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Warrior
Theatrical release poster
Directed byGavin O’Connor
Screenplay byGavin O’ConnorAnthony TambakisCliff Dorfman
Story byGavin O’ConnorCliff Dorfman
Produced byGavin O’ConnorGreg O’ConnorDavid MimranJordan Schur[1]
StarringJoel EdgertonTom HardyJennifer MorrisonFrank GrilloNick Nolte
CinematographyMasanobu Takayanagi
Edited byJohn GilroySean AlbertsonMatt ChesseAaron Marshall
Music byMark Isham
Production
companies		Mimran Schur PicturesSolaris EntertainmentFilmtribe
Distributed byLionsgate
Release dateSeptember 9, 2011
Running time140 minutes[2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$25 million[3]
Box office$23.3 million[3]

Warrior is a 2011 American martial arts sports drama film directed by Gavin O’Connor. It stars Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton as two estranged brothers whose entrance into a mixed martial arts tournament makes them come to terms with their lives and each other. Nick Nolte, Jennifer Morrison, Frank Grillo, and Bryan Callen appear in supporting roles. Real-life MMA and combat sports figures like Kurt Angle, Nate Marquardt, Anthony Johnson, Roan Carneiro, Yves Edwards, Amir Perets, and Dan Caldwell make appearances.

The film was theatrically released in the United States on September 9, 2011, by Lionsgate. Although not commercially successful, the film received positive reviews from critics, with Nolte receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Plot

A melancholic U.S. Marine Thomas “Tommy” Riordan visits his father, Paddy Conlon, a recovering alcoholic who has returned to his Roman Catholic faith in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As a child, Tommy had to run away from Paddy with his dying mother due to Paddy’s being an abusive alcoholic and has never forgiven him. Paddy tries to convince him that he has changed, but to no avail. The next day, Tommy enters a gym where he quickly knocks out Pete “Mad Dog” Grimes, one of the world’s best middleweight fighters; a video of the fight goes viral on the Internet. Learning about a winner-takes-all mixed martial arts tournament called Sparta, whose winner will receive $5 million, Tommy asks Paddy to help him train for the tournament, but only under the condition that Paddy does not try to repair their relationship. Tommy pledges to win and then donate the entire $5 million purse to Pilar, the widow of Manny, one of his friends in the corps.

Tommy’s older brother Brendan, a high school physics teacher and former MMA fighter, is struggling to provide for his wife, Tess, and their two daughters. He had to mortgage his house in Philadelphia to pay for his younger daughter’s open heart surgery and is now in danger of losing it. To increase his income, Brendan starts battling amateur fighters for money. He is suspended without pay after details of his secret life spread around the school. Paddy meets Brendan in his driveway to try to reconcile with him, albeit unsuccessfully, and to tell him that Tommy is back in town. Brendan seeks the training of old friend Frank Campana and begins competing in smaller venue fights. After the fighter Frank planned to enter into the Sparta tournament is injured, Brendan convinces Frank to enter him as a replacement.

When the brothers separately enter the tournament, it is revealed that Tommy is angry at Brendan for bailing out on him and instead staying behind for Tess when Tommy and their mother left Paddy; Tommy was left to care for their mother when she became terminally ill. Brendan claims that he was helplessly in love with Tess and that he has forgiven his father for the wrong he has done, but Tommy is unconvinced and walks away.

Meanwhile, the video of Tommy beating Grimes attracts the attention of a Marine, who tells the press that Tommy saved his life in Iraq, by ripping off the back hatch of a drowning tank. Although Tommy becomes a national hero, his military records reveal that he deserted after everyone else in his unit was killed in a friendly fire bombing. He reveals his plan for his winnings. The military police will take him into custody but will wait until after the tournament is over.

Over two fights, Brendan and Tommy have contrasting fortunes: Tommy quickly and brutally knocks out opponents, all while barely speaking, while Brendan is outmatched physically but uses Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to force grappling submissions.

The night before the final day, Paddy attempts to talk to Tommy about his actions in Iraq. Tommy angrily dismisses his father, letting out all his pent-up emotions. As a result, Paddy relapses and starts drinking again. Seeing his father in pain, Tommy calms and comforts him, thus resurrecting their relationship.

