It was an emotional evening for Dwayne Johnson, who was in tears following the premiere of his latest feature film, “The Smashing Machine.”
The Rock was seen having a moment amid a 15-minute standing ovation for his film, which aired for the first time at the Venice Film Festival on Monday night. Variety noted the ovation was “one of the longest at this year’s festival so far.”
Dwayne Johnson cries during the 15-minute standing ovation for his new movie ‘THE SMASHING MACHINE’
Read our review: https://t.co/ejtQIs1Usz pic.twitter.com/17pQYebeat
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) September 1, 2025
Directed by Benny Safdie, one-half of the Safdie Brothers who famously made “Uncut Gems,” among other works, “The Smashing Machine” follows heavyweight MMA pioneer Mark Kerr as he grapples with addiction, relationships, and the taxing nature of the sport he makes a living off.
The film is based on an early 2000s documentary with the same title.
Johnson is seen with an entirely different look in the movie, a makeover which caused a buzz when images from the film first surfaced.
The first wave of reviews from critics has been mostly positive, some championing Johnson’s portrayal of the former Pride FC fighter and UFC Hall of Famer. It currently has a 94 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, which has compiled early reviews from critics this week.
“This is the most raw and vulnerable that Johnson has ever been on screen,” Geoffrey Macnab of The Independent wrote.
The film notably features many names who come from the combat sports world, including some who play themselves. MMA legend Bas Rutten, ex-UFC fighter Ryan Bader and current undisputed boxing heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk are among the many who play a role in the film.
“The Smashing Machine” is scheduled for an October 3 theatrical release in the U.S.
