Grade: (8.9/10)
The Iron Claw tells the story of the Von Erichs and the many tragedies that befell them on their journey to establish themselves in wrestling.
Plot (46/50)
They weren’t kidding when they said the Von Erichs were cursed. Of course, there are legitimate causes for much of what happened, but if the sheer amount of tragedy that the family experienced feels unbelievable to us as an audience, one can see how they felt they were cursed. Regardless, it all starts with Fritz Von Erich’s dream of holding a world title. When that doesn’t materialize, he spends the next couple of decades building up his promotion and his sons so that they might realize his dream. Eventually, he succeeds, but at what cost?
The Von Erichs
Fritz Von Erich was an accomplished wrestler who felt that he was never given the opportunity to recognize his full potential. Much of that has to do with the fact that he was never allowed to hold the NWA world title, the sport’s top prize at the time. Pro wrestling is a scripted sport, meaning the outcomes of matches are predetermined. If Fritz was to hold the world title, promoters and wrestlers would have to give their blessing. Despite Fritz’s best efforts, he retired without ever holding the world title. Fritz felt aggrieved by what he viewed as intentional snubbing by certain players in the industry.
As Fritz transitioned into owner and promoter of the WCCW, he held onto the dream of having the title in the family. He had several boys with his wife, Doris, and he brought them up as athletes. In one way or another, they all ended up in the ring. Kevin, the eldest son, trained as a wrestler from the get-go, as did David. Next in line was Kerry, whose hopes of competing at the Olympics in discus were ended when the US decided to boycott the 1980 Summer Olympics hosted by the USSR. That setback brought him straight to wrestling. Finally, there was Mike, the youngest son. He was interested in music but would eventually wrestle as well.
At the start, Kevin was the only one wrestling. Fritz was trying to build him up to challenge for the NWA world heavyweight title by booking him to win in matches at the WCCW’s Sportatorium. This eventually culminated in a match against then-champion Harley Race where Kevin wins by disqualification. During the match, Kevin takes an unplanned rough bump on the outside of the ring. He manages to recover and continue the match despite the pain, but his father is unimpressed. Fritz tells Kevin that this is how the stars test others. Fritz was, however, impressed with David’s performance on the mic after the match. It’s time for David to make his debut.
Chasing the World Title
At some point, Kevin meets Pam after one of his matches. The two go on a date during which Kevin explains that the Von Erich curse. He reveals that he’s in fact the second oldest son. Jack was in fact Fritz and Doris’ firstborn son, but he died in a accident when he was still a child. Kevin emphasizes to Pam that he cares deeply about his brothers and feels a sense of responsibility to take care of them. The two would go on to get married in what is one of the few feel-good moments for the Von Erichs.
Generally, things were looking good for the Von Erichs. Business was booming. The WCCW managed to secure the only TV broadcast deal at the time. The Sportatorium was drawing large crowds. Kevin was an established wrestler and David was on the rise. Fritz had built a presence that could no longer be ignored by the NWA. David had impressed promoters with his combination of in-ring and mic work. Kevin was more established in the ring, but he couldn’t talk as well as David, so he was overlooked. The plan was for David to spend six months in Japan before returning to defeat Ric Flair for the world title.
Unfortunately, David dies of a ruptured intense in his hotel room in Japan. Kevin had seen him coughing blood at his wedding and had half-heartedly warned him against going to Japan in this state, so he feels a sense of guilt. However, Fritz wasn’t one to let grief get in the way. He urges his sons to respond to adversity with a show of strength. Kevin and Kerry argue over who’s to take David’s place. The argument is settled with a coin toss which is won by Kerry, who would go on to finally capture the elusive world title. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes again. Kerry’s reign as champion is cut short after a motorcycle accident leaves him with an amputated foot.
