The Iron Claw (2023) [Blu-Ray]

Director: Sean Durkin

Cast: Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson

Release Date: March 26, 2024

A Review By: Kevin Lovell

Film Rating: 9.5/10
Disc Rating: 7.5/10

Synopsis:

The true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s. Through tragedy and triumph, under the shadow of their domineering father and coach, the brothers seek larger-than-life immortality on the biggest stage in sports.

Please Note: Lionsgate provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Post. The opinions I share are my own.

THE MOVIE – REVIEW:

‘The Iron Claw’ tells the true story of the inseparable and talented Von Erich brothers who made waves in the world of professional wrestling during the early 1980’s under the guidance, training and hard love of their coach and father. The film focuses largely on the life of Kevin who fights to stay relevant and keep things in order, not to mention retain his sanity as he meets the love of his life while also dealing with the struggle and tragedy that arises along the way; a chain of events that many referred to as the Von Erich curse.

Written and directed by Sean Durkin (Martha Marcy May Marlene, The Nest) who does an outstanding job at the helm of ‘The Iron Claw’ guiding along the moving and riveting true story with heart and style. The film’s noteworthy cast includes Zac Efron (Neighbors), Jeremy Allen White (TV’s The Bear), Harris Dickinson (The King’s Man), Maura Tierney (Liar Liar), Holt McCallany (Fight Club) and Lily James (TV’s Pam & Tommy) who all deliver moving and notable performances for the most part in each of their respective roles that help to make this touching true tale come to life beautifully.

‘The Iron Claw’ is a powerful, exciting and emotional look at the legendary Von Erich brothers as it chronicles their bond, struggle and the painful tragedy that altogether largely defined their family and legacy. It’s a beautifully crafted exploration of the family that both honors the tragedies that occurred and pays respect to their heartbreaking reality, while at the same time always showcasing an aura of love, hope and perseverance throughout, admirably honoring the beauty and love over the heartbreak and loss; a balance that was surely immensely challenging but one that is handled with the utmost grace here by writer and director Sean Durkin whose passion for the Von Erich legacy is evident from the onset (not to mention the involvement and support of Kevin Von Erich himself as well as his family) and it never wavers along the way. Durkin’s powerful work behind the camera is only greatly complemented by a magnificent cast led by outstanding performances from Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White who both truly shine here and it all helps to keep us consistently glued to the screen and feeling for the individuals portrayed throughout.

It’s nearly impossible not to root for the brothers in ‘The Iron Claw’ as they repeatedly struggle and frequently beat the odds; dazzling and impressing both in the ring and outside of it and the real star of the film is the powerful bond and unwavering love these brothers have for each other which proves to be one of their most powerful weapons. If you’re at all interested in the life and legacy of the Von Erich family or are simply a fan of the cast, then this one is definitely well worth going out of your way to check out whenever possible.

OVERALL:

‘The Iron Claw’ is a phenomenal, powerful and unforgettable film that explores the famous Von Erich brothers and the events both good and tragic that defined them in their era and made waves in the wrestling world. ‘The Iron Claw’ earns one of my highest possible recommendations. It’s a marvelous film that does a commendable job of tackling the rough material from the true story while still offering an aura of hope and love instead of delivering a thoroughly blatant downer and the powerful tale is not to be missed for anyone that’s already looking forward to it, although do be prepared for a film that has its share of rough and heart wrenching moments throughout. This one certainly shouldn’t have any trouble proving worthy of your time and the price of a rental at the very least and many who are fascinated by the tale may just end up wanting to add this to your collection as well.

VIDEO:

The Blu-ray release of ‘The Iron Claw’ features a full 1080p High Definition presentation with the film’s original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio. The video presentation looks outstanding as a whole and serves up a sharp, nicely detailed presentation from start to finish that never suffers from any faults or encoding issues to be uncovered throughout. It shows gorgeous detail and clarity throughout, especially noticeable on the numerous close-up shots which feature impeccable detail and specifics, while the various outdoor and indoor sequences, along with everything else appearing onscreen along the way impress at every turn. Overall, this is a magnificent high definition video presentation that should thrill fans and first time viewers of this powerful true tale.

AUDIO:

The Blu-ray release features a 5.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. This multichannel soundtrack does its job well and delivers a clean, crisp and at times notably immersive audio presentation throughout. It repeatedly takes advantage of all five available channels in order to send roaring crowds and music overtaking the various speakers, along with nature effects, some milder crowd chatter and plenty more whenever appropriate, while always making certain that any dialogue or other audio elements that might be occurring simultaneously along the way remain clean and fully audible. Overall, this is a very solid 5.1 DTS-HD MA soundtrack that delivers admirably in every way required of it and shouldn’t disappoint in the slightest.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The Blu-ray release of ‘The Iron Claw’ features a couple of enjoyable extras including the making of Featurette ‘Brotherhood is Forever: Making The Iron Claw’ (running approximately 29 minutes in length) which includes interviews/comments with the cast and crew, plus behind the scenes footage and more. Also included on the release is a ‘Cast and Crew Q & A’ (running approximately 21 minutes) and the film’s ‘Theatrical Trailer’ (approximately 2 minutes).

*Please note that the above images are taken from the Blu-Ray and resized. They will additionally suffer quality loss as a result of .jpg compression. Larger versions of each image can be viewed by clicking on the image. All images and content included on this Blu-Ray release are the property of their respective owners.

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Film Rating: 9.5/10
Disc Rating: 7.5/10

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‘The Iron Claw’ is Now Available to Own on Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Combo Pack from A24 & Lionsgate

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You can purchase your copy of ‘The Iron Claw’ Blu-ray on Amazon HERE!

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