Warrior
Directed by: Gavin O'Connor
Cast: Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Morrison
Running Time: 2 hrs 19 mins
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: September 9, 2011
PLOT: Tommy (Hardy) is back from the Marines, and decides to start fighting again. His brother Brendan needs money to keep his family's house, so he starts fighting again. Both of them enter the mixed martial arts Sparta Tournament.
WHO'S IT FOR? Fight movie fans of Rocky, The Fighter and Diggstown will enjoy this movie even if there is a higher degree of violence, but it's the same motivation about a long shot with a chance.
EXPECTATIONS: There was surprising buzz from other critics with this film. Lionsgate hasn't had a great movie for a long time. That's all I was thinking going into this flick.
SCORECARD (0-10)
ACTORS: Tom Hardy as Tommy Conlon: His shoulders have shoulders. Hardy proved he was a tough guy with Bronson, but not many saw that one, so it appears Warrior will prove the point. Hardy is tough. Tommy's motivation to fight comes from guilt, a chance at money, and really fighting is all he knows. It's amazing that Tommy sucks us in so quickly considering we don't really know what kind of man he is. The intensity Hardy brings is enough to hook you. Plus, watching him lock horns with Nick Notle as his dad is a great battle of egos/wits. Score: 8
Joel Edgerton as Brendan Conlon: It's impossible not to root for this guy. Brendan is a physics teacher who needs more money so he can afford the house they probably shouldn't have bought. He's got little kids and a wife to think about. Sure, there's a little ego involved, but then again ego makes sense when you see this guy fight. Score: 8
Nick Nolte as Paddy Conlon: It's like Nolte has a bag full of knives in his stomach. His words are just too important, so, graveled and pained Nolte speaks, and we the audience reap the rewards. Paddy has an ugly past and even though he's sober now, neither of his boys can forgive him. The film doesn't push too much with these father/son relationships, which is definitely a good thing. I feel like Notle was one to two scenes away from an Oscar nod with this role. Score: 9
TALKING: Less is more, especially when Tommy is talking (or just standing there brooding). Brendan and his wife Tess (Jennifer Morrison) actually talk through their issues and it absolutely feels authentic.The ESPN commentators fill in a lot of blanks with the tournament, and back stories of other fighters. They don't really explain MMA (mixed martial arts), but the fighting is pretty basic to understand. The last one standing wins. There is a nice "Yo Rock" nod to Rocky. Score: 7
SIGHTS: MMA is brutal. The pain and physical destruction of the sport can be tough to watch. In the early rounds of the Sparta Tournament we mainly watch from outside of the cage, creating the feeling of wanting to get in there and see. Because Brendan is so technical in his fighting, you do believe he can hold his own against the larger opponents. Score: 8
SOUNDS: I have a new favorite song in a movie for 2011! I just wish it was a new song. The National bookend the movie with the song "About Today." It fits perfectly to set the tone of Warrior. Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" makes a surprising appearance because of the training style of Frank (Frank Grillo), but it works as well. The musical score is exactly what you want, it adds to every emotion. Score: 9
PLOT SPOILERS
BEST SCENE: It's not the montage. You may know I love montages, but this one was a little too much style and not enough substance, using multiple cameras on the screen at once. Tommy's first fight in the Sparta Tournament actually shocked and scared me a little. It set the stage for what was to come.
ENDING: Remember this is called plot spoilers, so don't hate me for alluding to the ending here. Big fan. They hit every emotion that I wanted. I can assume the basics from here. Brendan will give Tommy's friend some of the money. Brendan will retire and train other fighters. Tommy will kill 24 people in military prison.
QUESTIONS: Why not explain the sport a little more? This could be many people's first time seeing these fights.
REWATCHABILITY: Shockingly, yes. Even though it's so long, the final hour is just great fighting and I think the momentum would keep up the second time around.
OVERALL
Warrior is a propaganda piece for MMA. Or is it? After all, if this was simply a way for them to sell their sport, and get a few more PPV purchases, this flick would be 1.5 hours and not nearly as emotionally satisfying.
It's like two movies in one. And they take their time with both movies. Two brothers, both fighters ... and no, this isn't a remake of last year's The Fighter, it packs a different kind of punch.
The director of Warrior made Miracle and you can feel some of the same sports-heart strings being pulled. Both brothers are flawed but good. Their dad has demons, but is good. All that good makes the last hour of fighting totally worth while. That last hour is done in the Sparta Tournament. Sure, both brothers have lucked into being there. Sure, their motivation doesn't feel like something we can truly get behind. Tommy has extreme guilt, and assumes he won't get caught. Brendan doesn't want to live in a smaller house. While we don't identify with the motivation, it doesn't stop us from rooting, especially for Paddy and his second chance at being a father.
Look, I have only watched a few real MMA bouts. They are brutal. It's a little too much raw violence for me to get into. But this is a movie. I hate to break it to you, but it's not real. Loving Warrior has nothing to do with condoning MMA. Just like loving The Matrix doesn't mean I want everyone to own a gun.
Warrior makes you cheer, sweat, laugh and in a completely shocking twist, cry just a little bit.
FINAL SCORE: 8/10