Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson steps into the boots of two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine set to release this week in theaters.
From the minute first-look pictures dropped, it was clear that Johnson was going to be the most stripped-back he’s ever been. At the world premiere in Venice, he received a reported 15-minute standing ovation. Early reviews of the film are mixed, but the consensus is that it’s Johnson’s best performance yet.
On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Johnson recounts a story from the set where he suffered a concussion. At the end of the film, there’s a scene that mirrors Kerr’s time in Japan, fighting Kazuyuki Fujita. Kerr takes every blow Fujita throws his way, despite obviously being out of it. Johnson didn’t want to fake