Warrior

If someone had told me a couple of days ago that there would be a combat sport drama that would get close to my TOP films of 2011, I would have laughed to their face. Fighter, The Wrestler, Cinderella Man, Rocky, Raging Bull… I didn’t give five stars to a single one of them and I’m actually trying to remember whether I’ve given such high rating to any other sports film. Warrior has a very straightforward plot and nobody will have a hard time figuring out how it ends – although I must say that I thought of two other endings while I watched it, both fairly effective, so I wasn’t all that sure. In the end, the creators took the path of least resistance, but it doesn’t matter, I can forgive that, because if I look at the not very sophisticated script (which doesn’t mean that it was stupid!), it’s brilliant and it works both as a drama and as an action film about fighting. In the end, Warrior arouse in me more rapturous emotions than any other film this year. Tension, followed by joy, followed by sadness, all with a great soundtrack in the back. I really prayed that the barrage of emotions wouldn’t be ruined with some pointless dialogue. Fortunately, it didn’t happen. PS: Now I believe that Hardy’s Bane will match Ledger’s Joker, really. (02/12/2011)

A deceptively familiar plot template, masculine sweat in every minute, and problems that will stare back at you forever. Warrior is at first glance a somewhat calculated bit of screenwriting. It takes elements from the various premises of famous boxing dramas and wraps everything up in themes that appeal to both audiences and critics. Iraq, heroism, trauma, high school, debts, and alcoholism all intersect here, with the strongest family values remaining at the center, wrapped around bitter memories. But it works, and it works perfectly. Gavin O'Connor has learned from Miracle that some emotions work better implied and without words, and with each scene that delves into broken family relationships, he escalates the atmosphere of unwavering cheering and the desire for reconciliation. And last but not least, it features Tom Hardy in the forefront, who shatters all doubts with his brute strength. It's hard to say why guys so easily melt the moment they hear that characteristic sound of a blow hitting a muscular body, but the adrenaline that surged in me during each major fight could have powered a regional power plant. When even the most hidden memories and the emotions that go with them bubble up during the closing song, there is no defense against the power of this narrative. (09/12/2011)

Muscly tough guys torn by emotions, depicted in brilliant performances by the up-and-coming acting elite. Their display of physical prowess, especially Tom Hardy’s, and commitment to the characters and the story are what make this otherwise simple and unoriginal film so powerful. You believe every word they say and perceive the weight of their disaffection, and thus all the more thoroughly feel the film’s ending, which is impossible to watch without a tear in your eye. Veteran actor Nick Nolte is a worthy teammate to the younger guys and director Gavin O’Connor is a guide with a clear vision. Warrior is a brilliantly cast actors’ film. (01/01/2012)

First came Wrestler, the next year Fighter appeared, and now Warrior is on the scene. I understand that these films are here to offer physically and mentally challenging scenarios, for which the best options are chosen for main roles, supporting roles, director, music, and a bunch of other important functions that revolve around the film. And in the end, they fight over how many Oscars they will take home this time. However, even behind the themes of such high-profile films can hide an incredibly sensitive story full of life destinies and beautiful scenes that will make you want to cry... and what's more, you will roar like turtles. Warrior is simply a wonderful film. It has a story that inherently must evoke some emotions, at the very least reflection. But as soon as I started the first minutes of the film, I immediately bonded with the actors playing the two brothers. Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton played them absolutely brilliantly. And of course, I can't forget about their dad, played by Nick Nolte, who delivered perhaps the best acting performance I saw in 2011. It was a joy to watch those individual fights in the ring, the eyes of the main actors, who look at each other and you can see the incredible sadness in them. And then there was the music by Mark Isham, which now interests me a lot, because the last scene in combination with the absolutely brilliant actors and his music evoked in me something that no film has evoked in me for a long time, and I can say that the top 5 best scenes I have ever seen will probably hold up after watching it. Just like this beautifully told story of two brothers will stay with me in my heart forever. (16/01/2012)

An ode to (movie and viewer) joy that is spoiled just by trying to catch too many birds in bushes. To hell with all those clichés, but I would welcome it if it concentrated only on the brothers and father (plus their demons); this does actually happen, but not until the very end. Which means that all of the preceding, subordinate motifs just fizzle out. (14/12/2011)