he got injured happened to Mike during a wrestling tour. If multiple suicides in a movie seems like a bit much, just know that they did commit one, and it’s still one of the most tragic stories ever portrayed on film.

Wrestling’s Greatest Tragedy

I’ve been a wrestling fan since 1993 when I begged my parents to book the Royal Rumble, so the Von Erichs were ahead of my time. Known as the Texas Tornado in the WWF, I was vaguely aware of Kerry thanks to his cool spinning action figure, but it wasn’t until I logged onto America Online and started wandering wrestling forums that I learned about the Von Erichs. They were known as tragic figures in wrestling circles for decades, and that’s why when Iron Claw it was announced, the fans braced themselves, they knew what was going to happen.

And yet, though he knows their fates, Iron Claw was an amazing 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 is a firecracker of energy whenever she’s on. screen. Less impressive is the Ric Flair impersonator they brought in who does a worse job than Jay Lethal at reviving the Nature Boy.

Best movie of the decade

Despite clarifying the von Erich story and the debatable factual accuracy of some of the events, including Jerry Jarrett’s involvement, Iron Claw is a must-see biopic that showcases one of wrestling’s most famous families. Once you see it, you’ll wonder why he was shut down at all the major award shows, and you’ll walk away thinking that Kevin Von Erich is Zac Efron’s biggest role. Every ten years there are several moviescinephiles and theatergoers alike have heralded me as a “must see” once a year, and that’s it for the decade Iron Claw.

Iron Claw currently streaming Max.