Warrior plays out as if it were a parody of a sports movie - it's so full of cliches and tropes inherent to that genre that you almost feel as though the director is pulling your leg. Unfortunately, that isn't the case; so whilst there is a lot to like about Warrior, which stars Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton as two mix martial artists out for glory, it's difficult to take seriously. Or, at least, it would be if the world hadn't gone entirely mad and voted this thing into position 144 of the IMDb Top 250, which seems like an overshot, whichever way you look at it. Yes, the performances here are excellent - especially from Hardy, who totally embodies his character - but what about the rest of it? Presumably the "accessible" nature of Warrior has allowed it to flourish where the Top 250 is concerned, for there is no other means of explanation. The dialogue is horrendously cheesy, and the movie gets so much wrong about MMA that it's painful for anybody possessing even a bit of knowledge. No, films don't have to be totally realistic, but this one is unrealistic, cheesy and a bit ridiculous.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
