Movie Review: Warrior

by Scipio Tex on Dec 16, 2011 3:53 PM CST in Pop Culture

The rise of Mixed Martial Arts in popular culture has been reflected in cinema with results that range from barely satisfactory (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu enthusiast David Mamet's Red Belt, Channing Tatum and Terrence Howard in Fighting) to the relatively stupid (Never Back Down, Never Surrender, never going to make the mistake of renting these again) with the hokey, but thoroughly enjoyable, precursors like Jean Claude Van Damme in Bloodsport, Frank Dux's imaginative fiction depicting a Hong Kong Kumite.

Learning that Bloodsport was bullshit was more disappointing at 18 than learning that there was no Santa Claus in that same year.

Warrior is the first MMA movie that manages to focus on character and plot development as much as balancing realistic action in the cage. The movie is less about the physical fight and more about one splintered family's fight to forgive. It respects the viewer enough to provide the barest background of family patriarch Nick Nolte's abuse and the destruction he visited upon his deceased wife and two boys, Tommy (Tom Hardy) and Brendan (Joel Hardy). It's a wise choice as the reality created by the regret in Nick Nolte's eyes and the harsh moments of retribution from his sons - brothers now separated, alienated, and ultimately set against each other - when the younger Tommy fled with a sick mother and the other "betrays" him by remaining with the abusive Nolte - is superior to flashbacks or other tired devices. You'll figure out quickly the kind of sonuvabitch we're dealing with.

Or were dealing with. Pop is clean now and he's trying to get back into their lives. He wants to train Tommy and be a proper grandfather to Brendan's kids.

Tommy stalks through much of the film as a wayward pit bull rescue - a snarling force-of-Nature who can't be heeled or healed. His mistreatment by family and circumstance has left him alone and alienated, existing on survival instinct and rage when his final tenuous chain to family is severed by a friendly fire incident in Iraq. He's intent on dishing back some of the hurt that the world has visited upon him, motivated by the quest of fulfilling a barracks promise to his best friend. He channels it all into a relentless fighting style that is as spare as it is brutal, first glimpsed in a gym scene with an elite contender who likes to bully his sparring partners. The spare realism of the violence when Tommy tunes up his opponent is breath-taking. Can I get a a "holy shit!?"

The feat is captured on Youtube and lands Tommy a spot in an upcoming 5 million dollar tournament.

Estranged older brother Brendan manages his reality by excommunicating his father and going underwater on a home mortgage to create the good life for his wife and children that his high school physics teacher salary can't cover. On the wrong side of 30, after a mediocre UFC career, he's left fighting "smokers" in a strip club parking lot, managing a place in the Big Tournament on the charity of a brilliant corner man - whose guidance and instruction is his best hope for negotiating the tourney - best expressed in this beautiful scene, where you can actually see doubt melt into resolution:

And I think you know where this is going...yep, the brothers are going to fight. The subtle jiu-jitsu that the movie manages is that you end up pulling for both.

If you're not willing to buy in to the movie and the layers of emotional stakes (some applied ham-handedly) and the improbable collision course that's set for the movie denouement, you're unlikely to let your emotional guard down enough to acquiesce to the film's final scene. So tap out your cynicism. I did and was rewarded not with Rocky or The Fighter, but with one of the best meditations on the meaning of brotherhood since A River Runs Through It.

Check it out.

And if you already have, tell me what you thought.

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Read More: joel edgerton, mma, nick nolte, tom hardy, warrior

Comments

I like the part where the gypsies shoot the old guy…wait, wrong movie?

by Lobo89 on Dec 16, 2011 3:58 PM CST reply actions

Is Red Belt any good? I’m a big David Mamet fan, and I can’t believe I haven’t seen this yet.

by redfoot on Dec 16, 2011 4:06 PM CST reply actions

“Learning that Bloodsport was bullshit…”

whoa, Whoa, WHOA….Pump the brakes, Scip! Are you telling me Bloodsport was NOT based on a true story?

(solitary teardrop falls from Nate’s cheek)

My reality is shattered. My childhood is no longer meaningful. If this is what the cruel mistress of Fate does to me, then fuck that bitch. I’m going to go watch Jersey Shore and listen to Nickelback.

by NateHeupel on Dec 16, 2011 4:09 PM CST reply actions

redfoot -

It’s one of his least effective works. It has a confidence man angle, it delves into the purity of Art vs. Commerce (in this instance, using your fighting skills), and it’s pretty slipshod in many parts. I can’t recommend it, but it was passable.

by Scipio Tex on Dec 16, 2011 4:13 PM CST reply actions

Nate -

We all want to live in a world where Thai boxers fight sumo wrestlers to the death in front of predatory Chinese gamblers, but sadly it cannot be.

by Scipio Tex on Dec 16, 2011 4:14 PM CST reply actions

“We all want to live in a world where Thai boxers fight sumo wrestlers to the death in front of predatory Chinese gamblers, but sadly it cannot be.”

