Review of Warrior (2011) by Niszabo — 02 Feb 2014

Sports films are hard to make these days. They’ve fallen into the same trap as romantic comedies and horror movies, in that almost every variation of their plotlines has been done. The ragtag group of underdogs came together and won! Or they lost, but learned a valuable lesson in the process! It’s a problem that all films have to face, but it becomes magnified when it comes to sports films. So how do does a film combat this problem? Well, Warrior’s strategy is to steep its film in realism, get top notch performances from the actors, and above all, understand the sport that the film is about.

Director Gavin O’Connor is no stranger to sports films, having previously directed the film Miracle, about the 1980 upset of the US hockey team over the Soviet Union. Both of his films express a wealth of knowledge for each sport, from how they’re filmed and commentated upon, to the actual strategy and action on screen. The main characters, Tommy (Tom Hardy) and Brendan (Joel Edgerton), are brothers and mixed martial arts fighters who compete in a high profile tournament put together by a rich MMA fan. Both Tommy and Brendan are in it for the money more than anything else, as both have families that they need to support. Nick Nolte and Jennifer Morrison also star as their father and Brendan’s wife respectively.

As I said before, O’Connor seems to have a firm grasp of MMA, as the fight scenes in Warrior are incredibly realistic. This not only helps raise the tension for the viewer, but also allows them to believe that they are investing in a live sporting event. Outside the ring however, is the true greatness of the film.

Working with relatable characters, the actors are able to craft fantastic performances. Tom Hardy and Nick Nolte (who was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar) are the true standouts. Hardy, a veteran with a fierce exterior but a complex interior, is able to both convincingly destroy opponents in the ring and deliver an emotional gut punch to the audience. Meanwhile, Nolte is incredible to watch as a former alcoholic trying to make amends with his family.

While I’ve praised the film for being realistic, there are some elements that are a little hard to believe. For.

Instance, Tommy is shown to possess almost superhuman fighting ability and strength, at one point even ripping a door off of a tank.

Just toning him down wouldn’t have hurt, and maybe even improved his storyline. Another minor quibble is how easily the two amateur fighters are able to enter into a tournament with other world famous fighters. Finally, like most films centered on sports, the film’s ending is fairly predictable.

Overall, Warrior is a refreshing take on a genre infamously known for its limitations. Taking the feel good, underdog aspect of Rocky and combining it with elements of a family drama like The Fighter (also about brothers who fight) makes this film stand out on its own. For both MMA and film fans, this one is a winner.