In the semifinals, Tommy is matched up with Mad Dog Grimes; beating him into submission after a fierce struggle, and the commentators claim this is one of the fastest knockouts in MMA history. Brendan is matched up with undefeated Russian wrestler Koba, who dominates him in two rounds. In round three, Brendan swings for the fences, making the bout a back-and-forth battle. In the closing moments of the final round, Koba takes Brendan’s back from the clinch, and Brendan goes for a rolling kneebar. As Koba attempts to escape the position, Brendan quickly reverses and readjusts the kneebar, narrowly winning by submission.

Tommy and Brendan’s relationship is revealed to the world when they are the tournament’s last remaining fighters. Brendan shows desire to reconcile, but Tommy, still in pain, shows no interest in doing so. Tommy wins the first two rounds, but Brendan eventually dislocates Tommy’s shoulder with an omoplata arm-lock. Brendan wants to tell the referee about Tommy’s dislocated shoulder and end the fight, but his coach suggests otherwise. As the fourth round starts, Brendan insists Tommy give up as Tommy only has use of one arm. Tommy continues to fight. Brendan unloads a barrage of strikes trying to win. Tommy asks Brendan to continue hitting him as the fourth round ends. At the start of Round 5, Brendan realizes he has to force Tommy to submit, and he traps him in a rear-naked choke. As they struggle on the canvas, Brendan apologizes to Tommy and tells him that he loves him. Tommy submits after hearing the words. Brendan and Campana tactfully avoid the referees and the doctors checking in on Tommy. The reconciled brothers exit the ring as their father walks away into the background smiling.

Cast

Themes

Described by critics as “heartbreaking and emotionally satisfying”,[4] “really gripping”,[5] “an unapologetic powerhouse of emotional conflict”[6] and self-described as a “rousing ode to redemption, reconciliation and the power of the human spirit”, Warrior has received the most praise for the emotional approach it takes to the themes of forgiveness and “the enduring bonds of family” that it explores. In their review, Common Sense Media cites unconditional love as a major theme, further explaining that “some weighty issues” such as estrangement and alcoholism are also dealt with.[7]

Production

Actor Nick Nolte won San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as a recovering alcoholic father.[8]

Mogul Minds Studios, (now 31st Street Studios), located in Pittsburgh, was used during the filming, as well as the University of Pittsburgh‘s Petersen Events Center and the Twin Hi-Way Drive-In. North Hills Senior High School was also used for some scenes.[9][10] Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City was used for the exterior scenes of the main fight venue, along with scenes filmed on the boardwalk and beach.[citation needed]

Hardy went through a demanding training routine for gaining muscle during the film’s pre-production, gaining around 28 pounds (13 kg) of muscle (a physique which he also used to portray Bane in The Dark Knight Rises).[11]

Release

The film was released in the United States on September 9, 2011.

Marketing

The Men of Warrior book was released on July 19, 2011.[12] Lionsgate’s “We Are All Warriors” project to support the release of Warrior by highlighting everyday heroes was launched August 1, 2011.[13]

Home media

Warrior was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the United States on December 20, 2011. The Blu-ray release includes a DVD copy of the movie, as well as a downloadable digital copy. With the exception of the Blu-ray including an additional Feature Length Enhanced Viewing Mode, extras are similar between both releases.[14]

Reception

Box office

Warrior debuted in third place in its first week at the U.S. box office with $5.2 million behind Contagion and The Help.[15] It dropped down to #8 the following weekend.[16] Overall, the film made $13.7 million in the United States and Canada, and $9.6 million in foreign countries for a worldwide total of $23.3 million.[3]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 84% of 191 critics’ reviews are positive. The website’s consensus reads: “Warrior relies on many of the clichés that critics of the genre love to mock — and it transcends them with gripping action, powerful acting, and heart.”[17] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 71 out of 100, based on 35 critics, indicating “generally favorable” reviews.[18] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of “A” on an A+ to F scale.[19]

