Weekly Movie Review

Warrior

I will start my review by saying that I am a mixed martial arts fanatic. I train in the sport, I have been in the ring and despite Shauna's concerns, I hope to be again. Now with all that said Warrior is an exceptional story of a family trying to piece together their lives individually and together.

This film stars Tom Hardy (Inception, Bronson), Joel Edgerton (Smoking Aces, The Thing) and Nick Nolte. I know there isn't a huge drawing power name (until the new batman comes out and Hardy becomes the new Heath Ledger for his performance as Bane) but all I have to say is despite the fact that this movie is about "fighting" it is not a soft film in the same genre as "Never Back Down" or an overly artsy mess like the mind bogglingly bad "Redbelt".

Warrior is a character driven film, the slow paced, emotional dialogue and dark first person cinematography, grasps you and doesn't allow you too look away. Nick Nolte steals the show as the formerly abusive alcoholic father, who is trying to gain back the family he threw away. I have never really been a Nolte fan but with this performance I think he really took the turmoil and chaos from his own life and had to look himself in the mirror. IMO academy award consideration would be merited!

In an attempt to not give away too much of the plot I will only give you some quick summary. the two brothers, who have been estranged for so long, rediscover each other through their Father, Both men are fighting for something in the lives and make the way to a 16 man tournament to find out who is the best middleweight in the world. With a 5 million dollar prize on the line sparks fly.

Some of the fight scenes, mostly the take-downs, are a little over then top but the grappling displays were excellent and overall I think they captured some of MMA's essence while adding in some pro wrestling flare!

Overall I would give this movie a solid 9/10.

Go check it out!!!