Warrior Review

I just got back from seeing Warrior with Justin on September 10, 2011. This movie was amazing!! The plot centers around the lives of two brothers: Brendan and Tommy Conlon and their father Paddy. One brother (Tommy) is an ex-Marine who is haunted by his past as a former hero saving his brothers during a mission by ripping the door of a tank to prevent them from drowning. However, he also went AWOL. He had abandoned his father who was an alcoholic to live with his mother. He took her maiden name Riordan as his last name because he didn't want to associate with his ex-Marine father. The older brother (Brendan) seems to have it together as he has the beautiful wife Tess and his two daughters. He is a high school physics teacher in the Philadelphia School District. However, he is struggling to make ends meet and faces foreclosure on his home. He is a former UFC fighter and resorts to fighting low end bouts to make some money. Tommy knocks out a top fighter in a gym and becomes a Youtube sensation from it which starts turning heads. Both brothers end up entering a tournament featuring top fighters throughout the world. One of the reasons is due to the prize money which is a $5,000,000 purse. It will help sort Brendan's mortgage problems and his daughter's medical bills (who had heart surgery) and Tommy wants to give the money to the widows of a fallen brother of his Marine unit. The title of the movie is so apropos as they are fighting in the tournament but they are also battling with the struggles in their lives. Paddy really wants to win his kids hearts again and had entered rehab for his drinking. The fights were incredible and a cameo from one of my all time favorite wrestlers Kurt Angle was a highlight. I don't follow UFC or MMA, but I enjoyed the choreography and the camera work with the fight. Two powerfully emotional scenes were 1) Tommy basically tells Paddy to get the hell out of my life and Paddy goes on a drinking binge seemingly trying to end his life, but the next morning when Tommy realizes what his words from the previous night had done to him he consoles his father and tells him everything's going to be alright. Very powerful scene. 2) Brendon and Tommy have a conversation about their past and how Tommy went to live with the mother, but Brendan wanted to stay behind with pop. Brendan never knew his mother was sick and never got to say goodbye to her. Tommy tells him that forgiveness means nothing from him. As you can see there are alot of problems within the family. However, the main fight between the brothers is tough and they take out their aggressions on one another with Brendan breaking Tommy's arm and Tommy just trying to beat Brendan senseless. Throughout the fight though, you watch as the bond seems to grow and the aggression being shown ends up leading to forgiveness. Even before the last tapout, Brendan goes to Tommy I love you and that scene really wrapped up the movie nicely. The last shot of the movie is Brendan and Tommy supporting each other and helping each other walk out of the arena. The repairing of a brotherly bond is great and the overcoming the odds mantra that follows Brendan is succeeded in more ways than one. He gets the respect from Tommy and he realizes how much Tommy means to him and both realize how much Paddy loves them. The acting was top notch and Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy and Nick Nolte all deserve nominations for this movie. Yoy felt the emotions as if you were in the cage with them and you follow their journey to the top of the tournament as well as fighting to repair their lives. An easy 5/5 and a definite must see.