Viewed in
2012
Formats
DVD
Premise
Two estranged brothers of a dysfunctional family find themselves in the same MMA tournament.
Liked
Well-crafted characters, performance, emotional payoffs.
Thoughts
A very well-done film that delivers brains and heart.
The writing was impressive, with genuine, complex characters with human flaws. I was caught up in the dynamics of the two brothers and their recovering alcoholic father. They were crafted so well that I wanted to cheer for both of them in and out of the ring. Which led to a draining climax, in which (obviously) the brothers meet in the final fight, but I wanted both to win so badly, and I didn't know how the movie would end. A rarity in sports underdog movies.
As touted by others, the performances were superb. Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy were top-notch, inside and outside the ring. While I thought Nick Nolte was excellent, I'm a bit dubious about the best supporting nomination. As a WWE fan, I found it amusing that Kurt Angle played a Russian fighter. I was also happy to see Fernando Chien (Wade from The Guild) get some screen time.
What prevented its greatness was its inability to hide the cliches. Obviously, it can't completely avoid the formula, and I would've been disappointed if the brothers didn't face off in the climax. While it does of executing through the cliches of the disapproving wife, training montage, etc, the cliches were still there. Lastly, it was distracting that Edgerton's trainer looking too similar to Christian Bale in The Fighter.
I was definitely pleasantly surprised by the writing, acting, and pathos of Warrior. I highly recommend it, even for non-fight fans.
