Rocky never had it this good....

Rating: 9/10 (7 October 2011)

The story is nothing new, its the underdog's rise but done in a fresh way from two different perspectives. It is exciting and very well done and has a modern twist on the old training montage. The performances; a tour-de-force. I would say that appropriately describes Tom Hardy's performance here. Wow. He is unbelievable. A dark and troubled character who is wound so tight that once he steps in the ring he becomes an animal, with the haunted look of all your favourite psycho's down the years. He has to be getting Oscar buzz for this. Nolte too is fantastic, a recovered alcoholic and so troubled by his past and his olive branches which he extends to his estranged sons get torched without even being entertained. It is an understated performance but very powerful. Egerton is almost the boy next door, driven to fight to support his family, he blends in alongside Hardy and Nolte but so would anyone else. He handles his emotional and fighting scenes very well, without being clichéd. Again, he is understated.
The fight scenes in this film are the most realistic I have seen, they are gripping and have you on the edge of your seat willing for the right result. Some of the camera-work is very creatively done and you can really feel the pain etched on the warring men's faces. The sound in the cinema only adds to the atmosphere, the fierce thumps and crunches of men hitting the floor and each other really immerses you in the action.
Overall I rate this film very highly, it hits all the right notes and I look forward to seeing it again on blu-ray.