The documentary the "Smashing Machine," was an interesting film on fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Circuit. The film shows background on the main character going from how he grew up to how left the circuit. You view the from the main characters point of view. Watching his struggles, his victories, and his pain.In the film you see the pain and struggle on the fighter's face. The pain you see in him makes you care for the fighter. At the point in the film when he is in the hospital for an overdose, you feel you have gotten to know this person on the screen.Even if you not in favor of this type of fighting. You become empathetic for him, watching him struggle through his relationship with his girlfriend, drug use and losing a fight.

Outstanding, you'll keep seeing sequences from this in your mind for a long time.Once again HBO demonstrates they are the best thing in TV today.The UFC fighters, not the boxers, are the best modern-day approximation to the ancient gladiators, and this is no cliche. Especially considering the slave wages they are risking their lives for.

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 ****.

"The Smashing Machine", which follows mixed martial arts competitor Mark Kerr's career from late '99 until the Pride Grand Prix 2000 tournament in Japan, is a stunning and provocative look at a man whose fights with his own personal demons rival those he encounters in the ring (or in the octagon). Also featured in the documentary is Mark Coleman, who at the time was coming off a two-year slump in the sport.I think what struck me the most was the dramatic aspect of it. Kerr, for one, surprised me with his willingness to bare his soul before the camera. The movie goes a long way to dispell many stereotypes that many people have of shootfighters, as both Kerr and Coleman come across as genuinely good people (and in Coleman's case a devout husband and father). John Hyams provides the audience with an extremely candid look at the life of Kerr, who deals with a drug abuse problem and a potentially dysfunctional relationship. For those who aren't fans of MMA, the access Kerr grants to Hyams will shock and move you. For those who are fans, the bouts that are shown (through clips) become even more pivotal and dramatic.For fans of Mixed Martial Arts the documentary will forever change the way you'll look at Kerr and Coleman, while also adding an added dimension to the drama that occurs within the ring (or octagon). "The Smashing Machine" provides a moving glimpse into the lives of people whose weaknesses make them more identifiable to the audience than any other documentary subject or film character, despite their profession and physiques.Highly recommended for fans and non-fans alike,, and especially for those who view MMA as barbaric and its fighters as testosterone-driven madmen.