WARRIOR : archive from 7th November 2011.

I saw 'WARRIOR' this evening at my local big screen multiplex with this film being touted right up there with 'The Fighter' as the most worthy sports movie of the year. Directed, Produced and Written by Gavin O'Connor this film cost US$25M to make and just about broke even in the final analysis, which is a little surprising given how good this film is, and that Nick Nolte received an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor, and along the way it picked up a total of three award wins and a further 15 nominations.

The story centres around two brothers - Brendan Conlon (a very beefed up Joel Edgerton) and Tommy Conlon (an equally beefed up star in the making Tom Hardy) in the lead roles, and the man whose face tells a thousand stories Nick Nolte playing the disjointed disenfranchised father, Paddy Conlon. Tommy has served in the US marines for the past 15 years or so and upon returning home to Pittsburgh enlists the help of father Paddy to train and coach him in readiness for a Mixed Martial Arts tournament that is offering the biggest prize purse in the history of the game.

Paddy though is a reformed alcoholic and has been distanced from his sons for a long time, and Tommy left all those years ago bidding farewell to a fractured family which has left many an emotional scar and unanswered questions. Brother Brendan is estranged from them both and struggles to earn a living as a teacher, but he was a reasonably successful former MMA fighter in his younger days, and must now return to the cage to make ends meet and provide for his family.

With them both battling it out in bouts in the cage unknowing that the other is doing the same, Brendan quickly rises through various stages of the championship rounds to ultimately face off against younger brother Tommy head to head, shoulder to shoulder, fist to fist! Attempting some sort of reconciliation Brendan tries to appeal to Tommy's better nature about their family past and some questionable actions while serving in Iraq which have brought Tommy to the attention of the authorities . . . for all the wrong reasons. Tommy of course is not interested in any reconciliation or a meeting of the minds - he has his eyes on the prize with which he intends to make good on what went down in Iraq, which by now both Brendan and Paddy are aware of.

In the final closing chapter as the two brothers collide in the cage the performances are gritty, emotional and raw. This mixed martial arts cage fighting actioner hits all the right notes with a convincing back story, adrenalin pumping fight sequences, solid performances and more than one nod to 'Rocky' and its sequels that changed pugilism in the movies forever. Very entertaining and recommended viewing.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-