The Warrior (2005)
RT Audience Score: 71%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win
This simple but beautifully photographed film tells a timeless tale
The Warrior” is a visually stunning film that takes you on a spiritual journey through the Himalayan Mountains. While the story may not be the most original, the director infuses it with a sense of reverence that keeps it from feeling tired. It’s a tale of redemption and transformation that will leave you feeling enriched. Plus, who doesn’t love a good fable? Just be prepared for a slow pace and minimal dialogue. Overall, it’s a beautiful and meaningful film that’s worth the watch.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Miramax Films
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Henderson Valley Studios, Hickory Avenue, Henderson, Auckland, New Zealand
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong bloody violence
Year of Release
2010
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital SDDS DTS
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 25m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 9, 2003 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 6, 2007
Genre(s)
Adventure/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Irrfan Khan, Mandakini Goswami, Sunita Sharma, Noor Mani, Damayanti Marfatia, Anupam Shyam, directed by Asif Kapadia, written by Asif Kapadia, Adventure, Drama, $48.2K box office, reviewed by Tom Ambrose, Terry Lawson, Mick LaSalle, Janice Page, Michael Wilmington, Carrie Rickey, Felix Vasquez Jr., Cole Smithey, Lewis Beale, Christopher Null, Robert Roten, feudal India, lone warrior, violent role, enforcer, local lord, Himalayan mountains, spiritual journey, redemption, internal drama, revenge story, picturesque scenes, Rajasthan, Irfan Khan, Slumdog Millionaire, minimalist, sorrowful tale, search of peace, troubled soul, Miramax Films, Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo, R MPAA rating
Worldwide gross: $11,103,434
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $15,093,858
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,815
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,646,004
US/Canada gross: $5,666,340
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $7,702,746
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,688
US/Canada opening weekend: $3,048,665
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $4,144,314
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,123
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $42,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $57,094,234
Production budget ranking: 710
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $30,745,245
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$72,745,620
ROI to date (est.): -83%
ROI ranking: 1,907
Mandakini Goswami – Rabia
Sunita Sharma – The girl
Noor Mani – Riaz
Damayanti Marfatia – Blind woman
Anupam Shyam – Lord
Director(s)
Asif Kapadia
Writer(s)
Asif Kapadia
Producer(s)
Bertrand Faivre
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
1 win
Academy Awards
All Critics (42) | Top Critics (18) | Fresh (35) | Rotten (7)
Sumptuous and profound, this is a stunning debut.
December 30, 2006 | Rating: 4/5
Tom Ambrose
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
It is hardly the most original story, but Kapadia, the British-born son of Indian immigrants, infuses it so much with stately resonance and spiritual reverence, that it never seems remotely shopworn, much less laborious.
August 5, 2005 | Rating: 3/4
Terry Lawson
Detroit Free Press
TOP CRITIC
Long before the end, it takes on the quality of a wise fable and reveals itself as an enriching experience.
July 29, 2005 | Rating: 3/4
Mick LaSalle
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
If you can forgive its lapses in storytelling and character development, then Kapadia’s 2001 feature filmmaking debut delivers, at minimum, an impressive visual account of a worthwhile spiritual journey.
July 29, 2005 | Rating: 2.5/4
Janice Page
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
A film for moviegoers who love powerful stories and ravishing imagery.
July 28, 2005 | Rating: 3.5/4
Michael Wilmington
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
There’s a pinch of Akira Kurosawa, a sprinkle of Clint Eastwood, and heaps of originality in this.
July 28, 2005 | Rating: 3.5/4
Carrie Rickey
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
A meaningful, and well paced tale of a killer seeking redemption in a world that’s felt his touch of death.
April 29, 2009
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed
“The Warrior” is a timeless and lyrical movie set against the stunning beauty of the Himalayan Mountains.
April 16, 2009 | Rating: A-
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com
Its deadly pacing and almost word-free screenplay make it seem like a very long slog indeed.
March 1, 2007
Lewis Beale
Film Journal International
The Warrior plays out like one big roll in the dirt and one long wargame.
April 4, 2006 | Rating: 2.5/5
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com
A starkly beautiful and poignant film of evil, family, transformation and redemption set in ancient India.
February 25, 2006 | Rating: B
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope
Considering that this is a film set in feudal India of an indefinite era, the film should be surprisingly thoughtful and engaging for American audience.
December 25, 2005 | Rating: 7/10
Mark R. Leeper
rec.arts.movies.reviews…
Plot
Yang, the world’s finest swordsman, packs it in and leaves Japan to find an old friend in the Wild West rather than kill the infant queen of a rival clan. He carries the baby to his friend’s desolate, broken-down town; the friend has died, so Yang reopens a laundry and settles down, hanging wet clothes, growing flowers, raising the infant, and finding himself attracted to Lynne, a red-haired woman with a tragic past. As long as Yang keeps his sword sheathed, his rivals won’t find him, but a band of reprobate gunmen terrorize the town and threaten Lynne. Showdowns are inevitable, but once the sword is drawn, can Yang find rest, a home, and a family?
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Irrfan Khan delivers a good, understated performance in the lead role.
Asif-Kapadia.jpg