Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Warrior: Movie Review

In life, we're cast on simple facts of surviving. We go to work daily, try to eat balanced meals, and live for another day again and again. But there are some of us who resort to fighting the demons kept within ourselves and the demons that we face with. That is how Warrior sets itself. And the fights, literally and figuratively, is damn good to boot.

Warrior centers on 3 people, Paddy Conlon (Nick Nolte), Tommy Rheardon/Conlon (Tom Hardy) and Brandon Conlon (Joel Edgerton). They were all from a broken family with Paddy being drunk most of the time and never really the dad that Tommy and Brandon needed. Fast forward to the future, Brandon seems most successful when he had ran way from the broken family and made on his own as a Physics teacher. Tommy ran away with his mother and ended up as a Marines officer while Paddy sought to stop his drinking problems. But they all had something to fight for.

Brandon was quickly losing his house, Paddy repented and wanted his sons back, and Tommy's intentions of joining Sparta, a winner takes all fighting tournament remains a mystery (that is until closer to the middle of the story). As Brandon knew fighting was the only to keep things afloat, even he joined Sparta to end his debts. The question is, who emerges as the real winner?

The story is truly magnificent. I have never seen a fight movie so good since...Fearless. And that was damn good in its action setpiece (but weak in story telling). The story does not make you root for 1 character, because everyone has their good and bads, so you had to choose in a way or just let the wonders of the story unfold. The script benefits a whole lot and helps convey the emotion much more precise.

But the real winners were the actors. All 3 were spectacular and there was no doubt that they truly can move you. They may not win any Oscars, but damn this movie deserves a nomination for best picture.

Soundtrack does its job but sincerely you can't care much. There's quite a number of references to certain people in UFC and also the MMA circuits that they all do their jobs in striking fear.

You may think you're getting a typical ending, but I can say its perfect. Just enough and answers the questions you need and the loose ends wonderfully.

While this movie may only be available at Mid Valley and Sabah, please do not waste any moments and just watch it. You'll be thrilled, unless you hate long winded dramas like one guy I know who snored at theater. have fun!

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