Not since Pride went kaput anyway! (ok Japanese, but still)

by UK_Horn on Dec 16, 2011 4:19 PM CST reply actions

I lost track of Nolte after “Rich Man, Poor Man.”

Which, if I recall, is about two brothers who fight.

(Is there any other kind?)

by parlin on Dec 16, 2011 4:21 PM CST reply actions

Nate -

While we are shattering reality….1991 superhit “Stone Cold” starring the fabulous Brian Bosworth was also a fictional story. Even the breasts were fake.

Sorry dude.

by jinx on Dec 16, 2011 4:22 PM CST reply actions

Bloodsport may be fake but at least we still have the no holds barred matches of Lionheart, sponsored by LA’s 1%.

by Fico on Dec 16, 2011 4:24 PM CST reply actions

The part where Nolte tries to recreate what lead to his famous mugshot photo was amazing. You could really tell he was immersed in the character ……and wild turkey.

by Secret Squirrel on Dec 16, 2011 4:31 PM CST reply actions

jinx:

That movie starred The Boz. Much like his muscle during his college playing days, I think we ALL knew that was fiction.

by NateHeupel on Dec 16, 2011 4:36 PM CST reply actions

Scip sed:

“It has a confidence man angle, it delves into the purity of Art vs. Commerce (in this instance, using your fighting skills), and it’s pretty slipshod in many parts. I can’t recommend it, but it was passable.”

You neglect to mention Tim Allen.

by WestCoaster on Dec 16, 2011 4:42 PM CST reply actions

And it has Tim Allen!

by Scipio Tex on Dec 16, 2011 4:45 PM CST reply actions

yay!

i’m gonna go triangle choke myself now.

by WestCoaster on Dec 16, 2011 4:55 PM CST reply actions

glad to read a positive endorsement of “Warrior”, btw. looking forward to checking it out.

thanks for the review.

by WestCoaster on Dec 16, 2011 4:56 PM CST reply actions

Most “fighting” movies leave me disgusted at some of the acting, usually because the demographic that the movie tries to approach, usually only wants to see action. Warrior had both in spades. By far the best fighting movie I’ve seen since the Rocky heydays.

Nick Nolte played himself, and there have actually been discussions about a possible Oscar nomination for old drunkard, and I think its well deserved.

The thing I enjoyed most about the movie was the techniques used in the fights, and how accurate they were. Of course it didn’t hurt to have real fighters reprise fictional roles to make the action more accurate, as Nate Marquardt and Kurt Angle were absolutely excellent, especially Kurt Angle.

And you’re right Scip, I didn’t know who I wanted to win. Both were such likeable characters, but I’m damn glad it didn’t go to a draw like Rocky did. I’d rather felate a hot curling iron than watch another sports movie end in a tie.

by Kasey on Dec 16, 2011 7:38 PM CST reply actions

So this is what it’s come to? Scipio writing movie reviews?

You did great Scip, don’t get me wrong but… Bowl season is our last hope.

by Bunbury on Dec 17, 2011 8:00 AM CST reply actions

Was he hexed?

by Jose on Dec 17, 2011 11:42 AM CST reply actions

by BrickHorn on Dec 18, 2011 12:40 PM CST reply actions

Nice review, Scip. I wasn’t expecting much when a buddy invited me to a preview of it, but did allow my guard down enough to enjoy the finale’s emotional punch. I agree on all fronts, though thought the writer got a little lazy when trying to “flesh out” the characters, especially Brendan by means of making his situation pitiable as possible (wait, his daughter needs the most expensive surgery EVAR or else! golly gee, I gotta root for him). Didn’t think that was necessary because that actor was excellent at making you believe this was a truly decent guy trying his best for his family to make a good life. Nolte and Hardy were awesome though. Can’t wait to see Hardy in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy soon.

by Burnt Orange Wookiee on Dec 19, 2011 1:05 PM CST reply actions

Kasey -

Right on. I was hoping you’d chime in and I expected that you’d like the movie.

I was tickled to see Kurt Angle. Dude was a little out of his weight class, but suspension of disbelief etc.

Wookie -

Yeah, there are layers of emotional stakes that aren’t necessary, as if they’re trying to press every emotional button possible. But it works.

Hardy is a good actor. He’s also Bane in the upcoming Batman.

by Scipio Tex on Dec 19, 2011 3:43 PM CST reply actions

Exactly, and I don’t mean to say that ruined the movie for me either. Emotionally the story really resonated I thought, with or without the piled on stakes. It really showed what a destructive effect terrible fathers have on an entire family, not just the father’s direct relationship with each person but brother-to-brother, brother-to-mother, etc. was also ruined.

The first real trailer for the new Batman came out today. Wasn’t nearly as solid feeling as the first Dark Knight trailer by my remembrance, but Nolan’s earned a little leeway in my book. After this year’s smorgasbord of mediocre comic book hero films, here’s to hoping the Dark Knight Rises does something special next year.

by Burnt Orange Wookiee on Dec 19, 2011 4:46 PM CST reply actions