Bruce Diones of The New Yorker highly praised the actors’ performances, especially Tom Hardy’s, as “convincingly real” and “sensational.” He further complimented the film as “cathartic” and “winning,” and said that the film as a whole “achieves a surprising compassion and honesty.”[6] Simon Miraudo from Quickflix praised the character development of brothers Tommy Riordan and Brendan Conlon: “When they speak to each other for the first time in the film – amazingly, only once before they actually meet in the ring – we understand their relationship completely.” He called the film as a whole “beautiful” in spite of how violent it is, and gave it 4 out of 5 stars.[4] Common Sense Media‘s Sandie Angulo Chen called the film “a touching family drama wrapped in an intense ‘David vs. Goliath‘-style fight.”[7] Meanwhile, Roger Ebert gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, declaring that “this is a rare fight movie in which we don’t want to see either fighter lose,” while praising Gavin O’Connor’s direction and Nick Nolte’s performance.[20] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone was also complimentary towards O’Connor, stating that he “comes out swinging in this flawed but fiercely moving family drama,”[21] while A.O. Scott of The New York Times credited the film for being “appropriately blunt, powerful and relentless,” also praising the “skillfully staged” fight scenes.[22]

Andrew Pulver of The Guardian rated the film 2 out of 5 stars stating, “This mixed-martial-arts fight movie has received bafflingly high praise considering its lunkhead plot and rudimentary characters”.[23]

Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter stated, “For an “entertainment,” Warrior accomplishes a lot. The family drama resonates strongly with a resolution that, in retrospect, seems like the only way the brothers could have rediscovered blood ties.”[24]

Some critics, including Philip French from the UK newspaper The Observer, have noted similarities to other sports drama films such as Rocky (1976), The Wrestler (2008), and The Fighter (2010).[25]

Accolades

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
IGN Summer Movie AwardsSeptember 20, 2011Best Drama MovieWarriorNominated[26]
San Diego Film Critics SocietyDecember 12, 2011Best Supporting ActorNick NolteWon[27]
Satellite AwardsDecember 18, 2011Best Actor in a Motion PictureTom HardyNominated[28]
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion PictureNick NolteNominated
Best EditingSean Albertson, Matt Chessé, John Gilroy, Aaron MarshallNominated
Chicago Film Critics AssociationDecember 19, 2011Best Supporting ActorNick NolteNominated[29]
Las Vegas Film Critics SocietyDecember 19, 2011Top 10 ListWarrior10th place[30]
Dublin Film Critics’ CircleDecember 23, 2011Top 10 ActorsNick Nolte5th place
Online Film Critics SocietyJanuary 2, 2012Best Supporting ActorNominated[31]
Denver Film Critics SocietyJanuary 9, 2012Best Supporting ActorNominated[32]
Critics’ Choice Movie AwardsJanuary 12, 2012Best Supporting ActorNominated[33]
Screen Actors Guild AwardsJanuary 29, 2012Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting RoleNominated[34]
Academy AwardsFebruary 26, 2012Best Supporting ActorNominated[35]
MTV Movie & TV AwardsJune 3, 2012Best FightJoel Edgerton vs. Tom HardyNominated[36]
Teen Choice AwardsJuly 22, 2012Choice Movie Actor: ActionTom HardyNominated[37]
Prism AwardsNovember 7, 2012Feature Film – Substance UseWarriorWon[38]
Performance in a Feature FilmNick NolteNominated

Soundtrack

Warrior: Original Score
Soundtrack album by Mark Isham
ReleasedSeptember 11, 2011
GenreFilm score
LabelLakeshore
ProducerMark Isham

Warrior: Original Score is the soundtrack album for the film, composed and produced by Mark Isham. It was released by Lakeshore Records on September 13, 2011.[39] An alternative extended version of “About Today” by the indie rock band The National was also featured on the soundtrack and also in the film during the final fight scene. The composition entitled “Listen to the Beethoven” incorporates elements of the final movement of Ludwig van Beethoven‘s ninth symphony, which is featured prominently throughout the film.[40]

  1. “Listen to the Beethoven”
  2. “Paddy & Tommy”
  3. “Sparta – Night One”
  4. “I Can’t Watch You Fight”
  5. “Koba”
  6. “Hero”
  7. “Brendan & Tess”
  8. “The Devil You Know”
  9. “Stop the Ship (Relapse)”
  10. “Warrior”
  11. “Brendan & Tommy”
  12. “About Today” (performed by The National)

Adaptations

The film had an Indian adaptation titled Brothers (2015) starring Akshay Kumar and Sidharth Malhotra in lead roles.[41]

A film with the same title and similar plot was made in 2015 in Russia.

