- Actors: Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Jennifer Morrison, Frank Grillo, Nick Nolte
- Director: Gavin O'Connor
- Disc Format: 4K, NTSC, Widescreen
- Language: English
- Number of discs: 2
- Rated: PG-13
- Studio: LIONSGATE
- Release Date: October 24, 2017
- Run Time: 140 minutes
Sports movies
have become somewhat generic in their support of underdog narratives and the
hopeful resolution that is nearly always presented by the final frame,
especially those centered around boxing or other styles of fighting. Warrior is no exception, in some ways,
but it also remembers what made Rocky
one of the greatest films of its kind, before the franchise’s sequels swallowed
up the elements that made it stick out. Not only did Rocky have an ending that was more interested in the journey taken
by the fighter than the outcome of the battle within the ring, but it was also
a film more interested in the gritty realism than flashy spectacle. Warrior sets up a scenario where we can
have the best of both worlds, and does so by providing us with two
protagonists.
These two
protagonists are both underdogs, both have antagonists that they must face in
the ring before battling each other, and the film is dealt a rich drama in the
narrative by the fact that they also happen to be estranged brothers. Split by
the ugly separation of their parents, Brendan (Joel Edgerton) and Tommy Conlon
(Tom Hardy) each made different choices about which parent to live with.
Brendan chose to stay with his alcoholic father, Paddy (Nick Nolte), and their
relationship continues to suffer, even after several years of sobriety. Despite
this, Brendan is an upstanding husband and father, working as a public high
school teacher trying to make ends meet. Tommy is a Marine, just returning home
after years of service, still haunted by both his time overseas and angry about
the family dynamic he returns to.
Both Tommy and
Brendan end up entering an MMA tournament, and it is clear from the beginning,
despite each being considered underdogs, they will end up having to fight each
other. While Brendan is simply fighting out of necessity, to try and support
his family, Tommy has something deeper inside of him leading to the desire to
compete. It is telling that he enlists his father to be his coach, even though
their relationship seems damaged beyond repair.
Warrior has somewhat of a conventional
narrative, aside from the decision to have two protagonists. At times it all
begins to feel very Hollywood and predictably schmaltzy, despite the grittiness
of the cinematography. The one thing that saves the film from feeling cliché is
the performances. Every time the screenplay starts to feel a little bit cheesy
or contrived, the dedication of the cast pulls it back into a place of
believability and sincerity. Nolte gives a powerhouse performance, receiving a
standing ovation from the crew after his first take on the first day of
shooting, and went on to get an Academy Award nomination for his contribution.
Although neither Hardy nor Edgerton were as well-known when they made Warrior as they are today, it is easy to
see how this film may have been a contributing factor in their elevated
statuses. They were so dedicated to the physicality of their roles that each
suffered injuries during filming (torn ACL for Edgerton and three broken bones
for Hardy).
Because this
film features cinematography more dedicated to gritty realism than polished
perfection, Warrior is not the
obvious choice for 4K upgrade. With that being said, the photography in the
film is wonderfully executed even in its deceptive simplicity, and this is
highlighted by the enhanced presentation. There are also many scenes where the
colors are noticeably deeper and more lifelike, especially in the spectacle of
the cage.
The special
features are simply transferred over from the Blu-ray disc, which is also
included as a bonus alternative way to watch the film, along with a code for a
Digital HD copy. There are several incredible extras in the bonus features,
including a deleted scene with the take that Nolte received a standing ovation
for. There is also a making-of documentary, an analysis of one of the fight
scenes, a cast/crew commentary track, gag reel with many accidents from the
fight choreography, and more. There is also an enhanced viewing mode available
only on the Blu-ray.
Entertainment Value:
9/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 8.5/10
Historical
Significance: 7/10
Special Features: 9/10
No comments:
Post a Comment