Warrior

Wow, didn’t expect this. Two main things: 1) Nick Nolte gives possibly one of the best performances I have ever seen. I am not kidding. Two of his scenes brought me to tears through his performance alone. And this film also has Tom Hardy in it. AND Joel Edgerton.  2) One of the main reasons why this film works so well is showcased during its first fight scene. Tom Hardy kicks another fighters face in, in some of the most impactful punches, kicks, and throws you have ever heard. And while these fight scenes hold such great impact through sound and visuals, the camera veers away from the fight, to show the onlookers gasping at the annihilation happening in the ring. It surprisingly adds so much reality and actual weight to the fight, like the audience in the film is just as invested as us. But this style carries throughout the film, both literally and figuratively. The film focuses on the raw, the reaction, the emotion. It always veers away from the fight to show what’s important, the reason behind it.