Film Reviews

Warrior

• Rating:
• Director:
• Starring: Joel Edgerton
• Details: US/139mins 12A

Packing the kind of raw emotional punch rarely seen in modern cinema, many will compare this tale of two estranged brothers and their recovering alcoholic father to Rocky, purely on the basis of the combat element. I don't say this lightly, but Warrior is a better film than Rocky - which frankly, hasn't aged well. The plot may be familiar, but the execution and performances are as flawless and natural as you'll see all year. To put it simply, Warrior is an absolute belter of a film.
The two siblings are Edgerton's Brendan and Hardy's Tommy. Both are still harboring anger towards their now clean father (Nolte in a stunning supporting turn), and when Tommy returns home all grown up, those feelings bubble at the surface. When Brendan was 16, a much younger Tommy left with his mother, who couldn't handle the beatings at the hands of Nolte's pissed-up husband anymore. But Brendan stayed and put up with his father so he could marry his high school sweetheart (when we meet him, they have two daughters together). Tommy, meanwhile, didn't have much in the way of a childhood and when his mother passed away, he joined the military.
The brothers may not have seen each other for over a decade and a half, but they have two things in common. The first is that they're desperate for money, and the second is that they're both accomplished Mixed Martial Artists. When a tournament is announced with a $5 million prize, both sign up with few giving them a chance to win.
One of the most noteworthy things about Warrior (and there are many) is just how much it takes its time. Director O'Conner wants you to know these people - feel for them - so when that final emotional wallop hits, it stays with you. His focus is firmly on characters, and all three main protagonists feel remarkably well-rounded. But that doesn't mean that the 'MMA' is brushed over, or done in a half-assed manner; in fact, it's completely the opposite. Warrior is brutally realistic and authentic in a way that few sports movies have been. That's the result of a director who cares enough to get every arm bar, or rear naked choke (MMA moves, for the uninitiated) right - the best of the best were hired here as consultants.
The performances here are Oscar-worthy, which may not mean a whole lot nowadays, but Edgerton, Hardy or Nolte can't be praised highly enough. Edgerton as the older brother has his priorities straight as a result of a grounded wife, but is still struggling on his teacher's wage. Hardy is so pent-up that the brute force he unleashes on his opponents is so swift, it's almost comical. When the brothers finally do meet, it's absolutely electric. Nolte is note-perfect as the regretful father who is grateful for another chance; if he doesn't get a Best Supporting Actor nomination next year, then the Academy are more stupid than I thought.
Warrior made me want to punch the air with glee. It made me want to clap, and it almost made me cry. As a huge UFC fan, I encourage you to see it - but more importantly, as a fan of cinema, I insist that you see it.

Review by Mike Sheridan