Warrior
2011’s sleeper hit ‘Warrior’ stars Tom Hardy (Tommy Conlon) and Joel Edgerton (Brendan Conlon) as two estranged brothers who were raised by an alcoholic and abusive father played by Nick Nolte, who also happened to be a former wrestling coach that taught his boys how to wrestle.
When their parents separated, the two brothers split ways with Tommy accompanying their sick mother and Brendan choosing to stick with their father. The boys didn’t see or speak to each other for years until they inevitably crossed paths once more when they both joined a professional MMA tournament for different financial reasons.
The story is predictable, but surprisingly engaging, led by the stellar performances of both Hardy and Edgerton. The last bout in the tournament featured, you guessed it, the two brothers against each other in the main event. But watching the entire film, you can actually rally behind either corner and it’s hard to pick one of the two characters losing.
Each of them has their own noble reason to fight and both deserve victory, but who ends up getting the win?
It’s one of those rare films that is captivating overall, regardless of genre. We’re lucky because it just so happens to be an MMA flick.
Appearances by UFC light heavyweight Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and WWE star Kurt Angle round out the cast, making for a really satisfying overall experience. If you call yourself an MMA fan and haven’t yet seen ‘Warrior’, you don’t know what you’re missing.
