Movie Review-Warrior(2011)

"One Brother Fights For Family, One Brother Fights For Honor"

Warrior is the story of two brothers (Brendan and Tommy) who are living to very different lives. Brendan(Joel Edgerton) is a family man, has a wife (Jennifer Morrison) and two kids, he's a Physics teacher, he beginning fighting in local MMA style venues to make extra money because like most people nowadays the economy is hitting his family hard and at any moment they can be kicked out of their house.

Tommy(Tom Hardy) is a soldier that just come from the war and wants to get back into fighting, when he was younger he was on his way to breaking a undefeated recorded that nobody else has ever dream of, he finds their father Paddy(Nick Nolte) who is a recovering alcoholic and abusive father to the two men when they were younger, now he's older and has seen the error of his ways and wants them to be a family again. Tommy doesn't want the father, he only wants the Trainer  side of him.

as both men embark on their journey their paths slowly begin to cross thanks in part to a big Tournament that's going to be held in Atlantic city the winner gets $5 million. 


Tommy enters just because the octagon seems to be the only place he seems to feel normal in, while older brother Brendan enters and wants to win because its a way for his family to survive.

One thing i liked about this movie, it has a very realistic feel to it, Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy are both great in their roles. Edgerton as the family man who just wants everything to be normal but will do what needs to be done to support his family.

Tom Hardy as Tommy has alot going on in his head all of which isn't fully explained in the movie, but enough of why he is the way he is is explained to know that this guy has had a rough life and in some way he's trying to make up for things by fighting in this Tournament.

The big standout for me is Nick Nolte in a comeback role if you will, as their father, Nolte shows that he still has it with his range of acting skills in particular two standout scenes 1. Where he goes to see Brendan and try to reconcile with him only to be turned away and 2. Where he falls off the wagon after being verbally abused by Tommy.

If Nolte isn't nominated for some big awards there is something very wrong with the academy who does the voting(not saying it isn't already)


The fight scenes are done very will, i'm not very big into watching MMA/UFC but all the fighting was very well choreographed in large part i guess because they used real fighters in the movie, I think they could've found somebody better then Kurt Angle to play the Russian favorite of the Tournament but if you don't know who he is it won't be that much of a distraction then.

Acting was top notch, Story is good not great, Great Soundtrack, Very intense fight scenes. so if you haven't seen or heard of or even avoiding this movie for what ever reason i say go pick up a copy and give it a watch because you will be entertained.


8/10


Starring 


Joel Edgerton-Brendan Conlon
Tom Hardy-Tommy Riordan
Nick Nolte-Paddy Conlon
Jennifer Morrison-Tess Conlon
Frank Grillo-Frank Campana
Bryan Callen-Himself/Announcer
Kurt Angle-Koba