Warrior (2011)

Warrior, created by Gavin O'Connor known for his Miracle (2004) movie, seems to take pride of place in the list of best fight movies of all time after Rocky and Million Dollar Baby. This is not just a movie for fight fans, it's quite an intelligent drama with emotional suspense which keeps you on the edge till the last minutes of the movie.

The film revolves around "Sparta" tournament, a winner-takes-all event where the best of the best mixed martial art fighters will combat for a pretty round sum of money - $5 million. Apart from just being a ring for great fights, "Sparta" turns into the place meant to reunite a family torn in parts in the past. Tommy Riordan (Tom Hardy), a former U.S. Marine, has come back to his father's home. But there were no warm honey and hugs, no impetuous chats, instead his father Paddy (Nick Nolte) was hailed by lots of bitter reminders. As it later becomes known, Tommy's father was an alcoholic and was far from being an exemplary dad. His wife took Tommy and left him, while his elder brother Brendan (Joel Edgerton) was supposed to do the same but happened to eloped with Tess (Jennifer Morrison), his now-wife, and chose to stay.

Paddy, who is now a Christian, reconsidered his life and realized how many bad things he'd done. He is not a drunker any more but this doesn't help him to restore the relationships with his two sons. Though Tommy came back, but for him Paddy is nothing more than a trainer. He helps Tommy to get ready for "Sparta" tournament without trying to impose his love and repentance on his son – that was a deal. On the other hand, there is Brendan Conlon, an excellent teacher of physics, who is from head to toes in debts. Even though he and Tess are working hard to pay to the bank in time, there is a vicious circle with no way out except for fighting and getting fast money. Yeah, Brendan is a former UFC fighter, who is still in a good shape to join the tournament and win the prize. But he didn't expect to meet his brother there, nor he was thinking about fighting with him.

Warrior trailer is rather informative, giving you a brief idea of the whole movie. But what it lacks is emotions and those complicated family relationships one might have experiences in his/her own life.

The movie is based on contrasts. Tommy's surrounding is grey and gloomy, while Brendan at first glance leads a successful, troublesome life in sunny Philadelphia, PA. But this is just a shell, which cracks when a birthday party of one of Brendan's daughters is over. Scenes are jumping from one brother to another revealing step by step their still sore wounds of the past. Before you know, you find yourself involved in the story and struggling for whose side to take.

The plot is in a way predictable. When both brothers are fighters and feel abused by each other, apparently they will meet in a final fight to sort things out. And they will. However, the movie causes ambiguous feelings and when the final credits starts rolling you will find yourself stunned.

The performance is amazing. Hardy is so manful, yet full of grief making you believe he really had many hard times in his life. I'm not a professional fighter (it would be nice to hear the review of one concerning the combats), but I personally found the scenes of fights very convincing. It was like being a part of that wild crowd of fans there near the ring shouting, whistling and biting nails. It was incredible movie watching experiences. I'm looking forward to see Hardy again in the role of Bane the villain in The Dark Knight Rises, hope another Nolan's masterpiece. But as for Warrior, this is definitely one of the best movies of 2011 which is worth your attention!