An emotionally intense fight film

Rating: 8/10 (25 January 2012)

Warrior is one of the new wave of sports dramas that seem to have become popular in recent years. As much a family drama as an action film. It tells the story of two brothers who enter into a no-holds barred national fight competition. One is driven by his past in the marines, while the other to support his family in a financial crisis; both share a very troubled relationship with their father, a former drunk and wife-beater. Both are destined to fight one and other.
The primary drive of Warrior is in the acting departments. The three leads are all excellent in their respective roles. Tom hardy and Joel Edgerton are the warring brothers, with Nick Nolte as their father. The latter has unsurprisingly been nominated as best supporting actor for this role. Nolte gives a very raw and vulnerable performance; one where he conveys his character's regrets and weaknesses perfectly. While Hardy and Edgerton are never less than compelling as the estranged brothers.
The story itself isn't especially original to be honest but the set up does allow for it to pan out in a slightly different way. Because the focus is divided equally between both brothers, and because they each have their good and bad points, the audience are at liberty to choose who to root for. Unlike in the vast majority of fight films there is no clear hero and villain, for this reason the film is not set on a preordained path.
Warrior is a fight film whose emotional punches are every bit as potent as its physical ones. Its unique dynamic of two sympathetic men fighting for a good cause lends it something different. While the intensity of its acting performances ensures that we always believe in the drama that unfolds. A great sports film.