Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt’s “compelling” real-life drama lands new UK streaming home

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The action film The Smashing Machine, which brings Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Emily Blunt back together after their work on Disney’s Jungle Cruise, is now available for streaming in the UK. Following its theatrical release last October, you can now watch it on Prime Video.

Amazon Prime costs £8.99 a month, but you can also subscribe to just Prime Video for £5.99 a month – it’s a less advertised option.

The film tells the story of Mark Kerr, a wrestler who became a mixed martial arts fighter, and his difficult relationship with his girlfriend, Dawn. Dwayne Johnson portrays Kerr, and Emily Blunt plays Dawn.

The story centers on Kerr’s journey to overcome his painkiller addiction through rehab, all while he works to save his relationship and rebuild his career.

The film The Smashing Machine received generally positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it earned a 71% approval rating from critics based on over 300 reviews, and a 73% approval rating from users across more than 1,000 ratings.

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Mark Kermode found the story itself fairly ordinary, but praised the film as being skillfully crafted and worth seeing for Dwayne Johnson’s performance, which represents a return to more dramatic roles for him.

I was really surprised by Boris Johnson’s acting – The Observer said it was raw and vulnerable, but in a good way! They actually thought he was pretty talented when it came to serious dramatic roles.

According to iNews, Johnson delivers a captivating and authentic performance as the vulnerable Kerr, seamlessly shifting between tenderness and anger. Empire went even further, calling the film his best work to date.

Despite costing around $50 million to make, the film The Smashing Machine didn’t perform well commercially, earning only $21 million worldwide.

After a lackluster opening weekend, Johnson shared on Instagram that while you can’t influence how well a movie does at the box office, you can control your own performance and how fully you commit to the role.

“And I will always run to that opportunity… Truth is this film has changed my life.”

The Smashing Machine is available to stream on Prime Video.

The latest issue of Living Legends is now available! This special, full-colour 100-page edition celebrates the life and work of Sir David Attenborough. You can find it at newsstands or purchase it online.

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2026-04-29 20:49