The legacy of wrestling is displayed in the strong elements of a true story in The Iron Claw. Written and directed by Sean Durkin, this faithful adaptation is about the life of a family that built a wrestling franchise based upon discipline, honor, and commitment. The film is a monumental and emotional achievement in which the characterizations glisten with brilliance. The story of the Von Erich brothers is one for the ages. In The Iron Claw, Zac Efron is Kevin Von Erich, Jeremy Allen White is Kerry Von Erich, Harris Dickinson is David Von Erich, and Stanley Simons is Mike Von Erich. Their parents are played by Holt McCallany as Fritz Von Erich, and Maura Tierney as Doris Von Erich. The entire cast delivers outstanding performances portraying a family that sticks together no matter what the cause.

The film takes place in an era when wrestling is beginning to have competing divisions. Fritz has trained his boys to become pro wrestlers, win championships, and accomplish what he could never accomplish. Not only do his boys win, but they also gain media attention. Kevin Von Erich is the strongest of the four brothers and despite plateaus has some title shots. Kerry has failed as an Olympic athlete which is why he joins his brothers’ group in hopes of fame. David is the brother that stands on the sideline as a spectator, but also dreams of fighting in the ring. Finally, there is Mike, the brother with more artistic than physical talent. Fritz pushes his boys to adopt the mindset that they are undefeated. However, they begin to feel drained and defeated by this mentality not only in the ring but in life. One of the messages in The Iron Claw is that choosing battles in life has consequences.

With the intense focus on championships and glory, each brother finds himself falling into a pattern of despair. Kevin feels he must be a leader to fulfill his father’s dreams. Kevin must also think about his wife Pam (played by Lily James), and what his future with wrestling will look like. Kerry sees wrestling as his biggest fallback, because of errors while being an Olympian. Kerry’s ego is at the root of his problems. David finds himself making brotherhood and reputation a priority. However, his fame gets ahead of his performance. Finally, Mike is the brother with the least athletic talent. Each brother falls into patterns which drain their energy, impede their success, and have irreparable consequences. The expectations of their father causes them to feel like they can never give up. The Iron Claw displays that the Von Erich brothers were so focused on their fame and glory, they never truly thought about the impact wrestling would have on them.

The pressure of achieving fame leads to despair in The Iron Claw. The writing is strong in portraying human sadness as the family navigates through the pressures of their franchise. Their trademark is the movie’s title and their signature move, i.e., The Iron Claw. In this riveting tale, the concept of giving up does not seem to be an option.

As a fan of wrestling, I found the division in the film to be similar to All Elite Wrestling which is more realistic and followsold school rules. The other division, World Wrestling Entertainment, is more commercialized and scripted. The Iron Claw is more faithful to the tone and sportsmanship of All Elite Wrestling. The matches are more real, like they were in the days of the Von Erich family. The combination of realism and old school rules are where the jam of wrestling lies as a form of entertainment that has an enthusiastic fan base.

With the various setbacks faced by the family in their pursuit of fame, the film weaves a nostalgic historical trail. This is enhanced by tying in the fame of wrestlers Ric Flair (played by Aaron Dean Eisenberg) and Harley Race (played by Kevin Anton). The early days of wrestling display how competition in the ring was meant to be a riveting event for the world to experience. With the Von Erich brothers always striving to impress their father, the bigger names in wrestling served as their competition. Sadly, a loss would mean a reckoning and additional mental hardship for them. The Iron Claw shows that the ring of fame is not always a center of fulfillment but is often a reality check of the challenges faced by each brother individually. The film is unforgettable and riveting. Four out of four stars for The Iron Claw.