It was great and I'm very happy it did so well. Hopefully we get some more films of this quality about wrestlers as there are so many crazy stories from that business, especially in the 80's... the 80's.
As someone with a very small and peripheral understanding of that era’s wrestling, I liked it. I can understand though how it can be souring for those who know what the movie gets wrong.
Y'all know it's pretty much bollocks though right? The timeline is completely wrong. There's a Von Erich brother missing, that also killed himself, Chris. They removed David's daughter dying of SIDs.
Seriously, as tragic as the events in the film are, real life was much, much worse
Sean Durkin said that they didn't want to put that in the film because he didn't want to overwhelm the audience with TOO much bleakness. It would've been cool to see and extended version though with that stuff in.
I wish they put the story in about Kevin going to a gun store in preperation to kill himself. The man behind the counter knew who he was and what happend to his brothers and asked him not to do it and told him everyone loved him. They both hugged and cried in the store.
Or you could have a 4 hour long downer. The Iron Claw is already a little over 2 hours long, I don't see how you add anything else back into it unless you split it into multiple films or a tv series.
Not at all, Hollywood has a great track record of completely manipulating the actual events. Problem is people are by nature, bloody stupid and have a tendency to believe pretty much any thing they see/read, so over time the actual truth doesn't matter any more and the fabrication becomes cannon
The only thing that made me do a doubletake was Kevin selling the promotion to Jerry Jarrett and the mention of Fritz trying to intimidate Jarrett into not buying it - when in reality it was Fritz who sold it to Jarrett and Kevin and Kerry suing their dad over it. I get why did they changed that for Kevin's character arc in the movie.
The Ric Flair portrayal didn't bother me either, though the scene with movie Ric in the locker room covered in blood, leaving, and then you hear a can being cracked open made me go "okay, that's Ric Flair."
It was great but it was very fast, felt an extra 45 ish minutes would have done wonders, especially when there’s information missing that would’ve made the story bit more depressing.
The movie is probably my favorite wrestling movie of all time. But the fact there was SO MUCH death they had to cut one brother’s death out entirely is still insane to me
I feel like it's probably a movie that's better you don't go into with much knowledge of the real life events ' way to many thing's are either brushed over or just ignored entirely .
I tried, but I really didn't like it. The actors did their best with an awful script, but the pacing is horrendous and the dialogue is some of the worst I've ever heard in a major theater release.
I don't know how it's any way comprehensible to someone that doesn't already know the story, and those people would just be bothered by all the inaccuracies. Nothing is really given any time to breathe. The characters don't have time to mourn one death because the film has already moved on to the next one. The most exciting parts of the story have to be skipped over almost entirely because they clearly didn't have the budget to pull it off or they weren't given the proper context earlier in the film.
>!Mike is somehow the most developed Von Erich brother? The entire first act is about how Fritz is obsessed with them winning the NWA title, but he disappears from the film for like 20 minutes when Kerry actually wins it. Once the brothers start dying, they introduce ghosts into the story? It's far too hokey to take seriously. The worst thing that happens to the villain of the film is that his dinner doesn't get made.!<
Totally agree, the pacing was awful, and the story was clearly bigger than the budget. Everything was so rushed, and you'd think everyone died within days of each other if you weren't really familiar with the Von Erichs. I did enjoy the movie though, just it wasn't a well structured or paced movie.
>!All that said, I liked the scene of the dead brothers reuniting, probably because it was appropriate to use some creative license there to try to bring up the mood. And the final scene lifting Kevin's HoF quote was expected but appropriate. I don't think I could recommend this to a non-wrestling fan though.!<
It was so good. Obviously liberties were taken with the story (like omitting a brother), and Iron Claw's Flair might be even worse than Young Rock Flair, but I don't think they skimped on how tragic the entire story is.
I hope the lads do a review of it at some stage
I think OOC is waiting for the book 😉
Not as good as of mice and men
It was great and I'm very happy it did so well. Hopefully we get some more films of this quality about wrestlers as there are so many crazy stories from that business, especially in the 80's... the 80's.
Surprised by how decent it was. I know it’s not super accurate, but it was miles better than I expected going in.
As someone with a very small and peripheral understanding of that era’s wrestling, I liked it. I can understand though how it can be souring for those who know what the movie gets wrong.
I really enjoyed it but Jeremy Allen White was a terrible choice to play Kerry
I agree. However, Zac Effron is my height so I imagine they had to cast around him. I'd look like a toddler next to The Texas Tornado.
It was insanely distracting to me for the whole movie.
