Who would have guessed that a movie centered in the world of Mixed Martial Arts would be one of the
most profound releases of the year? I sure didn’t. When I first saw the trailer for Warrior, I thought the
film looked like a clichéd drama with the backdrop of a sport I’ve never been too big on. I liked the cast
and the director, but sadly, I wrote the movie off as a typical low-brow September release (a film that is
stuck in the doldrums of September released by a studio for a quick buck).
Sometimes, I love it when I’m wrong.
Warrior is a knockout. The cast, the score, the direction, the screenplay, and even the cinematography-
everything packs its own unique punch that will have a lasting effect long after the theater lights have
gone up.
The film follows two brothers, Tommy (Tom Hardy) and Brendan (Joel Edgerton). Tommy is a beast of a
human being. A veteran from the War on Terror and a former wrestling champion in his youth, Tommy
has no emotion. He is a somber, relentless man – which shows evidently through his fighting –
of few words.
On the other side of the spectrum, Brendan is a beloved physics teacher with a wife
and two kids. A former fighter himself, he gave up his days in the UFC for the life of a typical husband/
father.
The two, who have not been on speaking terms for years after a rift in the family was created by
their alcoholic father (Nick Nolte), collide when a new MMA tournament with a large prize draws the
duo back into the world of professional fighting. Tommy fights to gain money for the family of a fallen
comrade. Brendan fights to save his families’ home from foreclosure. Their father is brought back into
the equation when Tommy enlists his aid in training (but only training – Tommy has no use for making
amends). The families’ dark past is brought to light, and Warrior has its focus.
I was immediately sold on these characters. Tom Hardy’s portrayal of Tommy was masterful. Hardy
gave the character the perfect blend of hidden rage and snappy wit. Tommy will either berate you or
knock your lights out. Alongside the wonderful acting, Hardy’s fight sequences are simply stunning. Part
of the appreciating the performance comes with admiring Hardy’s skills inside the arena. He is, simply
put, a fighting monster. Joel Edgerton’s performance as Brendan also was very well executed. Edgerton
brings a scale of earnestness to the character that makes him the ideal underdog. He also, while not as
monstrous as his brother, still manages to be very convincing in the arena. I especially enjoyed Kevin
Dunn’s (best known as Sam’s dad in the Transformers series) small role as the principle at Brendan’s
school who secretly loves to watch the physics teacher fight.
In reality, the movie belongs to Nick Nolte. His performance as Paddy wrecked me. Nolte portrays Paddy
as a shell of a man, broken by years of loneliness and regret for the past. His character, who simply
wants to be forgiven of his past transgressions, is constantly belittled and ignored by his own sons.
Understandably, the audience doesn’t see Paddy as the villain like Tommy and Brendan does. We see an
immensely sad man looking for redemption. It’s heart wrenching to watch Nolte try and make amends
with his sons, but I would be remiss to say that the scenes weren’t engrossing. I was glued to the screen.
Nolte’s heartbreaking turn as Paddy is the best part of this already explosive film.
Warrior exists to not only provide rousing fighting sequences. Trust me, plenty of those lie ahead. The
film is a powerful family drama that invests richly into its main characters. I’m especially glad to say that
helmer Gavin O’Connor (director of the inspiring hockey drama Miracle) really outdid himself. I had
goose bumps on more than one occasion. Warrior is the prime example of a film that can emotionally
rock the viewer with its strong themes and even stronger performances. I have fallen in love with this
film and would be proud to call it one of the year’s best.
Film GPA- 4.0