Warrior (12/20/2011)

Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense mixed martial arts fighting, some language and thematic material.

Starring Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Morrison, Noah Emmerich and Nick Nolte

Directed by Gavin O’Connor (Pride and Glory and Miracle)

This is one of those films that if you let it, will grab a hold of your heart…and tear it up.

An ex-Marine haunted by a tragic past, Tommy Conlon (Tom Hardy) returns to his hometown of Pittsburgh and enlists his father, a recovered alcoholic and his former coach, to train him for an MMA tournament awarding the biggest purse in the history of the sport. As Tommy blazes a violent path towards the title prize, his brother, Brendan, (Joel Edgerton) a former MMA fighter unable to make ends meet as a public school teacher, returns to the amateur ring to provide for his family after being suspended from his day job. Even though years have passed, recriminations and betrayals keep Brendan bitterly estranged from both Tommy and his father. But when Brendan’s unlikely rise as an underdog sets him on a collision course with Tommy, the two brothers must finally confront the forces that tore them apart, all the while waging the most intense, winner-takes-all battle of their lives.

We have to start with the story, because that’s where the filmmakers put most of their effort. By the way, that’s a good thing. The story takes a while to develop and for some viewers it may feel slow, but stick with it and discover who these characters are, the payoff is worth it.

The cast is fantastic; Tom Hardy is scary good in this movie. Whether he is drinking himself further into depression or kicking butt in the octagon, I loved every minute he was on screen. Joel Edgerton was not as familiar but I thought he was just as good. And it was good to see Nick Nolte in a decent role again. I think the last good movie he was in (excluding his voice work) was 1994’s Cape Fear.

Finally as a fan of UFC, I loved how realistic it was… in other words, Warrior is nothing like the Rocky films. I remember watching them as a kid, I would be standing up when that music started playing and Rocky would come back to win the fight in the final round. But I have never seen a real boxing match that looked anything like those movies. As my wife and I watched Warrior, I kept commenting on how realistic the fight scenes were. One fighter can get beat to within an inch of his life and then with one quick move win the fight on a submission…its crazy. They capture that and represent the sport well.

If there is a negative about Warrior, it’s that it felt too much like the Wrestler or TV’s Lights Out. I think I’m more forgiving, because I’m a sucker for the underdog story.

Despite some of the “I’ve seen this before” moments, I still really enjoyed Warrior and would definitely watch it again, it’s “Theater Worthy” for sure.

SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
There is no sex or nudity. There is one scene where a woman gets out of bed wearing skimpy underwear and there are also the ring girls who are in bikinis.

The PG-13 rating is for the violence found in MMA (mixed martial arts) fighting. The fights are brutal, intense and realistic.

As far as profanity, there are a few H-words, S-words and 1 F-word.

Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):

Q: What’s the message/theme of this movie?
A: This movie is about MMA (mixed martial arts) fighting and the men who participate in this sport. It is intense, brutal and it takes extreme discipline to win.

Q: How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
A: The Bible often compares aspects of our spiritual journey to a fighting match.

Read Ephesians 6:10-20
“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.”

What do you think Paul means when he says, “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power”?

What are some strategies of the devil that you have experienced?

Paul says, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” What do you think he means by that?

What are the pieces of “God’s armor”?

Discuss what His armor looks like in your life.

Q: How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
A: In the movie we see both brothers training, what were some of the differences in their training?

What were some of the similarities?

What are some practical things you can do this week to train to be a “better fighter”?