The Rock's Biggest Gamble Yet: 'The Smashing Machine' Could Finally Bring Dwayne Johnson His First Oscar

Dwayne Johnson for the first time in the eyes of many of his fans and critics is betting his legacy on vulnerability by shedding his WWE-esque 'Rock' persona to portray MMA legend Mark Kerr, and in doing so, positioning The Smashing Machine as his first real shot yet at an Oscar win.

Dwayne Johnson in 'The Smashing Machine'

For decades now, Johnson has dominated box office charts with franchise hits, action spectacles, and family entertainment which is a niche he comfortably built around himself. No one ever assumed that he would get into making critically acclaimed cinema as well. Hence, to many observers, his star power has come at the cost of being typecasted into the roles that surround the character around muscle, charisma and punchlines which have seldom been the domain of serious awards recognition.

The Smashing Machine marks a deliberate pivot. Directed by Benny Safdie, the film reimagines the life of MMA legend Mark Kerr, probing the fighter's internal battles as much as his physical ones in the ring. Not only does The Rock play Kerr in the movie but Johnson is also credited as a producer, indicating his deeper investment in the project's creative direction.

Some critics already call it 'an excellent acting showcase' and note that it gives Johnson space to explore a broader range than his past roles did. But others warn that it isn't perfect even though ambitious.

The Rock's Body Transformation

Dwayne Johnson's physical transformation for Kerr's role has drawn early acclaim across genres from his WWE fanbase to his movie fanbase. Johnson adopted specific training regimens to replicate Kerr's wrestling based movement and fast twitch muscle profile. This was on top of The Rock already looking like a beast. He also reportedly used facial prosthetics to reshape his appearance which was a striking departure from his usual screen persona.

Critics say the result is a body that 'disappears' into the character which in many ways is a necessary step for awards actors. Still, some caution that prosthetics alone don't guarantee depth.

But the challenge went beyond physicality. Johnson himself has described emotionally harrowing scenes, particularly those with Emily Blunt (who plays Dawn Staples). Reflecting on the raw tension in their relationship, he explained in an interview with MMA Fighting,

'Emily is one of the greatest actors of our time and of all-time, period', he added 'She acts 10 feet tall when she wants to and rooted from the ground up in her acting. Those scenes hurt my heart and they hurt Benny's heart and Emily's and they hurt Mark's heart and they're hard to watch. As Benny has said, I've heard him say so beautifully, when you love somebody so much and so hard as Mark and Dawn did, as couples out there do, sometimes it's the ones you love most that you can have the most raw, meanest of fights with.'

And on top of that, during its Venice premiere, the film received a 15 minute standing ovation and Johnson was visibly in tears.

Why Oscar Buzz Is Real but Not Guaranteed for the Rock

Now given the scale of this production, it's not shocking that early festival reviews to awards critics, The Smashing Machine has generated massive buzz. At Venice, the film competed in the main section signalling confidence from the festival. Venice's artistic director even called Johnson 'absolutely amazing' and encouraged Oscar talk. Industry trade outlets such as Variety have positioned Johnson as a contender for Best Actor. And in interviews, Johnson acknowledges that this role has felt more like 'proving to himself' than grandstanding for Hollywood.

Still, the road to an Oscar is never smooth. As many critics would point out that at this early stage, every somewhat decent performance in any movie gets buzz as an Oscar contender. Furthermore, detractors argue the film may lean too heavily on Johnson's persona and spectacle as he is, with a script that lacks emotionally convincing substance. Awards voters love transformation roles, but they also demand depth, consistency, and narrative weight. Johnson's challenge will be to convince them he's not just wearing a mask but truly disappearing into Kerr's psyche.

While no one can guarantee The Rock an Oscar for The Smashing Machine, it seems like it is his best shot at it for now, unless he takes up more such projects in the future.