References

  1.  ‘Warrior’ Co-Financier Mimran Schur Pictures Makes Multi-Picture Lionsgate Deal
  2.  “WARRIOR”. British Board of Film Classification. Archived from the original on December 4, 2014. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
  3.  “Warrior (2011)”. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  4.  Simon Miraudo (October 25, 2011). “The fight stuff – Warrior review”. Quickflix. Archived from the original on January 11, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2011.
  5.  David Edelstein (September 9, 2011). “Movie Review: The Clichéd, Great Warrior“. New York Magazine.
  6.  Bruce Diones. “Warrior : The New Yorker”. The New Yorker.
  7.  Sandie Angulo Chen. “Warrior – Movie Review”. Common Sense Media.
  8.  2011 Awards. San Diego Film Critics Society. 2011
  9.  One-two punch: ‘Warrior’ filmmakers drawn by city’s look, state’s incentives. Post-Gazette. May 8, 2009
  10.  Pittsburgh’s ‘working-class poetry’ drew ‘Warrior’ here. Triblieve. September 8, 2011
  11.  “Interview with Tom Hardy”. Interview Magazine. Retrieved 2011-04-16.
  12.  “The Men of Warrior Coffee Table Book!”. About.com. July 19, 2011. Archived from the original on September 17, 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2011.
  13.  “We Are All Warriors: FIRST LOOK: Exclusive Photos from the Action-Drama Movie”. iVillage. August 1, 2011. Retrieved August 1, 2011.
  14.  “Warrior Blu-ray”. Blu-Ray.com. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  15.  “Weekend Box Office Results for September 9–11, 2011 – Box Office Mojo”. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
  16.  “Weekend Box Office Results for September 16–18, 2011 – Box Office Mojo”. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
  17.  “Marty Supreme“. Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved February 17, 2026.
  18.  “Warrior“. Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
  19.  “Warrior“. CinemaScore. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  20.  Roger Ebert. “Warrior”.
  21.  Peter Travers (September 8, 2011). “Warrior”. Rolling Stone.
  22.  A.O. Scott (September 8, 2011). “Warrior (2011)”. The New York Times.
  23.  Warrior – review. The Guardian. Andrew Pulver. September 22, 2011
  24.  Warrior: Film Review. The Hollywood Reporter. Kirk Honeycutt. September 8, 2011
  25.  Philip French (September 24, 2011). “Warrior – review”. The Observer.
  26.  Ford, Allan (September 20, 2011). “IGN’s Summer Movie Awards 2011”. FilmoFilia. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  27.  “San Diego Film Critics Select Top Films for 2011”. San Diego Film Critics Society. December 13, 2011. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  28.  “2011 | Categories | International Press Academy”. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  29.  “1988-2013 Award Winner Archives”. Chicago Film Critics Association. January 1, 2013. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  30.  “Las Vegas Film Critics Awards”. Awardsdaily. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  31.  “2011 Awards (15th Annual)”. Online Film Critics Society. January 3, 2012. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  32.  “2012 DFCS Awards – Denver Film Critics”. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  33.  “Critics Choice Awards 2012”. MUBI. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  34.  “The 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards | Screen Actors Guild Awards”. www.sagawards.org. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  35.  “The 84th Academy Awards | 2012”. www.oscars.org. October 7, 2014. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  36.  Desk, Gold Derby News (May 1, 2012). “MTV Movie Awards 2012: Complete List of Nominations”. GoldDerby. Retrieved April 3, 2025. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  37.  Ng, Philiana (May 18, 2012). “Teen Choice Awards 2012: ‘Vampire Diaries’ Leads Nominations”. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  38.  Newcomb, Roger. “NOMINATIONS: 16th Annual PRISM Awards–BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL, DAYS OF OUR LIVES, GENERAL HOSPITAL”. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  39.  “Warrior (2011) – Soundtrack.Net”. www.soundtrack.net. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  40.  Soundtrack album
  41.  Deepanjana Pal (August 12, 2015). “Will beefy Siddharth Malhotra in Brothers be as good as Tom Hardy in Warrior?”. First Post. Retrieved September 15, 2015.

Portals:

vteFilms directed by Gavin O’Connor
Comfortably Numb (1995)Tumbleweeds (1999)Miracle (2004)Pride and Glory (2008)Warrior (2011)Jane Got a Gun (2015)The Accountant (2016)The Way Back (2020)The Accountant 2 (2025)

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