IMDb #143: Warrior (2011)

Source: Wikipedia

Two brothers, one obviously bad and one obviously good, separately pursue the championship of the middleweight Mixed Martial Arts tournament. With opposite approaches, they soar on billows of narrative contrivance, despite opposition from equally contrived setbacks, to achieve the singularity of ultimate contrivance as these two no-name no-budget rookies clash in the ring for the fat cash prize.

It's Rocky for the modern age. Only subtract the "realism" and "scrappy underdog" elements. Crank up the "soap opera family drama" to eleven and beyond. Crowd wants a show? Oh, they'll get one.

The "bad" son, a tough asocial jerk, returns to his ex-alcoholic dad who raised the boys as Spartans to win teen fighting tournaments. He wants a trainer, not a dad. His beatdown antics at the local gym go viral (see: twenty-first century), to the point where American soldiers stationed in the Middle East recognize their MIA war buddy.

Meanwhile, the "good" son lives out the life as a beloved high school physics teacher. Married, kid on the way. Some fighting on the side, in the ring behind the strip club. Which costs his job and health and his wife's trust. To make ends meet, he'll have to enter the pro tournament, have to fight, have to win. Of course the students are loving every minute of this.

Cue the split-screen training montage. Pop quiz! Which bro punches and kicks in synch to Beethoven? Which one drinks and pops pills and yells at his dad because God didn't save their mum? Close that Wikipedia tab, it's cheating.

Anyway, both brothers enter the tournament. Look surprised. They slug through a series of colorful contestants in spiffy shorts. Then reunite on an Atlantic City beach at night, the ideal opportunity for a touching reunion scene or non-refereed violence.

In and out of the ring, it's a raw, intense, and predictably inspiring journey that rockets toward a heartwarming conclusion with an uplifting message about family or something.

As with most shindigs about buff dudes whacking the crap outta each other, suspend your disbelief at the coat check and just shout for blood till your vocal cords give out.

140 minutes.