Martial Arts Movie Mondays: Warrior Has One of the Best Fight Scenes You've Ever Seen

Mad Max: Fury Road premiered another trailer at comic con, and it was awesome. In the wake of Tom Hardy kickin' some ass again (he just came of a really interesting, but tame solo project called Locke, which I should re-watch and review at some point), it seemed appropriate to go back and watch his high point as a budding action star. This heated up in 2011 with Warrior. 

Warrior is a fairly conventional sports movie. Two estranged brothers enter a Mixed Martial Arts contest. Brendan Conlan (Joel Edgerton) is a classic underdog trying to earn money for his family. He makes his way through the tournament by outworking his opponents and generally being scrappy. Brendan's fights are a lot of fun, and you find yourself scared for him a few times, a testament to a solid performance from Joel Edgerton. 

His brother-Tommy (Tom Hardy) is more or less the opposite of his brother. He is a loner with no friends and a vague past. Tommy essentially goes around and beats the tar out of anyone foolish enough to challenge him. This leads to, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest ass-kicking sequences in recent cinematic history (see below).

In the middle of this is their father: Paddy Conlon (Nick Nolte). He's a recovering alcoholic and both brothers aren't looking to reconcile anytime soon. Paddy Conlon is the most compelling aspect of Warrior. He gives the movie a strong emotional core and Nick Nolte's Academy Award nomination was well deserved. Paddy's pain and regret about what he's done to alienate both his sons is heartbreaking at times. 

Warrior comes together nicely at the end. Viewers will be satisfied, if not entirely surprised by the outcome. 

Here is the aforementioned fight scene. If disagree with me and think it's no good, send your complaints to Michael Bay.