Culture news Finally a good film with Zac Efron? Critics are unanimous on The Iron Claw
The Iron Claw created a surprise by making everyone agree, both the specialist critics and the spectators, even though no one expected it at this level.
The Iron Claw officially arrives in French cinemas on January 24 and has already been available in the United States since December 2, 2023. While no one expected it, the film made everyone agree with a score of 88% for the press and 94% for the spectators on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is The Iron Claw about?
This year’s unexpected critical success is The Iron Claw. Inspired by a true story, the film offers us a gateway into the world of wrestling in the 80s. Sean Durkin, director of the recent The Nest, invites you to follow the Von Erich siblings. A name that will not leave you indifferent if you are a wrestling fan since it is said that the family was under the yoke of a curse. A supposition that arose after two premature deaths and three suicides within the clan. The only survivor among his six brothers, the protagonist of this drama is Kevin Von Erich played by Zac Efron. The rest of the cast is interesting since we find Jeremy Allen White, star of the recent hit series The Bear, in the role of Kerry Von Erich, Maxwell Jacob Freedman, rising wrestling star officiating in All Elite Wrestling, in the role by Lance Von Erich, and Harris Dickinson who plays the role of David Von Erich. So far, the film has grossed $18 million at the box office even though its budget was only fifteen million..
What does the press think?
If for many The Iron Claw is the surprise of the beginning of the year, some remain more measured, but still underline the great qualities of the film. On the IGN side, we highlight the way in which the film tells the tragic story of the Von Erichs with strong brotherly love, but does not emphasize enough on the tragic effect of the different situations. The editorial staff of Vanity Fair also deplores the lack of “drama” in the production and describes the production as “lists of sad things more than human drama”. The French media are getting excited and full of praise for Sean Durkin’s direction, and according to them, the film is “already a classic”. On the Figaro side, we highlight the acting of Zac Efron and describe the on-screen show as “Shakespearean”.
Press notes
Note aggregators:
- Rotten Tomatoes: 88/100
- Metacritic: 73/100
The media:
- Culturally Yours: 8/10
- The Press: 8/10
- LeMagduCine: 3/5
- Zikma: 9.3/10
- Cinoche.com: 3.5 / 5