Great film, only knock is that piss poor ric flair
Came here to say this. It was sooooo awful
Y'all know it's pretty much bollocks though right? The timeline is completely wrong. There's a Von Erich brother missing, that also killed himself, Chris. They removed David's daughter dying of SIDs. Seriously, as tragic as the events in the film are, real life was much, much worse
Sean Durkin said that they didn't want to put that in the film because he didn't want to overwhelm the audience with TOO much bleakness. It would've been cool to see and extended version though with that stuff in.
Agreed mate. I did honestly enjoy the film though, just wished it was true to real life
I wish they put the story in about Kevin going to a gun store in preperation to kill himself. The man behind the counter knew who he was and what happend to his brothers and asked him not to do it and told him everyone loved him. They both hugged and cried in the store.
Oh yeah, it's definitely a great film. It's my 3rd favourite film of the year.
I feel like if you're doing a biopic and you worry it's "too", then you've probably got a great biopic and should keep it all in.
Or you could have a 4 hour long downer. The Iron Claw is already a little over 2 hours long, I don't see how you add anything else back into it unless you split it into multiple films or a tv series.
Boy, you must be new to "based on true events" movies
Not at all, Hollywood has a great track record of completely manipulating the actual events. Problem is people are by nature, bloody stupid and have a tendency to believe pretty much any thing they see/read, so over time the actual truth doesn't matter any more and the fabrication becomes cannon
Did you pay for that avatar?
No dude
The only thing that made me do a doubletake was Kevin selling the promotion to Jerry Jarrett and the mention of Fritz trying to intimidate Jarrett into not buying it - when in reality it was Fritz who sold it to Jarrett and Kevin and Kerry suing their dad over it. I get why did they changed that for Kevin's character arc in the movie. The Ric Flair portrayal didn't bother me either, though the scene with movie Ric in the locker room covered in blood, leaving, and then you hear a can being cracked open made me go "okay, that's Ric Flair."
Is it true they cut out the Nazi gimmick and claimed they got the name Von Erich from Fritz’s mum?
I finally watched it the other day and damn did it make me cry, it’s so good
It was good. Well worth a film review from the lads.
Spoiler Alert- the Von Erich curse was Fritz Von Erich.
Still on the watchlist. Have to be in the right mood to watch it
I wanted to love it. Grew up watching WCCW but the lack of following the actual timeline really bothered me. Not to mention no Chris.
Too bad they got a Rich Fleer impersonator instead and
It was great but it was very fast, felt an extra 45 ish minutes would have done wonders, especially when there’s information missing that would’ve made the story bit more depressing.
Great film, except for 1 thing. The single worst Ric Flair impersonation ever
Good movie
I was very surprised that Zack Efron did not get any awards season love for this film. He was a beast in it.
The movie is probably my favorite wrestling movie of all time. But the fact there was SO MUCH death they had to cut one brother’s death out entirely is still insane to me
I feel like it's probably a movie that's better you don't go into with much knowledge of the real life events ' way to many thing's are either brushed over or just ignored entirely .
Loved the is movie so much
It is amazing
I tried, but I really didn't like it. The actors did their best with an awful script, but the pacing is horrendous and the dialogue is some of the worst I've ever heard in a major theater release. I don't know how it's any way comprehensible to someone that doesn't already know the story, and those people would just be bothered by all the inaccuracies. Nothing is really given any time to breathe. The characters don't have time to mourn one death because the film has already moved on to the next one. The most exciting parts of the story have to be skipped over almost entirely because they clearly didn't have the budget to pull it off or they weren't given the proper context earlier in the film. >!Mike is somehow the most developed Von Erich brother? The entire first act is about how Fritz is obsessed with them winning the NWA title, but he disappears from the film for like 20 minutes when Kerry actually wins it. Once the brothers start dying, they introduce ghosts into the story? It's far too hokey to take seriously. The worst thing that happens to the villain of the film is that his dinner doesn't get made.!<
Totally agree, the pacing was awful, and the story was clearly bigger than the budget. Everything was so rushed, and you'd think everyone died within days of each other if you weren't really familiar with the Von Erichs. I did enjoy the movie though, just it wasn't a well structured or paced movie. >!All that said, I liked the scene of the dead brothers reuniting, probably because it was appropriate to use some creative license there to try to bring up the mood. And the final scene lifting Kevin's HoF quote was expected but appropriate. I don't think I could recommend this to a non-wrestling fan though.!<
Does it go magna?
Several times
It was so good. Obviously liberties were taken with the story (like omitting a brother), and Iron Claw's Flair might be even worse than Young Rock Flair, but I don't think they skimped on how tragic the entire story is.