Warrior

Movie review by Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media
Warrior Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 14+

Fantastic family drama features intense martial-arts fights.

PG-13 2011 139 minutes
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Parents say

age 13+

Based on 6 reviews

Kids say

age 13+

Based on 16 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this is a touching family drama wrapped in an intense "David vs. Goliath"-style fight. The movie deals with some weighty issues that most younger kids won't fully understand: the conflicted relationship between fathers and sons, the estrangement of brothers, alcoholism, and the willingness of a husband and father to do whatever it takes to help his family. The movie's many mixed martial arts sequences are fast and furious and feature a lot of beatdowns, but no one is killed -- just down for the count. There's some profanity ("s--t," "ass," "goddamned," etc.) and some marital intimacy (two bathroom conversations with the couple half-dressed, and a kiss or two), but otherwise it's really only the themes and violence that make this movie an iffy pick for younger viewers.

Community Reviews

exSPANJERview
exSPANJERview Adult
May 1, 2013
age 17+

Redemptive

The family structure is dysfunctional and broken, which resonates with a lot of American families. The break down resulted from the father abusing alcohol and also abusing the family as a result. So, bitterness has truly built up in the hearts of his sons. Each son, Tommy and Brendan, sought to break free from the abusive family. One son started his own family, while the other served as a Marine. Their paths separated for a significant time, until they were reunited by an underlying passion for MMA. The plot of Warrior allows viewers to watch the lives of Tommy and Brendan merge once again. They are brothers by birth, but not by true relationship and friendship. Both have been hurt by their father, and so there is not figure there to look to for guidance in mending their relationship. As their lives merge, Tommy jars against the idea of having a brother. He felt that Brendan had already forsaken him. Even before they got into the ring they already began dueling. Brendan represents hope and light in the movie. He is the underdog and at the end the unsung hero. For the sake of his family he sought to win the SPARTA competition, and he ended up redeeming more than just money so he and his family could live. He redeem his relationship with his brother. Brendan was hopeful for Tommy from the beginning, and in the end he was their to carry his broken body. Brendan incarnates Christ's role of reconciliation and redemption. No matter how hard Tommy fought Brendan still cared about the well being of his brother, despite his rejection. The overarching theme is redemption. Think about the last image was left in the mind of the viewers. Brothers at odds carrying one another's broken bodies from the fighting ring. They went to abusing one another for their own sake to solely focusing on the needs of one another, specifically Brendan to Tommy.

This title has:

Great messages
Too much violence
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
cemo
cemo Adult
December 31, 2011
age 13+

You Must See This Movie

I did not want to see this movie...gee another fighting movie! Oh my goodness.......this movie was fantastic. I loved it. It had very little cursing. It was not profane at all. The two actors, who play the role of the brothers should be nominated for Oscars.....they were great. Best fighting movie I have ever seen. This will be on my list of favorite movies.
See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Troubled Iraq vet Tommy (Tom Hardy) returns home for the first time in more than a decade with one purpose -- to get back in the "cage" of mixed martial arts and provide for a fallen fellow Marine's family. A former wrestling prodigy, Tommy asks his father (Nick Nolte), a recovering alcoholic, to train him for Sparta: a high-profile, winner-takes-all competition with a $5 million purse. Meanwhile, Tommy's estranged brother, Brendan (Joel Edgerton), a former UFC fighter turned physics teacher, realizes that he must also get back in the cage to raise much-needed money to save his home. An unexpected opportunity allows Brendan to join his fierce younger brother in the single-elimination tournament ... but before meeting in the ring, they must face their troubled past.

Is It Any Good?

Director Gavin O'Connor has created a perfect vehicle for two of Hollywood's most compelling imported actors: English scene-stealer Hardy and Aussie leading man Edgerton. Both are positively amazing in this film, but they personify completely opposing cinematic types. Hardy's Tommy is the aloof champion with a tortured soul, and Edgerton's Brendan is the scrappy underdog who will stop at nothing to keep his family intact. The brothers are like two suns, with the other characters orbiting around one or the other and the audience left figuring out whom is more deserving of their loyalty.

Both men are flawed, but the director tips the balance in Brendan's favor by showing his circle of supporters: an inspiring coach (Frank Grillo) who uses Beethoven's music to keep his fighters calm in the cage; a beautiful, loving wife (House alum Jennifer Morrison); and a classroom of awed high-school students who can't help but cheer for their science teacher. Nolte is also a revelation, his croaky voice underscoring Paddy's tremendous sadness at having alienated both of his sons. Despite all of the movie's thrilling MMA sequences, this is ultimately a poignant family drama where it's brotherly love, not millions of dollars, that's at stake.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the film's violence. How does the mixed martial arts (MMA) style of fighting compare to straight boxing or professional wresting? Which is more violent?

  • How does the movie portray father-son relationships? Is the father a sympathetic character or a pathetic one? Do his sons come off as justified in their treatment of him?

  • Tommy and Brendan aren't typical movie brothers. How do they differ from other competitive brothers? Which brother is more likable -- the champion or the underdog?

  • Brendan is a beloved high-school science teacher. Is his relationship with his students believable? Would you root for a teacher in a similar situation?

Movie Details

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