An adaptation of Dan Millman's best-seller "The Way of the Peaceful Warrior¨ . It deals with handsome Dan Millman (Scott Mechlowicz) who has it all : good physical and a shot at the Olympic team on the rings . Only one man shakes his fate , a chance encounter with a stranger changes the life of the college gymnast . As an anonymous night gas station attendant, nicknamed Socrates (Nick Nolte) , keeps questioning every assumption in his destination . Then a motorcycle crash breaks Dan's legs , and his bright future in Olympic Games . Now Socrates's life coaching is to make or shatter Dan's revised objectives .
This agreeable predictable entertainment displays splendidly its interesting issues , however resulting to be heavily developed and full of philosophical themes . The movie works at usual manner , though contains weird events and packs good feeling . Stirring and enjoyable screenplay by Kevin Bernhardt , an usual actor and art martial fighter . Good main cast as Nick Nolte as the rare trainer Socrates , furthermore a beautiful Amy Smart . Secondary appearance of young actors as Agnes Bruckner , Paul Wesley and the coach , well played by Tim DeKay . Director Salva frequently works with 'Ray Wise' who as usual plays a brief acting as a doctor . And the author of the book on which the film is based, Dan Millman , can be glimpsed for a brief moment as the driver of the car at the gas station when Dan exercises for the first time after his motorcycle crash.
The motion picture was professionally directed by Victor Salva , he tries for profundity at the end and blow it. Salva is an expert on suspense's creator of atmospheres, such as he proved in : ¨The nature of the beast (1995)¨, which Salva wrote and directed, starred Lance Henriksen and Eric Roberts and quickly became New Line Cinema's biggest direct-to-video title of that year, ¨Powder¨, ¨Rites of passage¨ and ¨Clownhouse¨. His next film, this ¨The peaceful Warrior¨ (2006) , was very significant to him because of the year he spent in prison , he credits the original story as "a story that changed my life". Rating : acceptable and passable , but especially appointed to gymnasts .
