Although The Iron Claw has received plenty of praise and acclaim from critics and viewers, its depiction of the iconic wrestler, Ric Flair, proves another upcoming biopic will be hard to pull off. Based on the real-life tragic events surrounding former professional wrestler Kevin Von Erich, The Iron Claw sees Kevin navigate the stressors of upholding his family’s prestigious name in the world of wrestling, while also coping with the tragedies afflicting him and his family. Praised for its gut-wrenching story, excellent soundtrack, and stellar performances of its leads and the majority of its supporting cast, The Iron Claw‘s depiction of Ric Flair stands as the film’s glaring weakness.
Although The Iron Claw made changes to the real-life story, it maintained the Von Erichs’ professional rivalry with then Heavyweight Wrestling Champion of the World, Ric Flair. While many of the film’s most poignant dramatic moments stemmed from the personal issues afflicting Kevin and the Von Erich family, The Iron Claw‘s commitment to sticking with the wrestling drama that was ever-present during the time helped keep the drama engaging and compelling throughout its 132-minute runtime. Nevertheless, Ric Flair’s minimal screen time and a performance that left much to be desired from audiences expecting more have led to controversial discussions among audiences.
10 Best Movies Like The Iron Claw
The Iron Claw delivers gritty authenticity in the sports world, and several other movies explore similar themes that are worth watching
The Iron Claw’s Portrayal Of Ric Flair Has Been Controversial
Aaron Dean Eisenberg looks like Ric Flair but doesn’t sound like him
The Iron Claw‘s version of Ric Flair is played by Aaron Dean Eisenberg, and prior to his work in the 2023 sports drama, appeared in Blue Bloods, Gossip Girl, The Deuce and Joe Pickett, to name a few. Having begun his career in 2006, Eisenberg has developed a reputation within the industry for his prolific work portraying characters ranging from criminals, detectives, antagonistic ex-lovers, and with the Iron Claw, a legendary wrestler whose impact on the wrestling community will be felt for generations to come. As such, one would expect Eisenberg to deliver a performance that would appeal to ardent supporters of the real-life Ric Flair, and to casual viewers.
However, Eisenberg delivers a performance that isn’t terrible, but it also comes up considerably short considering Flair’s stature and popularity among most wrestling pundits. While Eisenberg looks convincing thanks to the efforts of the hair & makeup department and the costuming, he doesn’t quite sound convincing in the brief scene in which he cuts a promo against Kerry Von Erich, with the most disappointing portion of his performance being his unconvincing delivery of Flair’s iconic, “Whoo!” While Eisenberg certainly has the look of the early 80s Flair, he lacks the essence of what made Flair such an indomitable force in wrestling.
Ric Flair’s Biopic Movie Has To Fix The Iron Claw’s Mistakes
The upcoming Ric Flair biopic needs an actor who can embody Flair’s unique energy without it feeling like a parody
Being generous, Eisenberg has minimal screen time to work with, as the film is ultimately about events greater than even himself, but the disappointing portrayal still presents an even greater problem. As per Wrestling Headlines, Flair recently teased a biopic currently in development about his life, thus making him the next in line for a biopic about wrestlers. With no other details available aside from Flair’s declaration of his biopic in the works, the Ric Flair movie would need to rectify The Iron Claw‘s mistake by humanizing Flair in a way that makes him complex, while also maintaining his flamboyant persona in a way that feels fun without risking parody.
