Warrior

Name: Warrior
Genre: Action, Drama
Released: September 9, 2011
Duration: 139 min
Rating: 71
Cast: Joel Edgerton, Nick Nolte, Tom Hardy

2011

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 35 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 514 Ratings

See All

8.5

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

8.5	Your Score
8.5	User Score Universal acclaim based on 514 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Warrior

Now Playing: Warrior

Movie Details & Credits

Lionsgate | Release Date: September 9, 2011 | PG-13

Starring: Joel Edgerton, Nick Nolte, Tom Hardy

Summary: An ex-Marine haunted by a tragic past, Tommy Riordan returns to his hometown of Pittsburgh and enlists his father, a recovered alcoholic and his former coach, to train him for an MMA tournament awarding the biggest purse in the history of the sport. As Tommy blazes a violent path towards the title prize, his brother, Brendan, a former MMAAn ex-Marine haunted by a tragic past, Tommy Riordan returns to his hometown of Pittsburgh and enlists his father, a recovered alcoholic and his former coach, to train him for an MMA tournament awarding the biggest purse in the history of the sport. As Tommy blazes a violent path towards the title prize, his brother, Brendan, a former MMA fighter unable to make ends meet as a public school teacher, returns to the amateur ring to provide for his family. Even though years have passed, recriminations and past betrayals keep Brendan bitterly estranged from both Tommy and his father. But when Brendan's unlikely rise as an underdog sets him on a collision course with Tommy, the two brothers must finally confront the forces that tore them apart, all the while waging the most intense, winner-takes-all battle of their lives. (Lionsgate)

… Expand

Director: Gavin O'Connor

Genre(s): Action, Drama

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 139 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Empire Dan Jolin

Sep 3, 2011

It hardly rewrites the rulebook, but Warrior is a powerful, moving and brilliant sports-pic-cum-family drama. Like "The Fighter," but with kicking. Read full review

A.O. Scott

Sep 8, 2011

It is appropriately blunt, powerful and relentless, a study of male bodies in sweaty motion and masculine emotions in teary turmoil. Read full review

Andrea Gronvall

Sep 8, 2011

This high-powered sports melodrama benefits from its strong male leads, a sinewy narrative, and the maverick attitude of MMA. But for all the contemporary references, it's essentially a spin on the story of Cain and Abel, which may be the reason it feels timeless. Read full review

Rex Reed

Sep 6, 2011

It overcomes inescapable boxing and martial arts clichés and leaves you thoroughly sated, energized and wanting more. Read full review

Peter Travers

Sep 8, 2011

Warrior aspires to myth. It's Cain and Abel battling it out in the face of a decidedly ungodly father before humanity goes down for the count. Strong stuff. Read full review

Peter Rainer

Sep 10, 2011

Warrior becomes increasingly shameless until, by the end, with the big fights fought, we are clearly meant to rise as one and applaud the indomitability of the human spirit. But the only indomitable thing about Warrior are its clichés. Read full review

Kyle Smith

Sep 9, 2011

A cheap exploitation picture wrapped in miles and miles of stale would-be Oscar scenes. Read full review

SEE ALL 35 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

Meth-dude

Apr 18, 2015

Astonishing performances by the lead actors and great story,the movie is unfortunately predictable but it is AMAZING!I am not a big UFC fan but this movie is awesome.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JENCASH

Sep 15, 2011

A MUST SEE. Not your typical fight movie, but a highly compelling story of family strife, emotion and painful resolution. The characters are RAW, REAL, and ultimately HUMAN.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

MRedzuan

Sep 24, 2011

Best movie of the year hands down. Very unique in that it does not have a clear antagonist. You're rooting for all of them each with their own promises to fulfill. Tom Hardy's Tommy is just outstanding, the level of intensity showcased is unbelievably scary. Joel Edgerton's Brendan who isBest movie of the year hands down. Very unique in that it does not have a clear antagonist. You're rooting for all of them each with their own promises to fulfill. Tom Hardy's Tommy is just outstanding, the level of intensity showcased is unbelievably scary. Joel Edgerton's Brendan who is trying to make ends meet as a school teacher moonlights as a fighter in parking lots after hours to provide for his family and Nick Nolte's heart-breaking performance as the willing-to-do-anything-to-make-it-right-again estranged father of his two distant sons. And that barely scratched the surface of their story, the depth of the characters is amazingly rich. The first half of the movie builds the foundation for the brothers, their present lives, their rough childhood and their own motivations to get back in the cage, it's as exciting and entertaining as the fighting scenes itself. There's about 4-5 climaxes in Warrior it's outstanding. Unlike a lot of sports/boxing movies we've seen you feel the high-octane scenes. You're really immersed in the fighting sequences, you feel every punch, every kick, every takedown and every headlock because you care about the characters, you know the journey of how they got where they are and you know all too well their hopes and promises to the people they care for.… Expand