The Curse Takes Hold
Meanwhile, Kevin has been training Mike in preparation for his in-ring debut at their father’s orders. Kevin had voiced his concerns about Fritz being too hard on Mike in the past, but they fell on deaf ears. Despite having the support of his brothers, Mike’s interest in music was dismissed by his parents at every turn. David’s death served as the catalyst that finally brought Mike into the wrestling fold. Mike wasn’t as strong or athletic as his brothers, nor was he passionate about wrestling. He would suffer a serious injury in his first match that left him hospitalized and in a coma. When Mike wakes up from the coma, it’s clear that he’s suffered some sort of brain damage.
Despite not yet recovering his strength, Fritz rushes him back into training. Between the unresolved grief of David’s death, the pressure to fill the void left by his fallen brother, and the struggles from his own injury, Mike is overwhelmed with trauma. Sadly, he takes his own life. The Von Erichs mourn yet another tragic loss. Kevin can no longer deny the family curse. He goes so far as to change his son’s last name in an effort to protect him. Shortly after Mike’s death, Kevin gets a title opportunity against Ric Flair. He’s supposed to finally win the title, but his frustration takes over and he gets himself disqualified.
Meanwhile, Kerry’s worked himself back in the ring. He signs with the WWF, and for some time, it seems his career is back on track. Then, after a couple years, he was cut by the WWF. He returned home, but the pain and trauma had caught up to him. Shortly after voicing his suicidal thoughts to Kevin, Kerry tragically shoots himself in the front yard of the family house. Kevin had been managing the WCCW for some time, and the business was declining rapidly. Having lost all his brothers to wrestling, Kevin decides to sell the WCCW to Jerry Jarrett to give his own family -now consisting of an expecting Pam and two boys- a chance.
Overall Thoughts
Before I get into how the brutality that was The Iron Claw, I would encourage everyone who saw the film to read up on the Von Erichs. Somehow, the actual story has even more tragedy than the film. For example, Fritz and Doris’ firstborn son was electrocuted into a puddle and drowned at the age of six. Furthermore, the youngest Von Erich, Chris, who was not mentioned in the film, died of suicide as well. In an interview with the LA Times, Sean Durkin, the director of the film, explained his decision to exclude Chris by claiming that the film couldn’t “withstand” another tragedy and that “there was a repetition to it.”
Films can only capture so much, and the director does a great job telling this story, but I’m a baffled by the justification he provides. Kevin is still alive, and they worked with him throughout the film, so I can’t imagine how they communicated the decision to exclude the death of his youngest brother. Surely, they didn’t tell him that the tragedies his family experienced were repetitive? I don’t want to knock the film too much because of this, but it was an odd choice to say the least.
Anyways, this was a great film with a consistent theme. The ruthless nature of the pro wrestling business inspired fierce competition even amongst brothers. The brutality of the sport pushed competitors to their limits. In an effort to cope with the pressure, wrestlers resorted to unhealthy habits including excessive use of pain killers and a general lack of self-care. A combination of physical pain, high expectations, unresolved grief, and a lack of support drove the brothers towards mental breakdowns, some of which were fatal. Curse or no curse, there are lessons to be learned from this tragic tale.
Character Development (14/15)
Much of the film naturally follows Kevin as the only surviving brother. From the start, he just wants to be there for his brothers. Explicitly defining that as his core value early on in the film added to the devastation of all the loss he experienced. Pam effectively served as a sort of measuring stick for Kevin’s mental state while he played that role to each of his brothers at various stages in their lives. Fritz and Doris’ inability to intervene when their sons needed them the most is crucially documented to help rationalize the decisions the brothers made.
Childhood Influence
For some children, parental influence can be all-consuming that it ends up defining their development into adulthood. Such was the case for Kevin Von Erich. Fritz Von Erich, his father, lived in the wrestling world with all of its struggles. Kevin’s childhood occurred at a time when Fritz’s career hadn’t quite taken off. As a result, he felt the stress of financial instability and frequent travel. His brothers also experienced these hardships, but as the eldest living son, Kevin had a greater awareness that would later translate into a sense of responsibility.
