Written and directed by Benny Safdie, The Smashing Machine is a biographical sports drama that tells the tragic rise and fall of mixed martial arts fighter Mark Kerr, played by Johnson. The story zeroes in on the late 1990s, showcasing Kerr’s dominance in the ring, his subsequent struggles with opioid addiction, and his turbulent relationship with his wife, Dawn Staples (portrayed by Emily Blunt).

Interestingly, the film is a scripted adaptation of HBO’s 2002 documentary of the same name, which chronicled the same pivotal chapter in Kerr’s life. It’s another example of Hollywood leaning into the “true story” formula – a recipe that, when done well, often connects deeply with audiences.

The movie admittedly starts off slow, even with the fight scenes sprinkled in, and the pacing may test your patience at first. Some sequences feel oddly put together, almost disjointed, but as the narrative unfolds, the pieces begin to align, pulling you deeper into Kerr’s world.

For Johnson, this is arguably the most demanding role of his career. It required a massive physical transformation (he looks even more like a monster of an athlete than ever before), cosmetic alterations to his appearance, and, perhaps most importantly, a willingness to push his emotional range further than we’ve seen from him. One scene in particular, where Johnson breaks down in tears, is a standout moment that reminds us he’s more than just muscle and charm.

While the film doesn’t fully live up to its potential, it’s uneven in parts and some key moments feel rushed, it does eventually win you over. By the end, it lands with an emotional punch that sticks.

The performances are where the film shines brightest. Johnson delivers a career-best turn, while Emily Blunt gives a powerful and layered performance as Kerr’s wife. Together, they bring real humanity to a story that could have easily been overshadowed by the brutality of the sport. Credit also goes to the casting team for putting together a lineup that feels authentic and compelling.

At its heart, The Smashing Machine is an ode to an underappreciated MMA pioneer. Kerr’s sacrifices, resilience, and raw humanity are on full display. He comes across as a kind, humble man who became an unstoppable force once the cage doors closed. It’s a story that not only inspires but also highlights just how much Kerr contributed to shaping modern MMA.

For Johnson, this role marks an important turning point. It elevates his career to new heights and shows he’s capable of far more than the blockbuster archetypes he’s known for. Here’s hoping this is the first of many roles that challenge him to dig deeper into his craft.

Verdict: Not perfect, but powerful where it counts. The Smashing Machine delivers Dwayne Johnson’s finest performance yet and pays fitting tribute to an MMA legend who deserves the spotlight.

Cast – Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Idris Elba, Vanessa Kirby, Helen Mirren & Roman Reigns

Director – David Leitch

Genre – Mystery/Action

Running Time – 2h 16m

Ever since hulking lawman Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), a loyal agent of America’s Diplomatic Security Service, and lawless outcast Shaw (Jason Statham), a former British military elite operative, first faced off in 2015’s Furious 7, the duo have swapped smack talk and body blows as they’ve tried to take each other down. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton (Idris Elba) gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever–and bests a brilliant and fearless rogue MI6 agent (The Crown’s Vanessa Kirby), who just happens to be Shaw’s sister–these two sworn enemies will have to partner up to bring down the only guy who might be badder than themselves.

Also referred to as Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, this movie (evidently) comes on the back of the successful Fast & Furious franchise where the lead characters (Hobbs and Shaw) were initially introduced to us. We recall the great chemistry the two had in Furious 7 which further amplified the franchise’s pulling power, so it’s a no brainer really that we now have a movie dedicated to just them, a great move if you ask us. Hobbs and Shaw is also a fantastic springboard before the next movie (Fast & Furious 9) in the franchise hits us next year.

As briefly mentioned, the chemistry between the two leads is very key to this and is essentially what will have you hooked…in addition to the other awesome action sequences of course. How Statham and Johnson lean on each other and feed off each other’s energy is an absolute treat to see throughout the movie. Some of the stunts are over-the-top it has to be said but the overall package which includes the comedic gold it has spread across should be enough to fulfill anyone’s appetite.

It was also pretty cool to see some of the surprise cameo appearances (which we won’t spoil for you of course) that made it an even greater enjoyable watch. The movie is what it is and delivers in every sense of the word. The cast is great and everyone plays their roles to perfection including Idris Elba who makes a great villain (who would have thunk it?), his usual onscreen charm and poise comes through even as a bad guy. This movie is not perfect and parts of it do feel unnecessary (including some of the over-the-top sequences which some might be put off by) but overall it makes for a great watch.

 Hobbs & Shaw is a great ride underpinned by the fantastic onscreen chemistry from its two leads. The comedy it contains is absolute gold and adds to the fun that’s mixed with jaw dropping action sequences. Cheesy in parts and unnecessary in some cases but overall marvelous to watch. It is indeed a great preview to the upcoming Fast & Furious movies. We had a great time while watching and no doubt you will too. Grab your boys, girlfriends or whoever who just wants to have a little fun this weekend and go watch this, it officially lands in cinemas nationwide tomorrow (02 Aug). An action packed 7.5 out of 10 rating is what it gets from us. 

Thank you to MNet Movies (in partnership with Ster-Kinekor) for allowing us to watch this a little earlier than most.

