Struggle for survival is one of the key themes behind Warrior, a feisty flick from Alliance Films sure to make one appreciative of loved ones. Lack of love and a spirit to survive are cornerstones to the central characters in Warrior.
A Man in The Dumps Brilliantly Conceived by Nick Nolte Here
Doing the right thing is at the heart of the troubles that plague many of the cast in this gut-wrenching tale of ups and downs in the lives of two disconnected brothers. Come to think of it, much of the blame in the Conlon household may well link back to head man of the house Paddy. Now washed up and in a sorry state, Nick Nolte (48 hours) perfectly portrays a man at wit’s end trying to find solace in his later years. Also in troubled times are his two sons, Tom and Brendan, neither of which has good relations with their pop.
Both Tom and Brendan have gone their separate ways but fate has a funny way of bringing them together. Memories last long for each of these stubborn individuals. Cast as Brendan, the more sedate member of the Conlon clan, is Joel Edgerton (Animal Kingdom). Just a bit older than his brother Tom, Brendan seems to have carved out a pretty nice niche in life with a loving wife, Tess, and a young daughter. Ah, but looks can be deceiving. Having a job is important for everyone and Jennifer Morrison (Mr. and Mrs. Smith) gives off good vibes as a caring wife and mother. Unfortunately some unforeseen events thrust the family into turmoil with the mild-mannered Brendan in need of some kind of fix in a hurry to salvage his life.
Knock Out Fights at a Martial Arts Tournament Hit Close to Home and are Really Gritty
Hard times can hit anyone and Warrior has no shortage of bad luck stories. While Brendan has to rethink his life along comes brother Tommy who, under the rage within from Tom Hardy (Layer Cake) must also reload his bullets and aim for something a bit better. For both Tom and Brendan the higher calling involves returning to the ring – in this case a mega martial arts competition called Sparta. Here the genesis in Warrior lies as two out of shape former jocks return to the ring against all odds for one last shot at fame, fortune and glory. How all this “redemption” unfolds is story book Hollywood, complete with an ending you can spot a mile away. Still, thanks to expert acting and a real hard-edge hard luck story to it, Warrior works flawlessly.
Robust training sequences and rousing in your face battles in the ring make Warrior a truly thrilling effort. Writer/director Gavin O’Connor (Miracle) here fully succeeds in showing you how three different men battle their inner most demons and manage to tell their story. Oscar-caliber performances sneak up on you in this gripping tale of family tragedy and the lengths some folks will go for redemption. Surprises along the way keep you fully intrigued in this well-paced drama that should be front and centre when awards season come around early next year.
Robert Waldman - Hi. I'm a film critic from Vancouver, British Columbia Canada, considered to be the number one city in the world and third largest film ...
