Tom Hardygave one of his best performances while also undergoing a stunning transformation in a 2011 film that more people need to see.Hardy’s best moviesshowcase the physicality of the actor, which adds to his imposing screen presence. In fact,Hardy’s breakout role inBronsonshowed his commitment to gaining the necessary weight for a role.
However, one of his best movies came in 2011 withthe realistic sports dramaWarrior, which was sadly overlooked. ThoughWarriorearned solid reviews, with aRotten Tomatoesscore of 84%, the excellent sports drama failed to earn back its modest $25 million budget.
The movie itself is an exciting and moving step inside the world of mixed martial arts, as well as telling a complex family drama. However, it is Hardy’s performance and physicality in the role that is the most stunning aspect ofWarriorand the main reason more people should seek out the movie.
Tom Hardy Gained A Lot Of Muscle Mass For Warrior
Hardy Also Used The Added Muscle To Play Bane
InWarrior, Tom Hardy plays Thomas “Tommy” Riordan Conlon, a former soldier who has gone AWOL from the army and reluctantly seeks out his estranged father, Paddy (Nick Nolte).Though Tommy left home with his mother when he was young, never seeing his father or older brother again, he reunites with Paddy to train as a mixed martial artist.
Like many of Hardy’s most memorable characters, Tommy is a man of few words who lets his actions do the talking. In order to pull off the role successfully,Hardy needed to be believable as a fighter. This led to his following an intense training regimen to learn how to fight as well as transform his body into that of a fighter.
Hardy explained the intense preparation in an interview withThe Guardian:
“I did two hours boxing a day, two hours muay thai, two hours ju jitsu followed by two hours choreography and two hours of weightlifting seven days a week for three months. So come on! You have to really want to do that, so it was a challenge.”
While the hard work, sadly, did not get much recognition for Hardy inWarrior, the imposing physique would be used later. Following his role inWarrior, Hardy stepped into the role ofBane inThe Dark Knight Rises, playing the powerful enemy of Batman and taking Hardy’s fame to another level.
Warrior Is Quietly One Of Tom Hardy’s Best Movies
Warrior Brilliantly Mixes Sports Entertainment With Family Drama
Tom Hardy’s past decade in movieshas seen him become a major star, butWarriorstill remains one of his best films. He is sensational in the role of Tommy, seemingly animalistic and completely driven in his fighting scenes. Tommy is a man filled with hate and anger, but he also shows compassion for those he cares about.
The fight sequences are thrilling, but it is all elevated by the family drama and the layered characters at the center of it all that makeWarrioran underseen masterpiece.
At the center of the story is Tommy’s relationship with his brother, Brendan (Joel Edgerton), a family man struggling to pay the bills who also turns to mixed martial arts.With both brothers in the same tournament, it is inevitable for them to face off and force them to confront their complicated past.
Nick Nolte is also brilliant as their father, a recovering alcoholic trying desperately to regain trust from his two sons. The fight sequences are thrilling, but it is all elevated by the family drama and the layered characters at the center of it all that makeWarrioran underseen masterpiece.
