Touching and exciting movie overall

Rating: 8/10 (3 February 2013)

I am not a huge MMA fan, so I didn't know what I was getting into when I decided to watch Warrior (2011) I was pleasantly surprised to see such an entertaining story that really had heart to it. It is about two brothers who leave each other's life very early on. The result is a very tensioned relationship that lasted into their adulthood. The two brothers both end up in a competition together which pits them against each other (a little clichéd, yes) The fight scenes are very well done with enthusiastic commentary by Bryan Callen and Sam Sheridan that really kept the pace quick. Joel Edgerton does a fine job as the more straight-edged chemistry teacher brother but Tom Hardy really steals the show as Tommy, the more disturbed (ex- Marine) and troubled brother of the too. Hardy certainly has the "crazed" look down as it shows up many times during the film much to my amusement. Nolte is great also as the father although I would've liked to see more of a conclusion between him and his sons (although maybe it was better off this way...) The story isn't without it's flaws. The school children who set up a drive-thru theater to watch their chemistry teacher battle it out was a little cringe-worthy. The kids were just a little over-exaggerated with their "Go Mr. C!" signs and their over-sized golf shirts and high-fiving and hollering every time they are shown. The story is obviously ridiculously unrealistic for a couple different reasons but I think the film is not going for realism but trying to tell a heart-felt story. And with that I think they succeeded.