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Rating: Null/10 (23 August 2011)

The Warrior A Movie Review By Nick Iacobucci Two brother's lives collide both inside and outside of the ring. Hello there everyone I'm Nick Iacobucci movie critic for ReelScreenReviews.com and our next movie review is the film The Warrior. This drama and sports film opened on September 9th, 2011, and it features Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, Nick Nolte, and Jennifer Morrison. "The Warrior" comes to us from director Gavin O'Connor, the director of the Disney sports film "Miracle" and "Tumbleweeds" from 1999. This time out the director once again sets up the lights and cameras in order to capture a very popular sport, this time of MMA fighting.
Our story tells of 2 brothers, one an ex-marine with coping issues, and the other a struggling school teacher. We soon learn that events from their past have pitted these two brothers against each other for quite some time, and they haven't even spoken to each other in years. Our marine Tommy soon invites the help of his father who's not only battled in and out of the ring as a manager, he has also battled with the bottle and alcoholism just as long. The other brother Brendan just cannot seem to provide for his family on his pay alone, so he also begins a fighting regiment and soon emerges not only as an underdog but a contender as well. With the success of each of the brother's climb to the top, this puts them on a collision course headed straight for each other. The movie then pretty much stops at nothing to give us a knock down drag out fight that provides new meaning to the term 'Sibling Rivalry'.
Well people The Warrior seems to take what could be such standard and cliché material and elevates it to the next level. It accomplishes this by always keeping the sport in a secondary position to the storyline first. Now if I was to say that "Warrior" reminded me of other sports films, well that wouldn't be too much of a compliment in itself. However if I compare it to both "Cinderella Man" and "The Natural", which are not only fantastic sports films but are out-and-out 2 great films of the last 3 decades, that would be a compliment. Just as in Ron Howard's brilliant boxing drama "Cinderella Man" as this film plays out and is so engrossing with everything that is going on, you sometimes almost forget that you're even watching a sports movie in the first place. And most comparable to Robert Redford and Barry Levinson's baseball gem "The Natural", when you do finally come to reach the climatic finale you come to realize that there are many things more important than a title or a victory.
Now I can't help but have some comparisons with this project to the very recent Marky Mark/Christian Bale movie "The Fighter", but I actually think that this is just as good if not better. There is not one throw away character in this film, and each actor has clear moments to shine and often does. Tom Hardy has this stern intensity about him, but he always seems anchored into the characters that he brings to life. He reminds me of a young Burt ReynoldsI mean going back to "The Longest Yard" or "Deliverance". He's an action star waiting to happen all trapped in the body of a great actor, and that is why Nolan keeps casting him in everything. Then Joel Edgerton rules every part of the big screen in every one of his scenes. You see and feel a lifetime of decisions, whether they are right or wrong, in every moment that he is on screen. They're also not simple characters but complex people that can even hide secret motivations to fight in the first place.
In a back story involving Nick Nolte as their father, he also brings solid works once again to his resume. Nolte's dad also provides the motives that drove the family in separate directions so long ago, and a solid story brings them back together. Chance also brings very sound reasons for both brothers to enter and want to win the "World Series" of MMA fighting. Put simply people, the script never felt empty to me at all. Actually the only spot in The Warrior that seemed like a retread or a loophole was an internet video that depicted our one brother as an Army hero. This just so easily set the stage for him to enter the big tournament, and immediately be its 'Root-For Underdog'.
At 2 hours and 20 minutes The Warrior should've felt much longer than it was, but with such talent putting it together it just clips right along. The fighting was almost an extension of the drama and connected the dots of this film beautifully. The combat that takes place in the ring was brutally real, vividly authentic, and in your face genuine. This film is exciting as it builds and builds to a showdown that will see a lifetime of blood, sweat, and tears come out of each corner.
The Warrior has something for men, women, or anyone just looking to see a great film. I cannot recommend this movie enough, a perfect 4 stars out of 4.
And thank you for your attention.