Even if Dwayne Johnson appears completely different in his latest A24 film, The Smashing Machine, this indicates that the actor is at last responding to the most long-standing critique of his selection of film roles. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has been drawn in two different directions since the start of his film career. The actor has starred in numerous big-budget films, including Fast Five, the Jumanji series, and Black Adam, but he has also taken on more modest roles in films like Southland Tales, Pain & Gain, and Fighting With My Family. Ranking Dwayne Johnson’s films demonstrates that his critically acclaimed blockbusters can receive better reviews than his more intimate productions.

They do, however, respond to a critique that has been thrown at the actor a lot. It is difficult to dispute the historical criticism leveled at Dwayne Johnson for consistently portraying the same character in each film. This assertion is somewhat supported by the sheer quantity of films in which Dwayne Johnson is set in a jungle, not to mention the numerous films in which he portrays a police officer, an FBI agent, a military, or a bounty hunter. Fortunately, the first pictures from the actor’s next project, directed by Benny Safdie, show that this won’t be a problem for very long.

Dwayne Johnson Looks Unrecognizable In A24’s  The Smashing Machine

The Rock’s Role As Mark Kerr Saw Him Transform Completely

When compared to his most well-known roles, Dwayne Johnson appears drastically different in The Smashing Machine. This MMA superstar Mark Kerr biopic will be produced by A24, with actor Johnson portraying Kerr for writer-director Benny Safdie. The Smashing Machine is an original drama based on the critically acclaimed 2002 HBO documentary The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr, despite the fact that many of Dwayne Johnson’s upcoming films are reboots or sequels. In the initial pictures of Johnson as Kerr, the actor has fully transformed into the boxer by wearing a full set of facial prosthetics.

It’s appropriate that Dwayne Johnson’s portrayal of Mark Kerr differs greatly from the actor’s previous work because the film is a long cry from the star’s previous work. Every Johnson film released since 2019 has been a massive studio hit. From Red Notice to Black Adam and Shazam, from Hobbs & Shaw to Fast X, Jungle Cruise and Jumanji 2: The Next Level, and much more, Johnson’s body of work has been heavily biased toward action-packed, high-budget films. Reviews for Johnson’s latest films have been divided, but it’s getting harder to ignore the widespread belief that the actor only plays flamboyant action movie leads.

The Rock’s Transformation For The Smashing Machine Answers To An Old Criticism

Dwayne Johnson’s Upcoming Role Will Be Nothing Like His Earlier Movies

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Throughout his time in the WWE, Dwayne Johnson demonstrated his remarkable charm and comedic timing, but he has seldom shown his human side.

The Smashing Machine, on the other hand, appears to be a drastic change of pace for Dwayne Johnson because it’s a gritty biography. 

Throughout his fighting career, Kerr battled injuries and a painkiller addiction, and Safdie’s previous films demonstrate that he won’t back down from the difficult aspects of the fighter’s life. Both Heaven Knows What and Uncut Gems experienced the lowest points of addiction. The actor will be able to show a degree of vulnerability in his upcoming A24 film that he hasn’t shown in a feature film in a long time. 

 Johnson’s immense charisma and comedic timing were evident during his WWE tenure, but his human side has not been shown much. Though underappreciated, even his more audaciously bizarre endeavors like Pain & Gain and Southland Tales depended on his legendary character to ground their fantastical narratives. On the other hand, Dwayne Johnson’s acting prowess will determine whether The Smashing Machine succeeds or fails, as the actor’s capacity to humanize Kerr will influence the film’s narrative. Safdie’s previous films did not sugarcoat its ethically questionable antiheroes, and The Smashing Machine is probably going to follow suit.

The Smashing Machine Is Dwayne Johnson’s Most Exciting Movie In Years

Benny Safdie’s Involvement Makes The Smashing Machine Thrilling

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Although there are several spinoffs and remakes on Johnson’s upcoming schedule, The Smashing Machine is the actor’s most anticipated project to date. Johnson will be able to humanize a difficult issue with his portrayal of Kerr in The Smashing Machine, while the film’s themes will provide the WWE star a chance to debate the morality of professional combat. Much like WWE, the world of mixed martial arts has endured decades of controversy over athlete safety.

Johnson can shed his persona as a big-budget action hero and provide a more genuine performance in The Smashing Machine than he has in years. Although Johnson has shown himself to be a flexible and range actor, he hasn’t challenged himself in the last ten years. The Rock is able to demonstrate his abilities as a serious dramatic actor and touch on topics that are pertinent to his own career as an entertainer with this movie. The Smashing Machine can demonstrate that Dwayne Johnson is capable of becoming more than just an action hero in the process.