Warrior (B+ or 3.5/4 stars)
'Warrior' (written & directed by Gavin O'Connor, Miracle, Pride & Glory) focuses on 3 men: estranged brothers Tommy & Brendan (Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton) & their recovering alcoholic father, Paddy (Nick Nolte). Tommy, an ex-marine, has come home to Pittsburgh to train for a spot in 'Sparta', a $5,000,000 winner-takes-all Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) tournament held in Atlantic City. He is willing to put aside his dad's abandonment (of him) in return for his help in training. Paddy, closing in on 1,000 days of sobriety, knows that his alcoholism tore apart the family decades ago. So he is ecstatic at the possibility of re-connecting with his son; even though Tommy makes it clear that he hasn't forgiven his dad, & their relationship will be solely fighter/trainer.
All the while, former UFC fighter & current physics teacher Brendan, finds himself in dire need of $$ (to save his home from foreclosure). Against the early wishes of his wife (Jennifer Morrison), he becomes involved in street-level MMA contests. The superintendent of the school he works at suspends him when they discover his moonlighting activities & he pursues entrance into the same 'Sparta' competition. So ... Paddy is desperate for forgiveness from the two sons who gave up on him. Tommy is haunted by a tragic past and - compelled to help a particular person in need - wants to win the $$ for that person. And though Brendan wants his entire family back, the past betrayals run very deep, & his eye is fixed on the biggest purse in the history of the sport. It means too much for his him, his wife, & children. Everything culminates in the gripping 'Sparta' tournament where the 2 brothers are in a pre-ordained collision course to fight for the prize.
Thankfully, you don't need to know too much about MMA to enjoy the film or understand its various rules. The fight sequences are brutal, well-staged, & aplenty. But, as with last year's 'The Fighter', the strength of the film is with the characters, the dark conflicts, & the performances. Someone 'wins' at the end of the film, but joy & sorrow can be found in both the one who wins & the one who loses. Because the 2 brothers are created as well-rounded characters, it's almost perfunctory as to who wins. We're more interested in what will happen, if anything, btwn. them & their dad post-fight. And the fact that the film (for nearly 2 hours & 20 min.) makes us feel conflicted about who we'd want to win means that it’s done a good job balancing it all.
'Warrior' is full of vexing emotions. You feel for Paddy because he's trying to right wrongs from the past. But you can't blame his sons for wanting nothing of him, either. You feel for Tommy (especially once you realize the deep-rooted pain at his core, war-related). But he's an as*hole & a bruiser. You're conflicted about him. And though Brendan is the character you may 'pull' for the most, there are chinks in his armor, too. Flawed characters make for the best movies. Tom Hardy (best known as the identity forger from Inception) is a beast in this film. His Tommy is combustible; scary; tremendous. Watching him tear through his opponents in the cage is something, but watching his quiet internal struggles are just as compelling. Nick Nolte has a few moments of brilliance as the world-weary father. I think many neglectful fathers will find that this performance rings true. And Joel Edgerton is great in the straight-role. I really liked his acting choices.
Now, there are aspects of the film that I wasn't wild about. 1) I think that the hand-held camera technique is overused, at times (sans the fight scenes). 2) Tommy is a pill-popping addict. Yet, he willingly hands them over to his father when asked to. That didn't seem realistic. 3) There's an awkward Middle East scene in the middle of the film that makes sense in the long run, but felt odd & misplaced. 4) I did not care for the MMA live commentators during the fight sequences; they were over-the-top, & I didn't like the dialogue provided to them. 5) There's a high school subplot involving Brendan's boss & students rallying/cheering for him that felt silly; especially in context of the film. 6) And aside from the trio of Hardy, Edgerton, & Nolte, the acting is inconsistent.
All that said, the whole of 'Warrior' is more affecting than some of its iffy parts. It grabs you in the early low-key scenes, then keeps you invested in the character's plights as the training/high stakes competition unfolds. There is a sense of bittersweet catharsis at the end of the film, without actually showing us anything that happens onscreen. I liked that. The film is riddled with cliches & manipulations. But the basic powerful story of tragedy, redemption, & hopeful reconciliation set against the MMA backdrop, is a strong one. And the ferocious intensity of the 3 leads goes a long way in making the film as entertaining as it is.
All the while, former UFC fighter & current physics teacher Brendan, finds himself in dire need of $$ (to save his home from foreclosure). Against the early wishes of his wife (Jennifer Morrison), he becomes involved in street-level MMA contests. The superintendent of the school he works at suspends him when they discover his moonlighting activities & he pursues entrance into the same 'Sparta' competition. So ... Paddy is desperate for forgiveness from the two sons who gave up on him. Tommy is haunted by a tragic past and - compelled to help a particular person in need - wants to win the $$ for that person. And though Brendan wants his entire family back, the past betrayals run very deep, & his eye is fixed on the biggest purse in the history of the sport. It means too much for his him, his wife, & children. Everything culminates in the gripping 'Sparta' tournament where the 2 brothers are in a pre-ordained collision course to fight for the prize.
Thankfully, you don't need to know too much about MMA to enjoy the film or understand its various rules. The fight sequences are brutal, well-staged, & aplenty. But, as with last year's 'The Fighter', the strength of the film is with the characters, the dark conflicts, & the performances. Someone 'wins' at the end of the film, but joy & sorrow can be found in both the one who wins & the one who loses. Because the 2 brothers are created as well-rounded characters, it's almost perfunctory as to who wins. We're more interested in what will happen, if anything, btwn. them & their dad post-fight. And the fact that the film (for nearly 2 hours & 20 min.) makes us feel conflicted about who we'd want to win means that it’s done a good job balancing it all.
'Warrior' is full of vexing emotions. You feel for Paddy because he's trying to right wrongs from the past. But you can't blame his sons for wanting nothing of him, either. You feel for Tommy (especially once you realize the deep-rooted pain at his core, war-related). But he's an as*hole & a bruiser. You're conflicted about him. And though Brendan is the character you may 'pull' for the most, there are chinks in his armor, too. Flawed characters make for the best movies. Tom Hardy (best known as the identity forger from Inception) is a beast in this film. His Tommy is combustible; scary; tremendous. Watching him tear through his opponents in the cage is something, but watching his quiet internal struggles are just as compelling. Nick Nolte has a few moments of brilliance as the world-weary father. I think many neglectful fathers will find that this performance rings true. And Joel Edgerton is great in the straight-role. I really liked his acting choices.
Now, there are aspects of the film that I wasn't wild about. 1) I think that the hand-held camera technique is overused, at times (sans the fight scenes). 2) Tommy is a pill-popping addict. Yet, he willingly hands them over to his father when asked to. That didn't seem realistic. 3) There's an awkward Middle East scene in the middle of the film that makes sense in the long run, but felt odd & misplaced. 4) I did not care for the MMA live commentators during the fight sequences; they were over-the-top, & I didn't like the dialogue provided to them. 5) There's a high school subplot involving Brendan's boss & students rallying/cheering for him that felt silly; especially in context of the film. 6) And aside from the trio of Hardy, Edgerton, & Nolte, the acting is inconsistent.
All that said, the whole of 'Warrior' is more affecting than some of its iffy parts. It grabs you in the early low-key scenes, then keeps you invested in the character's plights as the training/high stakes competition unfolds. There is a sense of bittersweet catharsis at the end of the film, without actually showing us anything that happens onscreen. I liked that. The film is riddled with cliches & manipulations. But the basic powerful story of tragedy, redemption, & hopeful reconciliation set against the MMA backdrop, is a strong one. And the ferocious intensity of the 3 leads goes a long way in making the film as entertaining as it is.