The Smashing Machine

2002 "The Life and Times of Extreme Cage Fighter Mark Kerr"
7.7| 1h33m| R| en
Details

A stunning and provocative look at Mark Kerr's career from late '99 through the 2000 Pride Grand Prix, fighting with his own personal demons that rival the men he encounters in the ring.

Director

Producted By

Solaris Film

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Trailers & Clips

Also starring Mark Kerr

Also starring Mark Coleman

Reviews

ThedevilChoose When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.
Jakoba True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.
Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable
Caryl It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.
IndianaFord Mixed Martial Arts appeals to me and that is why I enjoyed watching The Smashing Machine: The Life And Times Of Mark Kerr. I think Mark was a really exciting fighter to watch. His power was incredible, strength was overwhelming and his physique was intimidating.This movie also presented Mark Kerr from a personal standpoint. From his addiction to drugs and his subsequent rehabilitation to breaking up with his girlfriend, who he later married. I also liked the fact that they included footage of Mark Coleman. This gave the video a variety. I would like to see Kerr vs Coleman one day (if it hasn't already happened). I'm sure it would be (or was) an exciting match. All in all, I think that Mark Kerr is a great fighter and those of you who are into MMA tournaments would agree with me that he is exciting to watch.This only thing I disagreed with is the tournament Kerr fought in where they made elbows and knees illegal. This makes the tournament seem like less of a shoot fight and more of a pure grappling exhibition, in which people like the Gracies would win all day long.
gtbaddy I rented the DVD of "Smashing Machine" because I remembered Howard Stern talking about how good it was on his radio show a few months back. Just to preface where my opinion is coming from, while I am interested in martial arts and have seen a few of the UFC specials on Pay-Per-View years ago, I am by no means an active fan who is current with these events or the fighters.Before watching, I was a little worried that this movie might of been geared towards the fans, and since I had never even heard of Mark Kerr I thought it might be uninteresting. Glad to report I was wrong... I thought this movie was fantastic. It was partially a profile of Mark Kerr and partially showing the ins and outs of the Pride Fighting events. It was odd to see that these people that go in the ring and beat the life out of each other are just regular guys who go home to a family. I would recommend this movie to anyone that is interested by martial arts or fighting, I thought it was a great watch.
Christopher Kienle Like many people who have commented on this movie, I too was a big fan of the UFC when it first came about. I eventually stopped paying attention to UFC after a few years because they started making so many rules, it went from being a human cockfight to a mundane wrestling match. Why I would want to watch two men beat one another within an inch of their lives is a question better answered by the psychologists. The only viable answer I can give you is the fascination of seeing so many different forms of martial arts square off against one another. (After all, seeing a 450 lb. Sumo wrestler get choked out on the mat by a 165 lb. Jujitsu master is quite a spectacle.)But it's a lot more fun and glamorous to watch -- or at least so I thought. I was lucky enough to go to the opening of The Smashing Machine and did not find myself cheering on the blood and gore as I did when I used to rent UFC on pay-per-view. You see, when you watch the UFC, you don't get to know the people in the ring. You almost forget that these are real people, in many cases, just trying to put food on the table for their family. For as much as we see these people as insane and deserving of their punishment for voluntarily choosing such a career path, these are real people - just like you and I.The Smashing Machine is a brilliant documentary that follows Mark Kerr and Mark Coleman on a multiyear quest from UFC in America to the spectactular Pride competition in Japan. You see the befores, the afters and the inbetweens. You get inside these peoples' heads and hearts and can feel the emotion that courses through them at every moment of their journey. It is not glamorous by any means.This documentary is very powerful in its ability to tell the human story while still satisfying the audience who loves the brutality -- with clip after clip of knees crashing repeatedly into unprotected skulls and eye sockets and blood spilling out as though it were poured onto the mat from a bucket. The narrative is compelling. The sequences are dramatic and hard-hitting.I had the privilege of meeting both Mark Kerr and Mark Coleman at the premiere of this documentary. I cannot say I still wasn't shaking my head and asking "why?" but for them this sort of thing is their badge of pride -- and in many cases, their only paycheck.Check it out.
Tiger_Mark I was turned on to the UFC and Pride in the mid-1990's. UFC and Pride give fans of boxing and professional wrestling something different, exciting, and very real. Two men enter an octagon or ring and fight, no holds barred. You can punch, kick, elbow, etc. The loser is usually carried or helped out of the ring. Mind you, this is not Hulk Hogan phoney stuff, this is real and it is rough. However, it is not a mindless toughman contest. These are expert grapplers and martial artists who train and are at the top of their games. This excellent documentary gives fans an all too real view of this sport, what goes on in front of the camera and behind it. The movie spotlights both Mark Coleman and Mark Kerr, two of the best fighters in the world. You also get to see other legends like Bas Rutten, Ken Shamrock and Royce Gracie. If you are a fan of the sport, this will be one of the greatest movies ever. If you are a little timid, you might want to watch it through your hands. Excellent drama and action. I loved it! **** out of ****.