Warrior

Rocky meets Rich Man, Poor Man. It’s 1976 all over again. Nick Nolte’s even in it! Warrior is well-intentioned, with a big heart. The script is hokey, but it’s strongly directed and vigorously acted. The cinematography bugged me a little. There’s always something in the foreground -- a head, an object, a hand. It’s an attempt to give the movie a POV, to make it gritty and real. But it’s overdone by about 10%. Details about Mixed Martial Arts fighting feel well-researched, but the heavy hands of the filmmakers force-feed the griminess, which makes certain settings feel inauthentic. Overall, Warrior aspires for and mostly achieves deep emotion, which will make it well-respected, but doesn’t guarantee a long box office life.