My emotional response to this movie was surprisingly strong.

Rating: 8/10 (18 January 2012)

First of all, I'll get down to Warrior's script. The screenplay may be littered with clichés, but you know what? I don't care about any of that. Rather than pick apart predictability, I was practically amazed by how massive my emotional response to this movie was. Something in this movie manages finding sincerity.
At the center of the script is the crippled relationship between two brothers. The movie's rousing strength comes from their relationship, and we don't root for one to beat the other in their tournament. Maybe we do, but I don't know. What we really want is for the two of them to reconcile. These roles needed serious life to get them off the ground, and Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton prove they have enough emotion to match their bulky physiques. Not to be forgotten is Nick Nolte, taking what could have been a typical role in any other hands, and managing to give it deeper meaning.
Finally, I must mention the editing. The film is a bit over long, but the work by the film's quartet of editors (Sean Albertson, Matt Chesse, John Gilroy, and Aaron Marshall) is quite excellent. The film manages to find a consistent rhythm, whether it be showcasing the more subtle tactics of the characters and sub plots, or the more flashy styles of the brutal fight sequences, especially in the film's fight heavy second half.
*** out of ****