‘The Iron Claw’ nearly perfects the Von Erich tragedy
The story of the Von Erich family has long been viewed as a story of tragedy, addiction and love that is anything but normal. On Dec. 22, 2023, the anticipated biographical sports drama “The Iron Claw” was released in the United States. Since its release, the film has received acclaim for its emotional portrayal of the family, with the National Board of Review naming “The Iron Claw” one of the top 10 films of 2023.
“The Iron Claw” stars Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Stanley Simons, Holt McCallany and Maura Tierney. Efron portrays the main character of the film, Kevin Von Erich. Meanwhile, White, Dickinson and Simons round out the lead’s brothers, starring as Kerry, David and Mike Von Erich, respectively. McCallany plays the patriarch of the family in Fritz Von Erich, and Tierney stars as his wife, Doris Von Erich.
From the very beginning of the film, the relationship between the brothers and their parents is one of strength and hope, with that strength coming from trying to break a rumored curse that had adversely affected past generations of Von Erichs. Their hope was to make waves in the professional wrestling scene and to eventually bring home an illustrious World Championship win to their family.
As time progressed and Fritz’s local indie federation grew due to Kevin and David’s success in the ring, and its promotion offered them the opportunity to platform themselves on a bigger scale, with the Von Erichs being groomed as eventual champions of the industry.
Despite Kevin being older, David was viewed as the family’s rising star, and the opportunity to prove himself against acclaimed wrestlers of the time was given to him before it was given to his older brother. Although it was not his time in the limelight yet, he still managed to be supportive of his brother. During this time, Kerry, who had been training for the Olympics, returned home after the United States decided not to participate. Kerry was then asked by his father to get into the wrestling business, to which he obliged, continuing the family legacy.
With the central theme of the film highlighting the tragedies that overwhelmed the Von Erichs’ lineage, the rise of David to the top of industry in quick fashion proved to be a catalyst for his eventual death. David died of enteritis just before his high-profile match with National Wrestling Alliance Worlds Champion Ric Flair. His brother Kerry replaced David in the match.
That match proved to be legendary, as Kerry became the Worlds Champion, bringing the long-awaited title home. Unfortunately, his run at the top was short-lived, as shortly after, he lost his leg in a motorcycle accident.
Kerry’s story also ends in tragedy. Despite making his way back into the ring and joining the WWF, his addiction to painkillers, along with his inability to climb the corporate ladder and eventual release by the WWF, caused him to commit suicide in the farm of the Von Erichs’ household.
The tragedies, unfortunately, don’t end there. Mike, who originally was passionate for music, also took to the wrestling business following David’s death. He looked to be a promising talent, until a shoulder injury inexplicably caused him to go into a coma. The coma led to a rapid downfall in his mental state, with Mike ultimately committing suicide as well.
With all three of his brothers departed, Kevin is the last of his siblings remaining. Throughout the movie, every tragedy that goes by makes it more clear to him that the “family curse” is real. Despite his life leading to marriage and fatherhood, his depression in not having his brothers by his side (as well as an estranged relationship with his father) continued to be the underlying message of “The Iron Claw.”
Efron’s performance as Kevin was excellent. He was emotionally gripping, raw and innovative in his performance, and he portrayed the character’s hard mindset surrounding men having to be strong and not show emotion as powerful.
Not only is “The Iron Claw” one of the sadder films of 2023, but its final scenes are some of the best pieces of cinema that came out of the last year.
While “The Iron Claw” is surely one to watch, there are some historical misfires. The most notable is the decision to not depict Chris Von Erich, another brother of the family, who also became a professional wrestler and who also ended up committing suicide.
Despite that, present-day Kevin Von Erich praised the film for its characterizations and the contributions made by wrestler Chavo Guerrero in depicting the story. The only complaint from Kevin, however, regarded the intense depiction of Fritz.
“The Iron Claw” is a terrific film and can be enjoyed by anyone, whether a fan of wrestling or not. It is currently in theaters.
