WarriorStoryline / Description: The youngest child of a former boxer turned alcoholic now returns home, and he is trained by his old man to compete in a tournament of mixed martial arts.

 

Synopsis: Stalked by a distressing former life, Tommy Conlon, an ex-Marine, goes back home. His once in 14 years return becomes an adventure when his father trains him for SPARTA, the largest winner-takes-all tournament in the history of mixed martial arts. As he soars to greatness, he must now face his brother in a battle of a lifetime.

 

Genre: Action | Drama

Running Time: minutes

Distributor: Lionsgate

Directed By: Gavin O’Connor

Written By: Gavin O’Connor (screenplay), Anthony Tambakis (screenplay)

Cast: Tom Hardy, Nick Nolte and Joel Edgerton

Movie Release Date: September 9, 2011


Review:

Very similar to The Fighter that hit the cinemas early this year, Gavin O’Connor’s Warrior equalizes cruel in the ring action with a dose of broken family drama, focusing on the stresses on two brothers. Like the previous movie The Fighter, this film boasts of an enormously transformative, impressive performance by an English actor, who’s to be seen in the upcoming The Dark Knight Rises next year. And also, like all boxing movies, it seems that this has a predictable storyline.

 

But of course, no matter how similar their themes are, there will always be differences. The Fighter’s story was true to life; while Warrior is completely fictional. Also, the form of battle is different. The Fighter was all about boxing, while Warrior explores the unfamiliar form of mixed martial arts — the new sport that tries to penetrate the world of popular sports these days.

 

Compared to the famous Ultimate Fighting Championship or UFC, mixed martial arts or MMA is from its name, a mix of anything. It’s like a blend of all sorts of martial arts. So while The Fighter’s rules are stictly evident just like how we have seen it for a long time, the MMA has still lots of new stuff to show us. And the director made sure that we will get to see those.

 

It hardly rescripts the rulebook, but the movie Warrior is a mighty, compelling and splendid sports family drama. Just like boxing movies with a punch– plus a kick.