This was a film I cannot say I was looking forward to. It was not a film I had on my radar. And it certainly was not the film I thought I would say was the best thing I had seen all year.
Warrior is as delicately paced fusion of Scorsese's emotive, self-reflexive Raging Bull and Fincher's more evocative, dramatic Fight Club. I make reference to these two films not because their presence is physically felt in O'Connor's masterpiece but rather, as a way of explaining just how beautifully the narrative of this film unfolds on screen. The film follows the lives of two brothers, Brendan and Tommy, pitting the differences of their worlds against eachother in the same way they are pitted against their opponents. Both men are drawn into the world of MMA, not because of some tacky, unthought-out cliché but because of survival - for Tommy, against his financial difficulties (which in this day and age, we completely empathise with) and for Brendan, against his inner demons. We are carried through the film willingly, not like the blind-leading-the-blind, but suggestively. O'Connor invites us into the lives of these two men but cautions us not to judge. And judging thou shalt want. Brendan and Tommy share a horrific past peppered by the violent acts of their alcoholic father and have come out of it with varying results. Both men are not flawless - they lie, they fume, they seek revenge, they scheme. But we sympathise with their situations. We want both of them to win, both in and outside of the ring, and that is what makes the ending just so damn good.
Aesthetically, I was a little put off by the film at the beginning. Shot on 35mm, I am unable to ascertain the cause of the film's initial graininess ( despite the company's use of KODAK VISION3 500T which is actually designed to reduce this effect) which put me off slightly. Forgive me father for I have sinned but yes, I did not appreciate it in the beginning. Give me 20 minutes however, and not only had I forgotten the initial shock of seeing such an image but I was beginning to appreciate it in context of the film. Naturally, the film upheld a grey, blue color scheme throughout, a technique perfectly contrasted to the swish world we are introduced to in the official MMA tournament. The bright lights and colors of this world set our main characters apart from it, remind us that they are not show-ponies like these other players, but real men forced to fight for their own. Camera wise, I appreciated the breadth O'Connor provides. Many of the best shots of the film that I remember are a mixture of mid shots and wides, all encompassing shots that allow you the opportunity to take in the entire scene. Closeups are so last century when it comes to fighting movies and whilst they were evident, they were not persistent, a technique I appreciated.
Finally, one must mention the beautifully crafted script. Written by O'Connor as well as Anthony Tambakis and Cliff Dorfman, the script never attempts to cheat the audience. The dialogue is indicative but not explicit, with a lot of the explanation provided by the amazing cast and their performances. Just as in the ring, what's not said is just as important as what is said and the boys behind this creation did well to not try and cram too many words in to this film that one could so easily have been tempted to do. I cannot even begin to comprehend how one could go about recreating such a beautifully scripted story and I think it will be a while yet before I see such a creation. In the meantime, I shall appreciate this film and what it provides: a visionary story produced not for money or fame, but for merely for the purpose of telling it.
