Warrior (2011)

All Critics (172) | Top Critics (39) | Fresh (145) | Rotten (29) | DVD (5)

This doesn't pack a punch like 'The Fighter' - but it's still a must for grapple fans.

September 21, 2011 Full Review

Anna Smith

Time Out

Top Critic

The movie is so skillfully made, and the performances are so convincingly real (Hardy is sensational), that, as it reaches its cathartic, winning finish, it achieves a surprising compassion and honesty.

September 19, 2011 Full Review | Comments (6)

Bruce Diones

New Yorker

Top Critic

Warrior ends up feeling a lot bigger than you expect it to.

September 16, 2011 Full Review | Comments (7)

Bob Mondello

NPR

Top Critic

It's too corny to live. But the picture is a slam dunk. I mean a ground-and-pound double-leg takedown. It's really gripping.

September 11, 2011 Full Review | Comments (4)

David Edelstein

New York Magazine

Top Critic

Warrior's three principle characterizations are compelling - Nolte in particular gives a tempered performance as the shambling, sad-eyed wreck of a dad - but not enough to mask the film's lesser elements.

September 10, 2011 Full Review | Comments (82)

Mary F. Pols

TIME Magazine

Top Critic

The beats are familiar, the stakes are high, the fights are brutal, and the rewards are just.

September 9, 2011 Full Review | Comments (3)

William Goss

Film.com

Top Critic

A straight genre picture, but the best MMA movie ever.

January 9, 2013 Full Review

Roger Moore

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Tom and Brendan are enough to offer a satisfying payoff - even if minor characters are left flailing in their wake.

October 2, 2012 Full Review

Ben Kendrick

ScreenRant

Warrior reveals itself to be more than just a brainless slugger - like the best boxing movies, it's able to utterly wrap you up in the moment and have you punching the air come its conclusion.

September 28, 2012 Full Review

Ali Gray

TheShiznit.co.uk

Warrior is one of the year's best films that has everything audiences are looking for in a sports movie experience. Visually exciting fight sequences are matched by an emotionally complex story with believable characters full of conviction.

September 17, 2012 Full Review

Benjo Colautti

We Got This Covered

...an instant classic that manages to surpass even the original Rocky in terms of effectiveness...

June 17, 2012 Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Familiar fight movie tropes are followed, but the dramatic stakes that O'Connor lends the proceedings give them uncommon involvement and an even rarer sense of suspense.

April 6, 2012 Full Review

Michael Dequina

TheMovieReport.com

Warrior is an unbelievably effective film, not just because it's emotionally rich, but because it doesn't treat the MMA sport like a joke.

January 29, 2012 Full Review | Comment (1)

R. L. Shaffer

IGN DVD

Trumping even genre classic Rocky, Warrior packs a grand emotional wallop thanks to top-tier performances and the fact that you don't want either fighter to lose.

January 25, 2012 Full Review

Shaun Munro

What Culture

One cannot genuinely fault Warrior for the clichéd elements of its story, simply because reviving the cliché is the whole point.

January 20, 2012 Full Review

Jordan Hiller

Bangitout.com

In Gavin O'Connor's hands ... the few-holds-barred matches are certainly the main event: subtle characterization and deep back-story are not wanted on this two-fisted voyage of the Conlon family.

December 29, 2011 Full Review | Comments (16)

S. James Wegg

JWR

Not far removed from its true-to-life counterpart 'The Fighter,' 'Warrior' is about two men who decide to enter a mixed martial arts competition for two very different reasons.

December 22, 2011 Full Review

Linda Cook

KWQC-TV (Iowa)

A sports movie about a martial arts tournament and an intimate drama about letting go of hatred and opening the heart to the healing balm of forgiveness.

December 20, 2011 Full Review | Comments (2)

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality and Practice

A superb drama, and a remarkable sports film.

December 7, 2011 Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

Its most rewarding moments being the well-choreographed brutal MMA fight scenes.

December 6, 2011 Full Review | Comments (3)

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

This tale of two brothers competing in a mixed martial arts contest is gritty, laboured and totally devoid of suspense or surprise, despite the best efforts of actors Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton.

November 24, 2011 Full Review | Comments (8)

Simon Weaving

Screenwize

Warrior makes a creditable attempt at expanding the scope of the MMA films - and whilst not always successful - the powerful performances should keep many people happy

November 19, 2011 Full Review

Laurence Boyce

The Sabotage Times

Suddenly Thunderdome doesn't seem like such a pipe dream anymore.

November 16, 2011 Full Review | Comments (3)

Michael W. Phillips, Jr.

Goatdog's Movies

Formulaic yes, but the best iteration of this formula in a very long time.

October 31, 2011 Full Review

Tom Clift

Moviedex

• 1. Frank Campana: You don't knock him out. You don't have a home.
  – Submitted by Tareq J (52 days ago)
• 1. Tommy Conlon: Tiptoeing around here like a beggar with your little cup.
  – Submitted by Miguel V (2 months ago)
• 1. Paddy Conlon: Come on, kiddo. I've been there. I've done it. I've seen it. You can trust me. I'll understand.
  2. Tommy Conlon: Spare me the compassionate father routine, Pop. The suit don't fit.
  3. Paddy Conlon: I'm really trying here, Tommy.
  4. Tommy Conlon: You're trying? Now? Where were you when it mattered? I needed this guy back when I was a kid. I don't need you now. It's too late now. Everything's already happened. You and Brendan don't seem to understand that. Let me explain something to you: the only thing I have in common with Brendan Conlon is that we have absolutely no use for you.
  – Submitted by Miguel V (2 months ago)
• 1. Brendan Conlon: God, man, I don't understand this. You won't forgive me, but you'll forgive Pop?
  2. Tommy Conlon: Shit. He's just some old vet I train with. He means nothing to me. From what I hear he means nothing to you, either, so you got balls talking about forgiveness.
  – Submitted by Miguel V (2 months ago)
• 1. Tommy Conlon: I'm serious. We train. That's it. I don't wanna hear a word about anything but training, you understand? You wanna tell your war stories, you can take 'em down to the VFW. You can take 'em to a meeting, or church, or wherever the hell it is you go nowadays.
  – Submitted by Miguel V (2 months ago)
• 1. Tommy Conlon: So you gonna ask about her, or you just gonna sit there all sober?
  2. Paddy Conlon: I know.
  3. Tommy Conlon: Oh you know. What do you know? You know it wasn't enough to drive west to get away from you? When we hit the water we drove north, too.
  4. Paddy Conlon: When I got sober I hired a man to find you.
  5. Tommy Conlon: Is that one of the 12 steps? Or does a guy like you get 24?
  – Submitted by Miguel V (2 months ago)

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