well if this isn't the American Nightmare

Rating: 1/10 (4 August 2012)

OK, actually this is a decent sports drama, and I would rate it 6.5-7 if it wasn't for an utterly horrifying plot element that seems to have escaped most people: The main hero of the story is forced into foreclosure of his home by an arrogant banker who weaseled him into his loan in the first place, and now refuses to extend it. His only way out is to participate in a no-holds-barred fight tournament organized and financed by - an arrogant Wall Street banker! Just how sick is that? The people who force ordinary Americans into bankruptcy get the additional kick of watching said Americans get their heads bashed in - and be grateful for the wads of cash they may receive if they make it. Exactly like 'Hunger Games', only there it's criticized and in a SciFi setting, whereas 'Warrior' glorifies this state of things and is set in the present day! Almost as if the US today were some sort of Ancient Rome, where the impoverished should be thankful for their chance to prove their merit in the arena like the gladiators of yore.
Other reasons for me to dislike the film were various plot gaps wider than the Grand Canyon: if a soldier goes AWOL in Iraq - how can he resurface in the US under a different name? Are we supposed to believe that US immigration turns a blind eye on disgruntled young men? Besides the fact that the feat, for which he is so celebrated in the film, is physically impossible (body submerged in water = no leverage).
Then there's the 'Rocky' thing: below-than-average fighter trains for a big tournament and makes it against all odds. In 'Rocky', however, the whole story is about getting there, how to overcome the shortcomings of the body by willpower, and the final fight is a draw, not a victory - because in that film, the emphasis is on keeping it real, and that's what makes it a classic. 'Warrior', however, features totally unbalanced fight sequences; the only difference to wrestling would be the missing name calling, and that it presents itself as a real deal, where in fact anybody who's ever done a bit of martial arts can only shake his head and go WTF.
On the plus side, there's Nick Nolte's great presence in a, however, highly cliché role. But aforementioned plot element, which I perceive as an assault on common sense and civil rights, prompts me to condemn this film completely. If there's anyone in this film who'd deserve a good thrashing, it's the organizer of the Sparta tournament!