How to watch The Smashing Machine in New Zealand
Dwayne Johnson takes a swing at serious acting in this sports biopic.
Dwayne Johnson pivots (back? debatable) to serious acting with this sports biopic from Uncut Gems co-director Benny Safdie, here making his solo debut. Does he manage it? Well, you’re gonna have to find out for yourself…
How to watch The Smashing Machine in New Zealand
The Smashing Machine is screening in New Zealand cinemas from October 2, 2025.
What is The Smashing Machine about?
Hark to the tale of Mark Kerr, pioneering mixed martial arts fighter, as he battles his way up the ranks of the fledgling sport while also battling a painkiller addiction brought about by…well, battling his way up the ranks of the fledgling sport. And that’s about it, in terms of plot, but this is more of a character study. One that peers into the relationship between the hulking Kerr and his girlfriend, Dawn Staples, played by Emily Blunt.
The cast of The Smashing Machine
Dwayne Johnson is Mark Kerr, our eponymous Smashing Machine; Emily Blunt is Dawn Staples, his long term partner; MMA fighter Ryan Bader is Mark Coleman, Kerr’s best mate and fellow fighter; legendary fighter Bas Rutten plays himself; Oleksandr Usyk is Igor Vovchanchyn, Kerr’s main rival in the ring; Lyndsey Gavin is Elizabeth Coleman; with Satoshi Ishii, James Moontasri, Yoko Hamamura, Stephen Quadros, Paul Cheng, and Cyborg Abreu in support.
The Smashing Machine trailer
Why we’re excited about The Smashing Machine
Dwayne Johnson has always been interesting when he stretches himself as a performer. Be Cool and Southland Tales may be a bit mid, but he’s great in both of ’em—so it’s good to see him try something dramatic here.
Then again, he kind of has to—a string of coolly received blockbusters and streaming releases have done him no favours. The question is whether The Smashing Machine does anything new with the form. I mean, really, you could always be watching Raging Bull, right?
