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 497 Ratings

See All

8.6

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

8.6	Your Score
8.6	User Score Universal acclaim based on 497 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

ArielRamadhana

Aug 25, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. very nice movie with strong storyline and good moral message.through the hard conversation between the boys and their father.it makes us wonder about what really happened with the family before.sadly,that the main set of this movie have the ended up with the fight between two brothers and as a competition,that have to be the winner of it. after all,it's a lot entertainment in that movie.… Expand

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

Khunter4382

Dec 21, 2011

I felt this film gave a particularly special spotlight on the familial drama that drives the passions of the characters here. Everything just seems so deeply personal and you want to root for everyone. Nick Nolte gives possibly the best performance of his career and Tom Hardy is incrediblyI felt this film gave a particularly special spotlight on the familial drama that drives the passions of the characters here. Everything just seems so deeply personal and you want to root for everyone. Nick Nolte gives possibly the best performance of his career and Tom Hardy is incredibly true with his portrayal of a punk MMA fighter/AWOL Iraq veteran. Edgerton plays the underdog we all love to love and he does a fine job as well. What a great addition to the underdog canon!… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Nesbitt10

Aug 28, 2013

"Warrior" strikingly illustrates that victory is possible in defeat, and it's not what happens during the final bout that defines Gavin O' Connor's picture, but what occurs afterwards. "Warrior" is a poignant, touching drama where familiarity with the sport isn't necessary, because"Warrior" strikingly illustrates that victory is possible in defeat, and it's not what happens during the final bout that defines Gavin O' Connor's picture, but what occurs afterwards. "Warrior" is a poignant, touching drama where familiarity with the sport isn't necessary, because ultimately it's not about what transpires in the cage. The movie presents dynamic, strained relationships and the bond of family, coupled with the challenging choices we must make throughout life.

The narrative focuses on three men: estranged brothers Tom and Brendan Conlon (Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton) and their father, Paddy (Nick Nolte). Tom, a withdrawn marine, has come home to Pittsburgh to train for a spot in "Sparta," a winner-takes-all MMA tournament held in Atlantic City. He is willing to put aside his abusive upbringing in return for his assistance in training. Paddy, a recovering alcoholic, embraces the opportunity to reconnect with his son, even though Tom makes is clear that their relationship will consist strictly as one of trainer and fighter.

Meanwhile, across the state in Philadelphia, former UFC fighter and current high school teacher Brendan finds himself in need of cash in order to save his home from foreclosure. Against the wishes of Brendan's wife Tess (Jennifer Morrison), Brendan becomes involved in low-level MMA contests, and suspended by the school board once word spreads. One would need be hopelessly naïve not to recognize that this is all going to come down to a match between Tom and Brendan, with a torn father on the sidelines. The first half of the film is mostly devoted to the dramatic setup and character development, before it launches into the Atlantic City bouts that take up the majority of the second half of the film.

"Warrior" offers strong performances across the board, two of which are standouts. Tom Hardy, who redefined his career with his screen-searing work in "Bronson," (2008) is simply tremendous. The word "volcanic" was often used to describe Hardy's work in "Bronson," and it applies here as well. Nick Nolte, who has received his share of accolades over a long and prosperous career, provides a terrific performance as a remorseful father who is desperate to reconnect with his sons.

This real battle here is outside of the cage, involving redemption, reconciliation, and putting demons to rest. O'Connor's filming has a gritty, grainy, sensibility that is only enhanced by utilizing locations around the Pittsburgh area. Putting aside the fighting in the cage, it's the emotional tussle they must contend with that is far more daunting than any opponent in the cage. "Warrior" has the heart of a champion that keeps this film alive and pumping to the bloody end.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

moviekretik

Nov 2, 2011

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A wonderfully, well written story! (FYI : I'm not a fan of MMA nor even boxing though I'm a fan of Manny Pacquiao.) My first glance, I thought it's gonna be like The Fighter since this film is about fighting sports and there's a brother relationship. But here, the brothers are against to each other. The film doesn't really spend so much time dealing with their relationship. It mostly goes to the father of the main leads. Tom Hardy (Tommy Conlon) delivers a moving and emotional performance of a man who has suffered greatly from the ones he loves, and from the field of battle, an all to real reality for people of today. While the younger Tommy suffered the loss of his mother firsthand, his older brother Brendan (Joel Edgerton)has put together a life that a man dreams of, yet is still haunted daily by his past. Only to have it threatened to be destroyed by the bank. Nick Nolte the alcoholic father of the two, has suffered years of remorse and regret from the abuse of alcohol and the neglect of his wife and children is trying to forge a bond but is meeting a stone wall with both of his sons. The fighting, though it is very well acted and shot, is not about fighting. It is the physical representation of the struggle between the three men, the struggle to forget and forgive and to move on. The demons that possess all three of these men are of such great proportion, the only way they can be relinquished is for them to come together. Definitely a must see movie this year!… 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 90 REVIEWS

57	#57 Most Discussed Movie of 2011
79	#79 Most Shared Movie of 2011