Warrior Blu-ray Review & Comments

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Reviewed by Chris McEneany, 15th January 2012.


Soul of a Lion.

Warrior has some challenges to overcome with a cliché-riddled story but, spectacularly, it just seems to plough ever-onwards, absorbing them if necessary, or simply disregarding them with the sort of rambunctious abandon that I find very applaudable. The film instinctively knows that its success rests on the capable shoulders of its three leads and, without a single faltering step, all three come out fighting. Although we root for both Brendan and Tommy, there are no real surprises come the final round. Yet this does not harm the emotional pummelling that we, as well as the brawling brothers, take … and much of the joy is to be found in the sure-fire knowledge that these two will end up going toe-to-toe.

Although the film is indeed watered-down in terms of the more feral qualities of MMA, the fights are tremendously exciting and certainly punishing enough to convey the honed prowess and athleticism of those going toe-to-toe. The careful choice of music is another major bonus linking us directly to the emotional core of the story and, come the final round, you'll be totally swept-up in the exquisite agonies of two battling brothers and a father whose own pride has locked him into a cocoon. Whether you watch this for the action or to discover the dark essence of a family at war with itself, there is genuine heart and soul wielded throughout, and its effect could hit home like a thunderclap.

Lionsgate provide an often storming transfer for O' Connor's knock-out movie, and the extras are very definitely worth wading through. This is one of the best films of 2011 and, like Drive, it climbs into your skull and stays there. It's far from perfect, but it offers a thrilling and genuinely cathartic experience, the like of which we don't get all that often.

For Sparta!!!!


Read the full review...
 
My Tapout buddy, Cas, is providing in-depth ringside coverage for the better packaged US edition. So, here we have two of Avforums' heavyweights going toe-to-toe in the cage for a Mixed Martial Arts smackdown. I have a feeling this bout will be a draw, though … as, quite simply, both of us love the movie.

Another awesome review Chris :smashin: (can't believe I've read both reviews in full) :eek:

What's the difference between the two ? I understand the US version has a digital copy
 
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Nice review, Looking forward to this one,.
 
For those who don't know MMA is mixed martial arts. This is a great film, much better than fighter which only gained high reviews because it starred that Batman geezer in it.
 
This is a great film, much better than fighter which only gained high reviews because it starred that Batman geezer in it.
Err, no.
 
This was my second favourite film of 2012 after Planet of the Apes, that Cineworld Unlimited comes in handing, but why no digital copy, I love having those for my iPad.:)
 
I think a lot of people felt short changed with the fighter after seeing the trailer, which sold it as a 'Rocky' type film.

Not only that but there was hardly any fighting in it. It bored me and all I heard was "look how thin Bale is", but each to their own. Warrior for me was/is much better.
 
Not only that but there was hardly any fighting in it. It bored me and all I heard was "look how thin Bale is", but each to their own. Warrior for me was/is much better.

I totally agree and nearly everyone I know who has seen "The Fighter" thought it was way overrated. IMHO "The Fighter" was good, but overhyped. "Warrior" was much better IMHO. :hiya:
 
Secondly, I've heard it from a reliable source – an MMA fanatic – that there have been times when a fight has gone on even when one of the opponents has weathered a potentially broken arm, or other overt injuries

Did your MMA fanatic friend say that specifically in response to the concerns about this film??? If so then ask him about the outcome of Tim Sylvia vs Frank Mir. Mir caught Sylvia in an armbar, which Sylvia wouldn't tap from. Then his arm snapped. Not grotesquely snapped in 2 etc, but you could clearly see the bone move. The very second this happened, referee Herb Dean stopped the fight. Sylvia initially protested at the stoppage, because he hadn't realised his arm was broken!

Your friend is correct that fights have continued despite serious injuries. Rich Franklin broke his hand in the second round against David Loiseau but stil went on to win a 5 round decision. Urijah Faber broke both his hands against Mike Brown but completed the 5 rounds (throwing mostly elbows instead of punches). Randy Couture broke his arm blocking a kick from Gabriel Gonzaga but still finished Gonzaga with strikes a few minutes later.

The difference? Nobody knew they had these injuries. Franklin and Faber told their corner between rounds that they believed they had broken something, but Couture didn't know until after the fight that his arm was broken. The fighters did not reveal the injuried to the doctor as the fight would have been ended prematurely.

Tommy staggers around the cage in the later rounds with the injured arm hanging limp by his side. There is no way in a million years that this fight would have continued. The referee would have paused the fight and called a doctor to check on the injury and once the break/dislocation was discovered the doctor would have stopped the fight.

Anyway, MMA geek rant over. It was still an amazing film. In some ways the fighting was a little unrealistic, with crazy KOs and dramatic decisions but on the other hand they're hardly going to show a 3 round snoozer! Funnily enough I had complained a bit about the lightning fast KOs and Angle (Koba) with his WWE style suplex as being a bit unrealistic, and during the next UFC event that was on we had a similar suplex and a few first round KOs. :facepalm:

One of my films of the year despite the injury concerns, and I've already pre-ordered the BR.
 
It was still an amazing film. In some ways the fighting was a little unrealistic, with crazy KOs and dramatic decisions but on the other hand they're hardly going to show a 3 round snoozer! Funnily enough I had complained a bit about the lightning fast KOs and Angle (Koba) with his WWE style suplex as being a bit unrealistic, and during the next UFC event that was on we had a similar suplex and a few first round KOs. :facepalm:

One of my films of the year despite the injury concerns, and I've already pre-ordered the BR.

I agree, I expected to see more blood and a bit more mmc brutality which was lacking. But maybe they were trying to portray how much of a (spoiler)

baddass tommy was, after all he ripped a tank door off with his bare hands, so 5 punch KO's were plausible lol Also Koba was a bit of a let down with his WWE style of fighting.
 
I agree, I expected to see more blood and a bit more mmc brutality which was lacking. But maybe they were trying to portray how much of a (spoiler)

baddass tommy was, after all he ripped a tank door off with his bare hands, so 5 punch KO's were plausible lol Also Koba was a bit of a let down with his WWE style of fighting.

To be honest, I was dreading "Koba". Angle has been moaning on for years about how he would have been great in MMA so I thought he'd be out for a show stealer. But in fairness he wasn't too bad. It was funny how he was portrayed as a cross between Fedor and Ivan Drago. :D
 

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