There was also the matter of Fritz’s lifelong dream of holding the NWA world title that never materialized. Fritz held a grudge against the industry for what he viewed as an intentional snub against him, and he refused to let go even after retiring. He was intent on seeing out his dream through his sons, as failed parents often do. And with the success of the WCCW, he seemed well-positioned to do so. Obviously, this rubbed off onto Kevin and his brothers in a big way. Fritz engrained in them the idea that they were not only fighting for their careers, they were fighting for their father and the family name.
Once again, Kevin felt the brunt of this responsibility because he was the eldest. He trained hard and looked to his father for guidance every step of the way. There was no room for missteps or breaks because that would be perceived as weakness. Kevin’s passion for wrestling was derived from a desire to achieve his father’s dream and because the sport kept him close to his brothers. When he lost both motivators, he quit the industry altogether.
The Eldest Brother
The brutal nature of the wrestling industry meant that the brothers were often competing against eachother. Kevin was in for this rude awakening when David was chosen to go after the NWA world title instead of him. The way Kevin saw it, he had spent years preparing himself for a shot at the world title only for David to jump ahead of him. Even though Kevin was more experienced in the ring, he wasn’t good on the mic. David would step in to talk on Kevin’s behalf in what was initially seen as an innocent, helpful contribution. However, after David was selected for the world title program, Kevin started to question his brother’s intentions.
This is where the furious sense of competition starts to cause real damage to the family. Kevin would later realize his insecurity was misplaced and admit as much to David, but the Von Erichs would never quite shake the underlying distrust that comes with competition. This meant that when Kevin saw David coughing blood ahead of his trip to Japan, he could not translate his concern for his brother effectively. Kevin half-heartedly tells David to stay behind and rest, but he knows that David can’t take his advice seriously owing to the fact that they are in direct competition with eachother.
The tragedy here is that Kevin’s concerns and advice were legitimate. David’s death was completely avoidable had he prioritized his health, just as Kevin had recommended. Fritz’s policy was to push his sons as hard as he could at all times, so Kevin felt it was up to him to look out for his brothers. That he knew of David’s poor health before the trip to Japan only added to the guilt. Kevin’s inability to assert his concerns cost him a brother, and it wasn’t for the last time.
No Lessons Learned
After David’s death, things would start to spiral out of control. Instead of reflecting on how this terrible tragedy came about, Fritz pushed Kevin, Kerry, and Mike even harder. The fierce competition reared its ugly head once again as Kevin and Kerry fought over who was to take David’s spot. The dispute was “resolved” with a coin toss, and Kerry would go on to win the NWA world title to finally achieve Fritz’s dream. Much like with David, Kevin’s initial negative reaction gave way to a pure congratulatory tone. Kevin was proud of his brother, and he let him know as much.
Unfortunately, Kevin, Kerry, and Mike were never given the time to grieve the loss of their brother. Winning the world title triggered complicated feelings in Kerry. The motorcycle ride he takes to reflect ends in an accident that leaves him with an amputated foot. There’s no point in discussing what ifs due to the infinite possibilities, but what we can say is that Kerry was not given time to grieve, and that weighed heavily on his mental and emotional state.
Grief Upon Grief
After Kerry’s accident, Fritz’s heartless approach becomes inexcusable. He shows absolutely no regard for the well-being of his sons. Specifically in the case of Mike, Doris is a guilty bystander as well. Kevin had gone to his mother in the past about his concerns about Fritz pushing Mike beyond his limits, but she refused to get involved. After David’s death and Kerry’s accident, Fritz pushed Mike into wrestling. Kevin was tasked with training his youngest brother even though he could see that Mike was not up for it. Mike was neither passionate about wrestling nor was he physically capable of competing.
