WARRIOR

US, 2011,
Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Nick Nolte,
Directed by

‘Go to war’. This is the command of the referee in the bouts for the multi-martial-arts tournament, Sparta, in Atlantic City. And go to war they do in a combination of boxing, wrestling and other techniques. This is adversarial competition – though there seems to be a breakthrough by the end.

This is the story of two brothers who are filled with resentment, especially towards their alcoholic father. The older brother, Brendan, who had fought in bouts, is now a happily married physics teacher. But, with a visit from his father, the old angers surge. The younger brother, Tommy, had escaped the family brutality with his mother who has since died. He is consumed by anger and resentment. When he unexpectedly visits his father, the outpouring of anger begins.

However, Tommy (Tom Hardy) decides to train and enter the Sparta tournament. He asks his father to be his trainer, no bonds, no attachments. When Brendan (Joel Edgerton)is suspended from his job because of participating in a club car park bout to get money because the bank threatens to foreclose, he too enters the Sparta competition, training with an old friend.

While there are a lot of bouts, especially in the final competition itself – and they do remind audiences of Rocky, The Wrestler, The Fighter and other sports films – there is a continued focus on each of the brothers, revelations about Tommy and his time in the marines, on Brendan and his wife’s support for his fighting.

However, the big impact of the film is in the character of the father. It is a top performance from Nick Nolte. He admits the past, has found religion and wants to be reconciled with his sons, a seemingly impossible challenge.

Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton are good as the brothers, but Tommy’s behaviour, especially at the end, takes a lot of acceptance and Brendan, training as he does, still does not look as if he could be a champion. Strong, but not as strong as The Wrestler or The Fighter.

1. A satisfying sports film? A film about family? About war? The American issues?

2. The title, the focus on fighters? The referee, “go to war”? Sport, skills, strength, the fights, rules?

3. The Pennsylvania settings, the city of Pittsburgh, the church, homes, the gyms? Philadelphia, the schools, the clubs and the carparks, the drive-in?

4. The context of the Iraq War, the background of the Vietnam War and Paddy’s experience? The war sequences? Iraq? The men, the brotherhood, watching the internet? The episode with Tom saving the marines from the tank? Photographed? On YouTube? The marines, heroism? The marines singing the song? Morale? Heroism versus desertion from the marines? The complexity for winners, for losers? For those emotionally and mentally disturbed?

5. Atlantic City, the glitz, the exteriors of the city and the buildings, the casinos, interiors? The fight cage?

6. The musical score, the moods, use of Beethoven and the classics, the marines’ song To the Shores of Tripoli?

7. The introduction to Tom, his appearance, age? Paddy, coming out of the church, listening to Moby Dick, the rosary in his car? His discovering God? The confrontation outside with Tommy? Their talk, going in, Tommy offering the drink, Paddy explaining that he was sober? Tommy looking at the photos? The back-story? Sports trainer, the drinking, the brutality in the family, the wife and Tommy leaving, young? The wife’s death? Paddy finding out afterwards? Brendan, the older brother, choosing to marry Tess, having a family? His resenting his father as well? The comparison of Tommy’s encounter with his father and Paddy going to visit Brendan in Philadelphia? Issues of forgiveness and not being able to forgive?

8. Tommy, going to the gym, the bout with Mad Dog, his skills, the reaction of the owner? The Sparta competition? Training, asking his father to train him, the visit, no bonds? The business of training, his father waking him, the exercise, the regime?

9. The Sparta competition, the multi-martial arts competitions? The initiator? The press conferences, television coverage, the ambitious competition? The prize money? The international competitors?

10. Brendan, at the family party, his children painting his face, his wife going to work, the bond between them? The younger daughter and her illness, heart trouble? His class, teaching physics, illustrating energy? His going to the bank, the discussions with the adviser, getting no help? The threat of foreclosure? His going out to work, not just being a bouncer, his fight in the carpark, his winning? The reaction of his wife? The principal, taking him from class, the visiting inspector, suspension? The problems at home, his arrangement with his wife, going to training, the decisions what to tell the children?

11. Frank, a trainer, friendship with Brendan, the past? The training, the regime, the use of music? The members of the gym?

12. The effect of the collage of the training, split-screen, the passing of time, each of the brothers training?

13. Atlantic City, the advertisements, the centre, the photos of the competitors, the press and their comments?

14. Tom, entering the cage, the KO, leaving, breaking all the rules, the mystery about him? His relationship with his father but not acknowledging him? His ringing the wife of the man he had saved, her gratitude? The promise of the money?

15. Brendan and Frank, going into the ring, the Beethoven? The radio commentators, their negativity, while remembering that Brendan was unmemorable? His fights, the detail, winning, the extreme physical exertion, his father’s support, Tess and her coming to the bouts?

16. The audience getting the information about the brothers, the crowds, their support of each? The kids at school, the appeal to the principal, their all watching and supporting at the drive-in?

17. Tom, his father, the angers, the rejection, his father drinking again, Tommy helping him, putting him on the bed, supporting him?

18. The finale, the confrontation of the two brothers, their emotional and psychological states, the exertion in so many bouts, their father’s arrival?

19. Brendan and Tommy and their talk, the hurt, Brendan not leaving, Tommy not forgiving him? At the end, the fight, together?

20. Tommy and the military future? Brendan paying off his debts? Their father and his achievement?