The Rocky Of Our Generation

Rating: Null/10 (9 September 2011)

Warrior is that rare, unexpected film that grabs you by the balls and doesn't let go. Sure, it's a tad cliché. It's beats are taken from most other fight movies about underdogs competing in a major fighting competition. However, it one ups the usual by presenting us with two men, brothers no less, who are both fighting for something worthy. This in turn creates one of the most memorable climactic fights of any sports fighting film ever. By far, this is the best film of it's kind since Rocky.
Warrior is fairly typical of it's kind of film. Tommy is an ex-marine with both a heroic and shady past, as well as a bitterness for his family. These experiences have shaped him into a bitter and broken man who simply needs to fight. Brendan is a family man with financial woes and someone who also has troubles with his father, but wants to reconcile with his brother. Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy are fantastic in their respective roles and each is an equal contender to root for when it comes to their respective quests. Both have their fair share of issues with their pasts and their struggle to overcome their issues is channeled through their need to fight. When that time finally comes, the emotion behind the fights creates several powerful matches that are more than just entertaining fight scenes. It's through these two fine actors that we have such powerfully emotional fights. Nick Nolte is also noteworthy as the father, who receives both brother's scorn. It is hard to feel bad for the man after all you've learned about him, but one scene towards the end of the film leaves a feeling the gut that makes you pity him.
All of the stuff before, however, leads up to one of the most emotionally satisfying fights in film history. Imagine the final struggle Rocky had to go through and multiply it by two. Now throw in some unpredictability and a ton of very personal emotion, and you have one incredible, climactic fight. I think it's no secret what fight this is, as the trailers have spoiled it, but for those who haven't seen the film, I won't say. I will only leave you with the fact that it is incredible, brutal, and very well put together. This isn't simply a fight for a championship and a purse, it's a fight with decades of history, and one that both these characters very clearly needed to go through. Suffice to say, anyone with a love for Rocky will enjoy this one. It's also nice that both characters are likable and easy to root for, making it very unpredictable.
My biggest worry was the technical aspect. Most fight films of this kind tend to have some questionable filming. Warrior, too, had some. The unfocused shot here, the close up there, but for the most part it's all good, and there are some brutal and powerful fight moments here. There are some technical things I might question, namely in editing decisions. We get the cliché training montage, this time with an attempt to creatively display it by playing both brother's training off each other. We have all the emotional beats coupled with heart-tugging music. It's PG-13, so it's not surprising that the film opted for some more cliché and obvious emotional moments, but it's still fairly predictable. My biggest pet peeve are the moments that seemed a little too easy. Tommy, while a very troubled young man, seems to have far too easy a time in the ring, and it's simply not believable. The fact that we're only really privy to a couple fights he has doesn't make it any easier to swallow, no matter how entertaining. Likewise, despite his UFC background, the fact that Brendan can so easily defeat a man that is touted as nearly invincible is far fetched. At the point in the film it happens, you already know he HAS to win, so the question is how, but the simple fact we know it has to happen is a tad over the top. Not to mention that the man is twice his size and probably younger than him in several years.
However, these are all minor complaints. Is Warrior as typical sports film? By all standards yes. But it's one of the best made. It takes the typical formula and throws a gigantic monkey wrench into it. If you love these kinds of films, or even simply like them, you owe it to yourself to see Warrior, one of the best films of 2011.