Review of The Warriors (1979) by Allan C — 15 Sep 2017

The Warriors are a red leather vest (with no shirt) wearing 1970s street gang from Coney Island who travel to Central Park where one powerful gang leader wants to unite all the gangs of New York City. Can you dig it? The plan fails immediately when someone shoots the leader and then blames The Warriors for the assassination.

Our heroes then have to fight every gang between Central Park and Coney Island in order to get home. Gangs include the bat wielding Baseball Furies, the school bus riding Turnbull AC's, the all-girl Lizzies, the overall-wearing Punks, Chinatown's Savage Huns, and many, many, more awesomely costumed and colorful gangs.

This film is likely one of my desert island films, as in, if I were trapped on a deserted island and could only take ten films with me, what films would they be? For such a list, you might not jump to Ingmar Bergman or other heady fare, but might rather seek pure escapist entertainment, and that is exactly what this film excels in.

"The Warriors" is a film that I have lost all objectivity on. I don't know how many times I've watched it and can probably quote almost every line. I love the film's gritty, grimy 1970s pre-Giuliani NYC feel.

It's not necessarily a realistic representation of the city, as was "The French Connection," but is a comic book version that is utterly enthralling. "The Warriors" was notorious at the time of it's release for incidents of gang violence breaking out in the theaters, which were attributed to the level of violence in the film.

Though the violence is comparatively tame by todays standards, it none-the-less remains wildly exciting even by modern standards. Action sequences don't get much better than James Remar taking on a face-painted Baseball Fury, or the subway bathroom fight, or the shootout at the Lizzie's hideout.

Producer/writer/director Walter Hill knows his way around an action sequence better than most directors and those talents are on full display here. The film has a deceptively simple story, but Hill gives the film an epic feel that I'd argue taps into Greek mythology, much like Odysseus as he faced his series of trials on his long journey home (no, really, I think it's there).

Michael Beck is terrific as the leader of The Warriors (actually the Lieutenant, who's forced to take over after their leader is killed), as is the always great James Remar in his first of several appearances in Hill films.

No review would be complete without mentioning David Patric Kelly as the crazed leader of The Rogues, who clinks his glass bottles together and sings his creepy chant, "Warriors, come to plaaaayyyyyyy.

" Look fast for Mercedes Ruehl as a policewoman in a park scene and Debra Winger on a subway in another. Taking place entirely within one night, the film never slows, has an amazing soundtrack and an even better filmscore by Barry De Vorzon, and features gorgeously photography of a gritty yet comic book version of a crime ridden NYC.

"The Warriors" is an undeniable classic that in my mind cannot be improved upon. I think I now want to buy the old PS2 video game version of the movie, that featured a good number of the original cast.

If you haven't seen this film, do yourself a favor and go see it immediately!