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WARRIOR (2011)Movie Reviews
Action drama about two estranged brothers competing against one another to win the substantial purse in a Mixed Martial Arts tournament. Cast:Tom Hardy, Nick Nolte, Joel Edgerton, Jennifer MorrisonDirector:Gavin O'ConnorRelease Date:September 9, 2011DVD Release:December 20, 2011From:LionsgateLength:2 hr 19 min
Warrior (2011) played to very good reviews. • Rene Rodriguez wrote in the Miami Herald, "...a brutally effective, insanely rousing piece of drama, with enough new wrinkles and ferocious acting to sweep you into its clutches." • And Alison Willmore wrote for the AV Club, "...a man-weepie of the highest Hollywood order, a would-be 'Rocky' for an empire in decline. It's irresistible..." More Reviews Below...
Lesley Messer, People: VERY GOOD(cg) "...as much about family bonds as it is about the sport... The fight scenes are intense but not gratuitously violent -- sure to keep you on the edge of your seat."(See all of Lesley Messer's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 136 words, 09/08/11
Mary Pols, Time: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "It's too much, but hey, if director Gavin O'Connor wants to go Biblical, at least he's being bold, and what he delivers in the home stretch is, if not plausible, touching."(See all of Mary Pols's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 652 words, 09/09/11
Jake Coyle, Associated Press: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a surprisingly moving father-and-sons melodrama.... By the time 'Warrior' builds to its championship finale, the sadness of the Conlon brothers is riveting."(See all of Jake Coyle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 654 words, 09/08/11
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: VERY GOOD(cg) "...at times almost gravely self-important. The gifted director Gavin O'Connor ('Miracle') brings the film an affecting, ripped-from-the-guts spirit..."(See all of Owen Gleiberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 322 words, 09/02/11
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a flawed but fiercely moving family drama about two feuding brothers competing in a martial-arts tournament.... Strong stuff."(See all of Peter Travers's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 159 words, 09/02/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a rare fight movie in which we don't want to see either fighter lose. That brings such complexity to the final showdown that hardly anything could top it... 'Warrior' earns it."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 634 words, 09/09/11
Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies: EXCELLENT(cg) "I haven't enjoyed any other sports movie this much since I can't remember... I'd be happy to see it again in the middle of a house of paying customers..."(See all of Glenn Kenny's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 824 words, 09/06/11
James Berardinelli, Reel Views: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...surprisingly elegiac... will undoubtedly be compared in many quarters to 'The Fighter,' but this is in some ways a more powerful and disturbing motion picture."(See all of James Berardinelli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 881 words, 09/01/11
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (13 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: EXCELLENT "...blunt, powerful and relentless, a study of male bodies in sweaty motion and masculine emotions in teary turmoil.... This movie wants to knock you out. It will."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,060 words, 09/09/11
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...has moments of power that push through a fake-out script. It also has a secret weapon: a wallop of a turn from British actor Tom Hardy."(See all of Joe Neumaier's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 523 words, 09/09/11
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: FAIR "...it shows promise but finally hits things so hard, both literally and metaphorically, that it's hard not to feel pummeled yourself by the time it's over."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 756 words, 09/09/11
Kyle Smith, New York Post: WEAK(cg) "...wrapped in miles and miles of stale would-be Oscar scenes... Hoping to arrive at 'gritty' and 'realistic,' Gavin O'Connor instead gets stranded at 'dingy' and 'dull.' "(See all of Kyle Smith's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 788 words, 09/09/11
Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: VERY GOOD(cg) "Gavin O'Connor makes it fresh with working-class realism and wisely underplayed dialogue.... blessed with three astounding, Oscar-caliber performances."(See all of Rafer Guzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 322 words, 09/09/11
David Edelstein, New York Magazine: VERY GOOD "...the picture is a slam dunk. I mean a ground-and-pound double-leg takedown. It's really gripping.... The movie leaves you a wreck -- yet pumped."(See all of David Edelstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 664 words, 09/09/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a rare fight movie in which we don't want to see either fighter lose. That brings such complexity to the final showdown that hardly anything could top it... 'Warrior' earns it."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 634 words, 09/09/11
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD "Old line-gargler Nolte remains an effortlessly moving presence, while Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton embody their archetypes and handle the physical demands."(See all of Nick Pinkerton's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 216 words, 09/07/11
Bruce DeMara, Toronto Star: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...has real emotional resonance, vivid, finely crafted performances and a story that will seize you from its opening moments. Action movies are never this good."(See all of Bruce DeMara's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 569 words, 09/09/11
Stephen Cole, Toronto Globe & Mail: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a weirdly affecting hybrid, a 100-proof melodrama that's two-thirds Sylvester Stallone and one-third Eugene O'Neill. Think Rocky's 'Long Day's Journey into Night.' "(See all of Stephen Cole's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 607 words, 09/09/11
Andrew Dowler, Toronto Now: WEAK(cg) "...a drama about a broken family devolves into blatant cheerleading for mixed martial arts when two estranged brothers enter the same high-stakes tournament."(See all of Andrew Dowler's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 185 words, 09/08/11
KEY CITIES (13 Reviews)
John DeFore, Washington Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "...in some ways more satisfying than David O. Russell's justly celebrated film 'The Fighter' - particularly for viewers who enjoy watching great screen acting..."(See all of John DeFore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 588 words, 09/09/11
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: VERY GOOD(cg) "...crazily enjoyable.... the two leads, Edgerton and Hardy, pull off their respective roles - rising above the cliches and the melodrama - with ferocity and focus."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 533 words, 09/09/11
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: VERY GOOD(cg) "...the best MMA movie ever.... the first movie built around this relatively new sport to capture the grit, guts, heart and pathos of the great boxing pictures."(See all of Roger Moore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 558 words, 09/06/11
