The Warriors is considerably better than I expected it to be, both technically and stylistically. During a New York gang conference, The Warriors are framed for the assassination of Cyrus, a unifying warlord. Every gang, from The Baseball Furies to The Gramercy Riffs, wants to waste them as they trek back home to Coney Island. It's a simple chase movie with flamboyant characters, tight pacing, and a dreadful, heavy and menacing atmosphere. I love that back-story and elaboration are largely ignored in favour of highly focussed action and snappy progression. The end result is a bare-knuckle, no-nonsense adventure that knows precisely where its strengths lie. Thorougly entertaining from beginning to end!
I have watched this film many a time and never disappointed. In essence it's quite a straight forward story line, easy watch and enjoyable.
It may not be everyone's cup of tea but there are elements within the film that make it unique and worthy film to any collection.
Swan the main character is a decent actor with some depth, and looks right for the role of leader of the Warriors.
Yes there maybe better films than 'The Warriors' and maybe its stuck in the 70's but I think it's worth a watch.
A terrific cult action film, a fantasy story with a Greek mythology based storyline. In director Walter Hill's 'ultimate edition' it's a comic book styled story that is great fun and very stylish. Set in New York the leader of the biggest street gang tries to organise all the rival gangs to control the city but at a gathering to arrange this he is murdered. A gang from Coney Island, The Warriors, are mistakenly blamed and the word goes out the eight members at the meeting are to be caught or killed. They have to fight their way back home. This cues one big chase movie with violent action set pieces as they encounter various gangs along their journey. The different gangs all have an individual identity and many dress in bizarre uniforms such as the Baseball Furies, who paint their faces and arm themselves with baseball bats. It's all a bit daft but works really well, mainly due to the great use of iconic camerawork to capture the night time rain soaked streets reflecting the lights of the city. The fights are great and Hill employs an effective use of slow motion at key moments. This is one of those films that has a huge fanbase because it's creates an exciting mystical image of gang life, no-one is attempting to make a realistic documentary-drama here this is an adult fairy tale, a story of young men who live by a code and it is, in short, absolutely fabulous.