In the world of wrestling, there is a name whose mention is certain to elicit chills: that of the Von Erich family. This clan was said to be under the yoke of a curse. And in fact, these siblings were decimated: two premature deaths and three suicides. The only survivor of the six brothers, Kevin Von Erich is the protagonist of the biographical drama The Iron Claw (The iron claw), named after the signature technique by which their father, Fritz Von Erich, defeated his opponents in the ring. However, far from being exciting, the tragic family saga here turns out to be frustrating and, worse, boring.
To say that we expected more from director and screenwriter Sean Durkin after his fabulous marital thriller The Nest is an understatement. Let us first look at the frustrating dimension of The Iron Claw. This is attributable to the choice of focus of the film.
Indeed, by essentially anchoring himself to the perspective of Kevin, a good son, future good husband and father, and of boundless naivety, Durkin unwittingly opted for narrative insignificance. In that Kevin, as he is presented here, is completely blind to the manipulations and intimidations of his father, Fritz.
Fritz who cultivates a competitive spirit among his sons and who, bitter at never having reached the desired level of glory, pushes them and pushes them again by proxy until death ensues. Literally. There is no curse, there is only Fritz and his obsession. The film establishes this paternal narcissism, but refuses to explore it.
This is a rather inexplicable bias: Durkin shows the unhealthy family dynamic, touches on it, but does not delve into it. Thus, instead of really being interested in the character of the father through whom misfortune happens repeatedly, and let us remember that the fate which persists is, more or less, the subject of the film, the filmmaker persists in sticking to Kevin’s experience. And since Kevin is in denial, it’s as if the film is too (Durkin seems especially concerned with its meticulous period reconstruction and its complex but slightly flashy staging).
Which brings us to the boring aspect of the film. This is because by following this protagonist who learns nothing and understands nothing (or very little, and very late) about what is happening to his family and to himself, we end up losing interest in his destiny.
The limits of a star
There is also the question of the main actor. This is a harsh observation, but the fact is that Zac Efron does not have the chest required to carry the film. Certainly, the appearance is there: the young actor has transformed himself into a mountain of muscles to play Kevin Von Erich and we applaud the physical investment. The technique is also adequate: Efron looks distraught at the right time, cries at the right moment…
The essential supplement of soul is no less absent.
Oh and, when it comes to Efron’s appearance, there is still a certain mystery: is his face covered in prosthetic makeup or is it the intensive training that has transformed him? As it stands, with his plastic figurine appearance (amplified by an atrocious wig), you’d think the actor was auditioning for the role of He-Man in an adaptation of the Masters of the universe. Between 1979 and 1993, the period covered by the story, his features do not change one iota.
Like his character who hopes to become world champion, Zac Efron is also trying to win a title. After effectively breaking her clean teen idol image of High School Musical with crude comedy Neighbors (Neighbors), Efron is clearly trying to establish himself as a leading dramatic actor here. Unfortunately, the star finds himself on the mat. With the rest of the cast proving very solid, the contrast exacerbates Efron’s limitations.
Another problem: like a poorly “arranged” wrestling match, the film constantly announces the moves to come. No surprises, no dramatic tension. We anticipate the developments, which are occurring, flatly. Sean Durkin painted himself in the corner (of the ring), really.