Mike suffers an injury that puts in a coma, but Fritz still pushes him to keep going. The pressure overwhelms Mike. He feels that he can never fill the void left by David. The prospect of chasing an unattainable goal, coupled with the unresolved grief and brain trauma from the coma, drives Mike to suicide. This is a particularly tragic loss because of how avoidable it was. Much like with David, had Kevin asserted his concerns, Mike wouldn’t have been forced into a life that clearly wasn’t for him.
Mike’s suicide cripples Kevin largely because he subconsciously feels culpable. Unfortunately, no effort is made to rationalize how this tragedy came about beyond pinning the blame on the family curse. Kevin had previously rejected the curse, but by now he had accumulated so much unresolved grief and guilt that he concludes that the curse must be true. He changes his son’s last name and keeps his distance from Pam and his son out of the irrational fear that he may curse them as well.
“I Used To Be A Brother”
Even after all the tragedies, Fritz refuses to relent. Kerry, now with a prosthetic foot, enlists Kevin’s help in training. Kevin sees that Kerry is in no shape to wrestle, and this time, he asserts his concerns despite Kerry lashing out against him. Kevin would eventually help Kerry get his career back on track. However, Kerry can only fight through the pain and grief for so long. Eventually, Kerry succumbs to the family curse and shares his suicidal thoughts with Kevin. Kevin tries to calm his brother and enlists the help of their father, but Fritz is dismissive of Kevin’s concerns.
The following day, as Kevin arrives to the family house to check in with Fritz, he hears a gunshot. Kerry shot himself with the gun that he had gifted his father, which is symbolic considering how consequential Fritz’s actions were to Kerry’s demise. Kevin is overwhelmed with sadness and grief that morphs into rage when he sees his father. Kevin attacks Fritz and blames him for the callous dismissal of his legitimate concerns about Kerry’s mental state. It’s a moment of utter despair. Kevin had lost all of his brothers, and for what?
What’s truly unfortunate for Kevin is that by the time he sold the WCCW, he had already lost so much. Nonetheless, he saw what wrestling did to his brothers and decided that he didn’t want his children to go through the same experience. Pam deserves alot of credit for her patience and sensibility. She gave Kevin space when he needed it but still held him to his responsibilities as a husband and a father. Because of her efforts, Kevin was able to pick up the pieces and get his life back on track. The grief of losing his brothers is something he will always have to live with, but with his children, he has something to live for.
Theme/Messages (4/5)
- Rationalizing misfortune as a product of some supernatural power (i.e. a curse) is destructive because it perpetuates the idea that you can’t do anything to improve your current situation.
- How far does the role of parents extend in ensuring that their children are mentally stable?
- Family can be a person’s greatest source of strength (or weakness).
- Pushing people past their limits is risky business… all it takes is one moment for a person to break beyond repair.
Acting (12/15)
Zac Efron (Kevin) was outstanding from start to finish. He’s effectively reinvented himself as a “serious” actor. He was tasked with capturing so much agony and devastation, and he did just that. The hallmark of a top acting performance is the ability to convey nuance in a believable fashion. Kevin experienced a wide range of negative emotions including physical pain, anger, grief, sadness, despair, and depression. Zac distinctly captured these emotions, and as a result, we as viewers got a feel for Kevin’s experience.
The other standout performance goes to Jeremy Allen White (Kerry). His controlled chaos meshed well with Zac’s muted agony. The rest of the supporting cast held their own as well. That includes Holt McCallany (Fritz), Stanley Simons (Mike), Harris Dickinson (David), Lily James (Pam), and Maura Tierney (Doris). There was one scene that was particularly bad, and that was the Ric Flair promo. Aaron Dean Eisenberg (Ric Flair) did not have any of Flair’s natural charisma despite trying his best. With that said, that was the only weak spot of an otherwise very well-acted film.
Cinematography (13/15)
Outside of the lasting shot of Kevin crying as he watches his sons play, there weren’t many standout shots in the film. Where the film excelled was with the wrestling shots. There was a sort of raw feel to them that felt unique.