Fairly clichéd sports film elevated by performances of power.

Rating: 8/10 (14 September 2012)

'Warrior,' has previously been compared to 2010's 'The Fighter,' an easy comparison to make. Both are centered on professional fighting, yet the true bulk of the story comes in it's portrayal of a highly dysfunctional family. However, whereas I found 'The Fighter,' to be quite overrated and fairly dull, 'Warrior,' is not. Primarily because of a holy trinity of incredible performances from its three male leads, Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton and Nick Nolte. Whereas the film is fairly conventional in its plot and direction, the sheer power of these three truly elevates the film to something great.
The plot is fairly conventional and there aren't many surprises, which is perhaps the film's greatest weakness. However, the three main players consistently keep the audience engaged with three wholly different performances. Joel Edgerton is Brendan Conlon, a former fighter turned physics teacher who's struggling with his finances following his daughter's expensive treatment for a heart condition. His friendly every-man is perhaps the most likable of the three male family members. Brendan reluctantly returns to the ring in order to support his family, much to his wife's dismay. Edgerton gives a great performance, the struggles of a man trying to keep everything together conveyed perfectly. Tom Hardy, as his younger brother Tommy, is also exceptional. His pained performance is one of Hardy's best, in both emotional depth and physical appearance. Hardy has obviously bulked up for this film, and his dedication pays dividends. This is a great physical performance, and a true definition of an actor giving everything to his role. However, his character can at times be quite unpleasant, and as a result I found myself failing to connect with Tommy as I did Brendan. His pain is evident, yet he seems oblivious to the pain that he inflicts on other characters. However, the best performance of the film, and one deservedly nominated for an Oscar, was Nick Nolte's tortured, formerly alcoholic Paddy Conlan, the boys' father. Nolte is explosive, an actor at the top of his game. One scene in particular is absolutely shattering in its potency and is delivered perfectly. Nolte should have won the Oscar.
However, as I've mentioned previously, the plot is fairly obvious, and this is the film's greatest flaw. There aren't many surprises, and it's a shame the story didn't do much to differentiate from others in the sports/fighting genre. The strength of the performances may do much to bring this film to greatness, but the plot hampers its ability to be rendered a classic. The fighting is well choreographed, the score rousing and the direction solid, if a little uninspired.
'Warrior,' is a good film, maybe even a great one, hampered only by the obviousness of its plot. See it for the performances rather than the story however, and you'll be in for a good show.