Overview

• Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt led a high-profile London screening as the film’s late-September promotional push ramped up with public and press events.
• The Venice premiere drew a lengthy standing ovation, and Benny Safdie won the Silver Lion for best director.
• UFC veterans including Matt Serra and Mark Coleman endorsed the film’s authenticity, and Johnson said he took a legitimate punch to capture the realism of a key fight scene.
• Mark Kerr described watching the movie as “like therapy,” sharing emotional reactions at festival screenings and praising the performances.
• Critics are singling out Johnson’s transformation even as some note a restrained payoff, and the movie features composer Nala Sinephro’s first film score alongside deep-cut needle drops.