If this doesn’t give you chills filled with excitement then we don’t know what will. Elba as a villain alone should be enough to get anyone to sit up, when you further mix that with the sheer swag of powerhouses Statham and Johnson then you have the makings of something special. Hobbs & Shaw is set to hit the big screen on 2 August 2019, we are more than ready for this one…are you?

Onto the movie, as briefly mentioned, Rampage stars Dwayne Johnson as primatologist (didn’t know this was a thing to be honest…primatologist? Huh…) Davis Okoye, a man who keeps people at a distance, shares an unshakable bond with George, the extraordinarily intelligent, silverback gorilla who has been in his care since birth.

A rogue genetic experiment gone awry mutates this gentle ape into a raging creature of enormous size. To make matters worse, it’s soon discovered there are other similarly altered animals. As these newly created alpha predators tear across North America, destroying everything in their path, Okoye teams with a discredited genetic engineer to secure an antidote, fighting his way through an ever-changing battlefield, not only to halt a global catastrophe but to save the fearsome creature that was once his friend.

Cast – Dwayne Johnson, Naomie Harris, Malin Åkerman, Joe Manganiello, Jake Lacy, Marley Shelton & Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Director – Brad Peyton

Genre – Fantasy/Science fiction

Running Time – 1h 55m

Directed and produced by Brad Peyton (Ted, Frontier, San Andreas and more behind his impressive credits), Rampage is based on a video game and is an all-out action movie that reminded me of a King Kong or Planet of the Apes with some silliness in parts. If you’ve read most of my reviews, you’ll know that in addition to many things, I like movies that have a mixture of cool elements and if there’s comedy included then I’m completely sold. Rampage has this and more, it was the perfect movie to screen in an outdoor setting and if you missed out on that experience then, well, too bad, sorry…

Worthy of blockbuster status, Rampage is an easy, silly and fun action movie that most will enjoy. In his latest lead role in a movie, this maybe one of Dwayne’s best movies to date. No doubt this is his type of setting, his role in the movie fits him like a glove with his onscreen “bromance” with George (the gorilla) being one of the highlights of the movie. In addition, and coming through with a cool demeanour, as always in most of his roles, I also enjoyed Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s portrayal of government agent, Harvey Russell.

A solid movie and worthy of holding its own until the next blockbuster enters the circuit, Rampage is definitely a worthy watch especially in an IMAX, 3D or D-Box setting. I kept an open mind and was ready for a good movie and that’s exactly what I got, that’s why this one gets a rock (see what I did there?) solid 7.5 out of 10 rating from me. Make a date with your mates, better half or fam to see this one, you’ll have a good time trust in that.

Classy as always, all my thanks go to the cool kids at Ster for the fantastic outdoor screening experience, proper way to watch any movie…this should be a regular thing I reckon!

Given the chance to check it out a little bit earlier by MNet Movies, I couldn’t say no to an invitation to one of the biggest movies of the year. Many have asked this and probably still are – was there a need to do another one? How good is the latest offering in the franchise? Is this the last one or will be there be another offering in the series? Hopefully the analysis below will help answer most if not all of the above.

Cast – Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Kurt Russell, Scott Eastwood, Charlize Theron & Helen Mirren

Director – F. Gary Gray

Genre – Crime film/Thriller

Running Time –  2h16m

The Plot

Now that Dom (Vin Diesel) and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) are on their honeymoon, Brian and Mia have retired from the game, and the rest of the crew has been exonerated, the globetrotting team has found a semblance of a normal life. But when a mysterious woman seduces Dom back into a world of crime that he can’t seem to escape, the crew will face trials that will test them as never before.

The plot above doesn’t give too much away and is too simplistic but when you mix it up with the trailer you can’t help but get giddy about the movie. But does it live up to the hype? Simple answer is an outstanding yes, the movie truly is a blockbuster worth checking out and lives up to the bill. The whole franchise has been taken to another level and has continued to evolve with each movie released in the series. Fast & Furious 8 is a well put together movie complete with non-stop action, crazy but impressive stunts and a bit of comedy here and there.

The movie truly is a blockbuster worth checking out and lives up to the bill.

Sure, the plot and how it’s set up might not be mind-blowing or original but its simplistic nature makes the whole offering easy to follow. The movie flows from one end to the other seamlessly and offers a bit of everything, Fast 8 might be the best in the whole franchise. There probably wasn’t a need to do another movie in the series however it’s still a winning formula and my money is on another one in the offing especially when you consider how it concluded which you’ll see for yourself.

In addition to the other regulars, our very own Charlize Theron joins the perfectly assembled cast in a slightly surprising role as the villain. When it was initially announced that she was set to become the villain, a part of me wasn’t too sure but, surprisingly, she pulls it off without any hiccups and is in fact one of the reasons why the whole offering is a fantastic watch. A great choice in character selection and very well executed.

Fast & Furious 8 is a great flick, I truly enjoyed it and no doubt just about everyone else will, regardless of whether or not you’ve been a fanboy/girl from the onset or not. It’s got almost everything you would want in a good action thriller and is guaranteed to have your attention throughout. A great watch, the movie gets a very cool 4.4 out 5 rating from me.

* Special shoutout to MNet Movies and Ster-Kinekor for a very cool screening, one of the best I’ve been to in a while!