Warrior

Directed by Gavin O’Connor

[rating: 4/5]

Gavin O’Connor has plundered the cliché-ridden world of the sports underdog before. His big break in film came when he wrote Miracle in 2004, the story of the USA Hockey teams victory against the Russians in the 1980 Olympics. With Warrior, he returns to the genre with a fictional tale in the world of MMA – Mixed Martial Arts. But, while most sports films follow the rise of a single underdog, Warrior splits the film time between two estranged brothers.

Tom Hardy plays Tommy, a lone soldier who’s recently returned from Iraq under suspicious circumstances. Hardy dominates his scenes – both figuratively and literally. He is in disturbingly good shape, and his performance oozes both anger and discontent. His early scenes in the ring are particularly enthralling.

But it is Tom’s father, played by Nick Nolte, who brings the family together. His relationship with both of his sons has soured as a result of his past transgressions, and we join him at the start of the film as he recovers from alcoholism. His guilt is palpable throughout, and his restrained performance is perfectly pitched.

The film is centred around the fight scenes, and it is in these scenes that all those hours in the gym come to fruition. In contrast to the relatively straightforward combat in similar boxing films like Rocky and The Fighter, there are a myriad of different ways to win in MMA – be it submission holds, kicks or a good old punch to the face. O’Connor manages to utilise this arsenal of techniques throughout the film, avoiding monotony. The contrast between the physically dominant Hardy and the more technical and defensive focus of Edgerton is especially intriguing as we head into the final confrontation.

The equal focus on both brothers means audience’s loyalties are split, and towards the end of the film tension should be high. Unfortunately, any tension is undermined by the predictability of the story. O’Connor, who wrote the script, piles cliche on top of cliche to the extent that the final confrontation is utterly anticipated. Small touches throughout the film, such as a fighter training to Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, mean that it is the clichés, not the tension, that attains a critical mass by the end.

At its heart, Warrior is an excellent film. Both Hardy and Edgerton are entertaining in their roles. Nolte is effective in his role, and the fight scenes are as exciting as they come. However, this is tempered by the overuse clichés. Whilst Warrior is undoubtedly a good film, it feels like you’ve seen it before.