Netflix Narration
Warrior
This film is a Netflix must…
The film sees a pair of estranged brother fight both
psychically and emotionally with each other and their troublesome past. The film is based around a mixed martial arts
tournament, which seems a silver lining for both brothers.
The cast is stop on. Tom Hardy hasn’t put a foot wrong over
the last few years and this is just another reason why I regard him as one of
the best actors alive and of his generation. His performance as Tommy Conlon is
as brutal as his look. I think Bronson meets Bane divided by the baldness.
There is a viciousness, madness to the character and yet fragile young man at
the centre of this. A man who’s entire past is a constant reminder of the lack
of love, loyalty and care there is, in the world. His character is almost a
personification of anger, aggression and abrasiveness and this is seen
literally through his specific fighting style of being explosive and bombarding
his opponents.
Joel Edgerton, another actor I'm fond of, plays Brendan
Conlon. The other brother who has a family and financial problems and is in
many ways the stark contrast to Tommy. He is calmer, sweeter and more of a
protector to his family. He also has
problems but his are in the present, with the bank, work and his wife.
The third actor in this triangle is their father, who is
probably the most important as he is a big part of their upbringing and ties
the film together in many ways. A recovering alcoholic, born again, former
boxer now trainer, wife abusing father of two stark different sons, this is
Paddy Conlon played by Nick Nolte. He is
in many ways the inbetween a somewhat loving father with demons whose life
isn’t easy or clear but wants something from it all. He wants forgiveness, he
wants his sons and he wants to be a family again.
The film plays on forgiveness and trust and what it means to
do the right thing. And what we do for what we believe in and how much we’ll do
both physically in the fighting ring and what we do to the ones we love the
achieve our goals. It is a film that is drenched in deep family feuds and
unresolved conflicts but that never feels laborious or unrealistic. This is a
lived in film with real, tough and tender characters.
The film has great visuals and is a simple one. Almost all
the scenes are at gyms, homes and at various work places with the final third
being at the stadium and respective hotels and locations around it for the big
tournament. It feels genuine and doesn’t try and do too much else than just let
the actors catch the audiences attention with their words and actions.
Brilliant film with a great balance of fighting and
emotional highs and lows.
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