Just 15 minutes ago, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – Hollywood’s top action star – officially responded to the disappointing opening weekend revenue of The Smashing Machine, the film project he has devoted the most effort to in his recent career.
The film, produced by A24, tells the true life of UFC legend Mark Kerr – a fighter who once reached the pinnacle of fame and then fell into the abyss of addiction, violence and loss of control. Despite receiving many compliments from critics for The Rock’s emotional and different transformation, the film only earned 6 million USD in its first week of release, becoming the weakest debut of the actor’s career.
However, instead of being disappointed or avoiding the question, The Rock chose to face it frankly. In a social media post, he wrote:
“You can’t control the outcome. But you can control the effort, spirit and honesty in your work. I’m proud to have delivered a genuine work, even though it wasn’t a box office hit.”
His sharing quickly received a strong response from the online community. Many people believe that this is a more mature and artistic The Rock than ever, far from the familiar “muscular superstar” image of blockbusters like Fast & Furious, Jumanji or Black Adam.
To play the role of Mark Kerr, Johnson spent months training physically, learning mixed martial arts and especially researching the psychology of people addicted to stimulants. He revealed that playing this character made him “more painful and mentally exhausted than any role he had ever played”, but at the same time it also helped him better understand the weakness hidden deep within a strong person who seemed indomitable.
Despite its modest revenue, The Smashing Machine is still considered by experts to be a turning point in The Rock’s acting career. A critic from Variety commented: “He doesn’t just act – he lives with the character. This is the most authentic performance Dwayne Johnson has ever given.”
It can be said that, for The Rock, success this time does not lie in ticket sales, but in the fact that he dares to leave the comfort zone of commercial blockbusters to challenge himself in a complex, vulnerable and humane role.
He concluded his sharing with an emotional quote:
“Sometimes art doesn’t win at the box office, but it still has value. And that’s enough.”
With that spirit, The Smashing Machine, although not winning in revenue, is still considered a victory in art and the courage of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – a man who is constantly evolving, both in muscle and soul.
