On September 9th, sport drama Warrior from Lionsgate opens in theaters. The film is about two brothers, played by Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton, who enter an MMA tournament for different reasons and end up having to face each other. The film’s official website has a contest that is looking for fighters, but not necessarily the kind you are thinking of.
The contest is titled “What Do You Fight For”, and that is exactly the question it asks. You can nominate either yourself or someone you know that you think is a warrior and fights for something important. The page has a wall of fame for you to see others nominated mixed in with characters from the film, and you can vote for those you think deserve to be on the wall. You have a chance at winning a home screening of the film sponsored by AMC Theatres, though I couldn’t find a link that explained how that works.
Overall I think it’s an innovative and meaningful way to get people involved in the film, which is more than just a sports flick from what I’ve been reading. Hardy’s character Tommy is a Marine who fights to fulfill a promise to a fallen comrade, which Edgerton’s Brendan is a school teacher who just needs to pay off his mounting debt. Some of stories of warriors nominated are very powerful, like William Hansen, an Iraq war veteran who struggled with PTSD and injuries after returning from duty.
Let us know what you think of the page. Warrior, directed and co-written by Gavin O’Connor, hits theaters on September 9th, and you can follow the film on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.