10 of 13 users found this helpful103

B3ckett

Dec 21, 2011

"A brother's love is... a brother's love". A stupid sentence from "Gone in 60 seconds" comes in suprisingly well for this movie. It's a film that, based on it's premises, should be a complete cliche. And it is. But...but! It builds on it. What you expect to be a cliche, comes as a well"A brother's love is... a brother's love". A stupid sentence from "Gone in 60 seconds" comes in suprisingly well for this movie. It's a film that, based on it's premises, should be a complete cliche. And it is. But...but! It builds on it. What you expect to be a cliche, comes as a well served emotional moment.
From almost the start you know how it will end. And it does. And I don't mind it.
It's just like looking at a kitten at YT. You know it's probably gonna be cute and it bores you. But when you watch the clip you go "mom, please".
The same goes for this movie.

The actors excel, each and every one. You don't get to hear the whole story or see them do what you expect. The brother's meeting should be about "I had problems", "well, i have problems, too".
No. They don't say it. They define where they are now. They don't exchange problems. They keep 'em to themselves. While you know it well, the keep them to themselves. And that's what makes this film worth watching.

I kept my fists closed even if I knew what was going to happen. And that's a great thing for me, especially. This is the best movie I've seen this year.

Nick Nolte has established himself in my eyes as one of the best old generation actors now (above and beyond De Niro or Pacino, seriously!) and Hard on the newbies side. Joel Edgerton provides as well, while Jennifer Morrison is no longer irritation as in House M.D. Kudos for all the cast. And I mean ALL.

The whole thing is a bit long, but trust me... it's worth the investment.
Especially... when you have a brother...… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Spangle

Feb 4, 2014

Absolutely phenomenal film. Great performances, gripping story, and sure, while it may play into some sports movie cliches, it is so much more than that. The heart and pain exuded by the characters is felt by the audience as if it is our own. Great example of how good a sports film can be.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

joeline

Nov 8, 2011

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The true power of this movie, is the simple subtle honesty. It does not try to give great big background stories, or hugely emotional 'have it all out' redemption. It let you see the pain each character feels, let you guess at some of the experiences these characters had gone through. Words DONT solve everything, and they certainly dont always help. Much of our lives and relationships are subconciously built around things Unspoken, and this movie recognises this and therefore makes its interactions more honest becuase of it.

Also, the fight scenes were spot on. Honestly brutal, while not being overly bloodthirsty. If your fighting at that level, you need focus. Without it, your just brawling. The overwhelming intensity of Tommy (Tom Hardy) is almost shocking. Made more so becuase there is no boasting, no glorification, no real menace to him, he is just that strong, just that physically powerful. This contrasts with his brother who has little actual physical presence, but a focus and a drive that makes it possible for him to challenge at this level. i.e. Tommy knocks you out, Brenden taps you out etc.

Part of the power of the enstrangement in this film is that Brenden is just as eager for forgiveness and reconcilliation from his younger brother as their father is, even while he struggles with unreconcilled jelousy from the attention 'Tommy' got from their father (who was training Tommy in junior wrestling). While Tommy is just a huge powerderkeg of continued PTS, Survivors guilt and emotional abandonment.

To be honest, I think it might have been a bit too suble and unspoken on occasion, so many people who have not had any similar expeciences, or known anyone who had, may not have grasped the true ramifications of what was left unspoken. In particular the Surviors guilt for Tommy and Brenden's first true understanding of the regret that unresolved guilt brings. I thought it was a brilliant movie. Entertaining, powerful, interesting and quality. It was not shown at a lot of cinema's in America (prob becuase of the whole 'friendly fire' issue) so it wont make the money it normally would, but I expect it will do a brisk trade on DVD. And to be honest it was not really advertised as the emotional sucker punch it actually was. The fighting, while entertaining, wasnt the focal point of the movie at all. Becuase of this its viewing base may be mislead. A lot of people who would truly enjoy this movie may be scared off by the apparent physical violence of it. If you are one of those people, go watch it. It is seriously worth it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

raporgi

Oct 5, 2014

stupid movie and an insult to knowledgable mma fans. A walk-in that just mauls resident fighters at an mma gym? Phucking ripping the doors off a tank and disappearing? What a load of sheeeet A highschool teachers with one of the squishiest guards in mma history makes it to the finals andstupid movie and an insult to knowledgable mma fans. A walk-in that just mauls resident fighters at an mma gym? Phucking ripping the doors off a tank and disappearing? What a load of sheeeet A highschool teachers with one of the squishiest guards in mma history makes it to the finals and defeats the undefeated Russian machine? This is just blatant flag waving crap!… Expand

2 of 8 users found this helpful26

SEE ALL 92 REVIEWS

56	#56 Most Discussed Movie of 2011
79	#79 Most Shared Movie of 2011