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a story so heartfelt and well-acted that any objections to what's been adapted from elsewhere seems to matter less as the movie goes on."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 400 words, 09/09/11
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: EXCELLENT(cg) "...one of those movies that, if you were to describe it to friends in an attempt to tell them how much you enjoyed it, you would sound ridiculous. Do it anyway."(See all of Bill Goodykoontz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 596 words, 09/09/11
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "This is bench-press melodrama... All Gavin O'Connor does is apply old boxing-film tricks to what is, for the movies, a new sport. Then he doubles them."(See all of Wesley Morris's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 710 words, 09/09/11
Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger: MODERATE(cg) "...telegraphs its punches like an aging palooka.... all this film has going for it besides Nick Nolte are its incredibly brutal fight scenes."(See all of Stephen Whitty's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 521 words, 09/09/11
Amy Biancolli, San Francisco Chronicle: VERY GOOD(cg) "Solid drama. Convincingly acted... a type of raw-meat violence that's undeniably cinematic but seems, to this worried parent, ill-fitted for PG-13."(See all of Amy Biancolli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 347 words, 09/09/11
Soren Andersen, Seattle Times: MODERATE(cg) "Choppy editing makes a hash out of the fight scenes, and, by the end, a Neanderthal sensibility asserts itself... Or to put it another way: 'I love you, man. POW!' "(See all of Soren Andersen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 397 words, 09/09/11
Steve Persall, St. Petersburg Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a surprising gut punch, a modern-day 'Rocky'... a movie with as much heart as violence, somewhat cliched and calculated but still an exhilarating screen experience."(See all of Steve Persall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 594 words, 09/08/11
Adam Graham, Detroit News: EXCELLENT(cg) "...a fight movie for our times.... hits its marks and hits them well... feels fresh even as it traffics so deeply in the familiar."(See all of Adam Graham's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 312 words, 09/09/11
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a brutally effective, insanely rousing piece of drama, with enough new wrinkles and ferocious acting to sweep you into its clutches."(See all of Rene Rodriguez's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 512 words, 09/09/11
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (8 Reviews)
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD "Old line-gargler Nolte remains an effortlessly moving presence, while Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton embody their archetypes and handle the physical demands."(See all of Nick Pinkerton's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 216 words, 09/07/11
Katey Rich, Cinema Blend: VERY GOOD(cg) "...simply a sports movie -- a very handsome and well-acted and deeply affecting one, but also one in which the ending is obvious and the characters remain easily defined..."(See all of Katey Rich's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 733 words, 09/05/11
Brett Michel, Boston Phoenix: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...errs more on the side of 1995's 'Rocky IV' than John Avildsen's '76 original, what with its 'unstoppable' Russian fighter (Kurt Angle) and a climax that's never in doubt."(See all of Brett Michel's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 143 words, 09/08/11
Jen Yamato, Movieline: OUTSTANDING(cg) "The sight of Tom Hardy, tattooed and muscled and drenched in blood and sweat, struggling against his instincts... it's the most beautiful image I've seen all year."(See all of Jen Yamato's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,078 words, 09/08/11
Andrew Dowler, Toronto Now: WEAK(cg) "...a drama about a broken family devolves into blatant cheerleading for mixed martial arts when two estranged brothers enter the same high-stakes tournament."(See all of Andrew Dowler's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 185 words, 09/08/11
HIGHBROW PRESS (3 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: EXCELLENT "...blunt, powerful and relentless, a study of male bodies in sweaty motion and masculine emotions in teary turmoil.... This movie wants to knock you out. It will."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,060 words, 09/09/11
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: FAIR "...it shows promise but finally hits things so hard, both literally and metaphorically, that it's hard not to feel pummeled yourself by the time it's over."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 756 words, 09/09/11
Andrew O'Hehir, Salon: FAIR "I ended up feeling almost as bludgeoned by the movie as the opponents Tommy and Brendan must batter into submission on their way to the inevitable confrontation..."(See all of Andrew O'Hehir's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 544 words, 09/07/11
MOVIE INDUSTRY (5 Reviews)
Joe Leydon, Daily Variety: VERY GOOD "An improbably effective and affecting mix of raw emotions and exciting smackdowns... sustains an air of kitchen-sink realism..."(See all of Joe Leydon's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 967 words, 08/09/11
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter: VERY GOOD "An emotionally raw family drama well disguised as a brutal fight film.... grabs you in early scenes, intense though low-key, before all hell breaks loose..."(See all of Kirk Honeycutt's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,133 words, 08/09/11
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: FAIR "...it shows promise but finally hits things so hard, both literally and metaphorically, that it's hard not to feel pummeled yourself by the time it's over."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 756 words, 09/09/11
Emanuel Levy, Cinema 24/7: MODERATE(cg) "...narratively flawed and dramatically disappointing... tries to do too much to little effect in combining a familiar family melodrama with a conventional sports saga."(See all of Emanuel Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 478 words, 08/23/11
A.O. Scott, New York Times: EXCELLENT "...blunt, powerful and relentless, a study of male bodies in sweaty motion and masculine emotions in teary turmoil.... This movie wants to knock you out. It will."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,060 words, 09/09/11
16.3 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Warrior (2011)'s reviews are separated by an average 16.3 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Warrior (2011) (44 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Warrior (2011)'s reviews cover 87.2% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 23,800 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 541 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 45.2 Hours Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Warrior (2011)'s reviews on average broke 45.2 hours before opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Warrior (2011)'s opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Warrior (2011) (44 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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