Forgiveness, redemption, and other religious themes run through this inspirational film that combines brutal physical fighting with lofty spiritual growth. The faith-based production gets off to a slow start in the first act, but gains strength as it moves along toward its exciting conclusion. At times viewers might forget about the “message” in this movie and find themselves enthralled by the bone-crunching, blood-gushing violence that dominates the last two-thirds of the film.
The Men Behind the Muscle
Actors Joel Edgerton (Star Wars Episodes II and III) and Tom Hardy (Inception) portray the two brothers at the center of the story. Their rippling muscles and fighting skills are so extraordinary it’s easy to forget they both have long lists of movie credits for non-physical acting roles. Edgerton plays the older brother, Brendan, a family man who needs extra money to save his house, and hopes to earn that money through fighting.
Younger brother, Tommy (Hardy), is a hard-drinking former Marine with a chip on his shoulder and a dangerous secret. Tommy fights like a mindless machine, intent on destroying his opponents and enduring the physical pain as punishment for past deeds. In fact, when he’s not punishing himself, he’s laying guilt on his father and brother for perceived past crimes.
Brothers Trained as Fighters
Their father (Nick Nolte), a former alcoholic, trained the brothers as fighters when they were young. Now clean, sober, and a born-again Christian, he repents for destroying the family in his earlier downward spiral, yet neither Brendan nor Tommy forgive him. Brendan withholds his children from their grandfather, and Tommy allows the old man to train him for a mixed martial arts fight, but insists the relationship be entirely professional, not personal.
Splintered as this family may be, it’s a reflection of what’s going on around them, too. Brendan’s wife (Jennifer Morrison) wants nothing to do with her husband if he leaves his high school teaching job to go back to the ring. Likewise, Principal Zito (Kevin Dunn) lectures Brendan about fighting and punishes him for the activity. Underneath their disdain for violence, however, both people support Brendan’s efforts to save his family from financial ruin.
Too Preachy at Times
Tommy is a different kind of warrior than Brendan. He fights because he loves it, needs it, and is quite good at it. Although his motives are unlike his brother’s reasons for fighting, Tommy is just as determined to win – no matter who’s in the ring with him.
Although a little too preachy at times, Warrior nonetheless provides plenty of well-choreographed action and an extremely exciting and emotional final third act that will inspire some viewers to make amends with estranged family members and will inspire others to start training for mixed martial arts.
Warrior
- In this inspirational drama, two brothers, a former soldier and a family man, compete against others and eventually against each other at a mixed martial arts competition.
- Starring: Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Morrison, Bryan Callen, Kevin Dunn, Frank Grillo, Liam Ferguson
- Director: Gavin O’Connor
- Writers: Gavin O’Connor, Anthony Tambakis, Cliff Dorfman
- Genre: Sports Action Drama
- Run Time: 140 minutes
- Rating: PG-13 (for sequences of intense mixed martial arts fighting, some language and thematic material)
- 3/5 Good
To learn more about Warrior, visit the official website. To answer the question “What Do You Fight For” in your own words, or to nominate a warrior fighting for something important to you, click here.
Leslie C. Halpern - Leslie C. Halpern, Romantic Films/Comedies Topic Editor, authored Passionate About Their Work, Reel Romance, & Dreams on Film.
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