Review of The Warriors (1979) by Connor S — 17 May 2014

Why the hell did I wait so long to watch The Warriors? Well, I guess better late than never, but this was a pretty damn entertaining cult film. It has pretty much everything I could ever want from a cult film, especially a 70's one, with its awesome storyline, oddball characters, corny but awesomely nutty acting, violence galore, some T&A, a kick-ass soundtrack, infinitely quotable lines, and a deep sense that this film is truly a product of its era that will never be replicated. I absolutely fucking love it and I'll explain why.

The film starts off with all the big-time gangs in New York City all traveling to the Bronx for a meeting called for by a man named Cyrus, who is the leader of the Riffs, who are the biggest and most powerful gang in the city. He wants to unite the gangs together to take down "The Man." But, his speech is cut short when he is assassinated by a gang member from the Rogues.

Shit hits the fan for the Warriors when they are blamed for the assassination and now every gang in the city is out to kill them and prevent them from reaching Coney Island, and even the cops are also out to get them.

The Warriors only came to the event with 9 people, and they've already lost one in the ensuing riot. Now, with only 8 members, the gang must find its way back to Coney Island, even if it means fighting their way back, while also gaining a new member along the way.

When it comes to the acting, it can be very, very over the top. For me, I loved the over the top nature of the acting, as I felt it lent to the tone and feel of the film, especially as it's a late 70's film. It never got annoying or grating, but it feels like it belongs in the film and the actors totally throw themselves into their roles, no matter how weird or nonsensical the scenarios they're put in. The acting, needless to say, was never boring, never flat, and always entertaining.

The film is basically a chase film, and really entertaining one at that. Each chase is suspenseful and thrilling, while also finding time to be action-packed and visceral during fight scenes. It's always exciting, always weird, and always a hell of a lot of fun to watch. If you get bored with this film, you're probably no fun to watch films with.

The Warriors is one of the greatest cult films and one of the greatest crime films ever made. It's simultaneously wacky, compelling, visceral, deep, and exciting all at the same time, making for a gloriously weird film. I know this won't be for everyone, but if you decide to watch this film, you must ask yourself: am I a pretentious asshole/hipster dickhead, or am I gonna have fun with this film and embrace every bit of its weirdness and the fact it is a product of its era? If you enjoying watching cult films, 70's films, crime flicks, or just plain weird films, The Warriors is not something to miss.