Dwayne Johnson shows vulnerable side in MMA drama

This week, only three new releases hit cinemas due to the 31st Athens International Film Festival, which runs until October 12, featuring dozens of screenings, including the highly anticipated films Bocconia by Giorgos Lanthimos and Anemone, marking the return of renowned actor Daniel Day-Lewis to the big screen.

Among the three new releases, the dramatic The Smashing Machine: The Heart of a Fighter, starring Dwayne Johnson in a different role, stands out, CE Report quotes ANA-MPA.

Also noteworthy are the period romantic drama Dracula, directed by Luc Besson, and the Chinese animated film Ne Zah 2, a cinematic phenomenon already ranked among the top five highest-grossing films of all time, with over $2 billion in worldwide revenue. Additionally, Carl Dreyer’s masterpiece Day of Wrath is being re-screened.

The Smashing Machine: The Heart of a Fighter

(The Smashing Machine) Biographical drama, U.S. production, 2025, directed by Benny Safdie, starring Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Lindsey Gavin, etc.

The film follows the defeat in MMA championship fights—a brutal sport combining punches and grapples—as a near-death experience for Mark Kerr, one of the most famous fighters, who became addicted to opioids due to the blows he suffered.

However, debuting director Benny Safdie, winner of the Best Director award at the Venice Film Festival, focuses primarily on Kerr’s psychological struggles, revealing his life behind the spotlight and the roar of the ring, with unexpected sensitivity contrasting the sport’s brutality.

The film also marks a turning point for the usually muscular Dwayne Johnson, highlighting his acting skills in a low-key human drama rather than his physical prowess.

Based on a 2002 documentary of the same name about Kerr, the story follows his battle not only against the beasts of the sport but also himself—the greatest adversary—wounded by substance abuse, anxiety, and troubled relationships. The film avoids extreme violence from MMA fights, focusing instead on the human being—victim of a brutal show business.

Following Mark Kerr’s life from 1997, when he had to confront defeat for the first time, the story explores his continuous struggle with addiction, ongoing pressure, and his toxic relationship with his wife. After the violence of the fights, conflicts at home arise without rules and no end in sight, leaving permanent, unhealed wounds that affect him in the ring, creating a self-destructive spiral.

Safdie portrays his protagonist with sensitivity, highlighting Johnson’s physicality and vulnerability, yet he somewhat neglects other characters, including Kerr’s wife, whose role could have added depth to the story and the complexity of Kerr’s personality behind the brutal sport’s spotlight.

In short: The story follows MMA fighter Mark Kerr during his UFC prime as he battles addiction, victories, and love.

Dracula

(Dracula: A Love Tale) Horror film, French production, 2025, directed by Luc Besson, starring Caleb Landry Jones, Christoph Waltz, Zoë Bleu, Mathilda de Angelis, Raphael Lous, etc.

More of a gothic, dark, yet light-hearted and humor-infused romantic epic, the film reinterprets Count Dracula’s legend through a poetic and psychological lens, rather than a traditional horror film meant to shock.

Luc Besson, known for his flair for spectacle, focuses on the romance and drama of a 400-year-long lost love, adapting Bram Stoker’s novel in a pleasantly surprising way, following a relatively lukewarm period in his career.

With a large production budget (the most expensive in France in 2025), the film recreates 19th-century Paris convincingly, featuring some outstanding scenes, including Dracula as a rock star among nuns, delivering a fresh take on the Dracula myth that may surprise horror fans.

The story: Newlywed Count Dracula goes to battle against Ottoman forces in the 15th century. Upon returning victorious, he discovers his beloved being pursued by Ottomans in the Wolves’ Forest. In attempting to save her, his final shot kills both her and her attacker. Losing his sanity, he renounces God, kills the Bishop, and is condemned to eternal life as a vampire, forever seeking his lost love. 400 years later, he meets a young lawyer whose fiancée resembles his beloved. Dracula travels to Paris, pursued by a vampire-hunting priest.

Besson emphasizes character depth and relationships over bloodshed, blending humor throughout. Caleb Landry Jones, with minimal effort, is terrifying when masked as Dracula; Zoë Bleu feels decorative, whereas the passionate Mathilda de Angelis and the reliable Christoph Waltz are highlights of the cast.

In short: After his wife’s death, Count Dracula is condemned to an eternal cursed life, seeking his lost love.

Ne Zah 2

(Ne Zah 2) Fantasy adventure animation, Chinese production, 2025, directed by Yu Yang.

Chinese cinema continues to assert its dominance with this spectacular animation, already surpassing $2 billion worldwide.

Yu Yang’s ambitious film is a technical marvel, with exceptional design, visual fidelity, and special effects. Based on a significant literary work from the Ming Dynasty, it presents an epic story on the big screen.

The technical and artistic achievements surpass all previous efforts, featuring nearly 2,000 VFX shots and 200 million independently moving characters during battle scenes, exceeding any prior scale.

Neza, a demonic child raised by humans, forms a fragile alliance with Dragon Prince Ao Bing in an epic battle to protect their tribes. After the clash, nearly dying, Neza must embark on a dangerous quest to obtain an elixir to revive Ao Bing. During the mission, he uncovers a conspiracy that could trigger a catastrophic war between good and evil.

Overflowing with comedy, suspense, and action, the film sacrifices character depth and emotional development for spectacle, conveying an ancient myth about mystical societal rules, ambition, and justice that can easily turn into revenge.

Despite its flaws, the film is visually stunning, maintains coherence, and combines kung-fu and naturalism in choreographed battles with a solid myth underpinning the extravagance.

The film is also dubbed in Greek with quality voice work by Ourania Furlanou, Dino Soutsis, Andreas Evangelatou, Stelios Psaroudakis, Konstantina Sideri, and Akindynos Gikas.

In short: Neza, a demonic child raised by humans, forms a fragile alliance with Dragon Prince Ao Bing in an epic battle to protect their tribes.

Also Screening:

Day of Wrath (Vredens Dag) – Master director Carl Dreyer (1943) presents one of his greatest creations, exploring the soul’s darkness with unparalleled cinematography. Set in the 17th century, a young woman married to an older pastor falls in love with his peer. When her husband dies from shock, the mother blames her for witchcraft. Dreyer combats fanaticism, dogma, and intolerance, championing individual rebellion against authority. Stars Lisbeth Movin, Torkild Rose, Sigrid Neegard, Anna Svier, and Preben Lerdorf Rie.

Peppa Meets The Baby Cinema Experience – The popular children’s animation character Peppa Pig returns to the big screen in this 2025 U.S.-UK production, dubbed in Greek, directed by Gretchen Mallory.