Unoriginal, clichéd and predictable; brilliant, powerful and moving

Rating: 8/10 (1 July 2012)

Here's an odd thing: Warrior is unoriginal, predictable, clichéd and (almost) formulaic, yet it still manages to be one of the most, entertaining, powerful, moving and brilliant films I've seen in the past few years.
It basically, as you probably are aware, revolves around the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) and MMA, which is a bludgeoning blend of, well, whatever you like really. The fight sequences here are much more brawl-like and despite a PG-13 rating, are a brutal flurry of punches and elbows; which thanks to Gavin O'Connor's impressive direction allow the viewer to actually feel each blow, to occasional cringe-worthy effect.
At the centre of the film are three marvellous performances from Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton and Nick Nolte. Unsurprisingly, Hardy is practically impeccable, portraying a ex Marine, who's become a perfect storm of directed rage with strong emotional issues, which is wonderfully evident on screen to the point where his screen presence is almost intimidating. However, this makes it harder for him to win our sympathies, unlike Edgerton and Nolte; the former is a completely nice guy, in contrast to Hardy's angry and brooding unpleasantness. He is unusually liked by his class, referred to as "Mr. C", a loving father and husband. In the hands of a lesser actor this genuine good guy could have become sickly sentimental, but Edgerton's charm and charisma manages to make his character work and easily likable. Nolte delivers a magnificent piece of acting, deserving of that Oscar nomination. His performance is so good, that he even manages to make a woefully clichéd line like "If you could find some space in the bottom of your heart...", heartfelt and moving. He is truly a joy in it.
With O'Connor's fantastic direction the film pulls on the heartstrings whether it's the emotional family drama or thrilling fights. That the two brothers eventually face other comes as no surprise, but it has a wonderful twist to it, as by the time we get to the climax you don't want either fighter to lose. Its emotional peak is the sort which finds you're insides singing in a stirring fashion.
So overall, while hardly original, it is a great film that I wholeheartedly love, which means a lot, considering the fact that I don't enjoy sporting films.