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The Warriors
Feb. 7th, 2006 07:11 pm3. The Warriors
- rewatch
Before he directed Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy in 48 Hours, this little movie of gang adventure was probably Walter Hill's best known tale. I don't believe it was a huge hit, but it definitely served as the inspiration for innumerable side scrolling combat videogames in the 1980s.
The Warriors is the story of a gang from coney Island, New York who attend a meeting of all the city's gangs called by a man known as Cyrus. Cyrus is the leader of the city's largest gang, the Riffs. His bold proposal is that the gangs take over the city, since they outnumber the police force. Complications rapidly ensue, however, and soon all of the gangs are pursuing the Warriors on behalf of the Riffs...believing them to be the killers of Cyrus.
A series of narrow escapes ensue as the Warriors travel in fits and starts (due to various subway issues and confusion) across the city to return home. They face various gangs on their home turf, each gang identified with a dramatic theme. This ranges from the warriors and their chic leather vests and frills to the grubby green t-shirts of the Orphans and the baseball bat weilding mimes in Yankee jerseys known as the Baseball Furies. Each gang is confronted, fled from or avoided as appropriate. Attrition takes place, but the bulk of the gang succeeds in making it back to the island in time for a grand finale against the gang that really IS guilty of Cyrus' killing. Deus Ex Machina...err...the Riffs arrive, having finally discovered the truth on their own. They make clear that they intend to follow Cyrus' plan of domination...well, except for coney Island. That is Warriors turf and will remain so, in respect for their running the gauntlet of the city and the mistake that caused them to have to do so.
The members of the Warriors are all bluster and bravado, conflicted only in their quiet moments. While they struggle for position even amongst their small group of representatives to Cyrus' conclave, to those outside they stand firmly together. Swan, the warleader, is particularly clearly played on both levels by Michael Beck. James Remar, eventually fated to play Raiden in the second Mortal Kombat movie, is a compelling jerk.
None of these characters, nor the girl who they gather along the way, have any life outside of the story. They don't need one, either. This isn't a character study of the social pressures that formed the gangs. This is a visceral story of confrontation and pride. The Warriors need to survive the night...and the night is all we care about. There are small moments when the Warriors (Swan especially) consider that there might be something beyond where they are...but they are there in order to lend more depth to the night. The Warriors, whatever they say, whatever their vague urgings, are going nowhere. The night may end in victory, but it is clear that they know no upward mobility. They are who they are...and this lends a sad gravity to the entire pursuit.
I highly recommend this movie as a great ride with more depth than it is obvious about. This is a cut above the mindless beat 'em ups that have flooded the years, something of a hidden gem. If at all possible, get the older version, not the latest director's cut. This cut removes some key character and story development from the beginning of the movie, I'm told. While I can see the arguments for removing it, I think that knowing this information up front...as well as seeing more of a character killed early on in the night...is valuable.
- rewatchBefore he directed Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy in 48 Hours, this little movie of gang adventure was probably Walter Hill's best known tale. I don't believe it was a huge hit, but it definitely served as the inspiration for innumerable side scrolling combat videogames in the 1980s.
The Warriors is the story of a gang from coney Island, New York who attend a meeting of all the city's gangs called by a man known as Cyrus. Cyrus is the leader of the city's largest gang, the Riffs. His bold proposal is that the gangs take over the city, since they outnumber the police force. Complications rapidly ensue, however, and soon all of the gangs are pursuing the Warriors on behalf of the Riffs...believing them to be the killers of Cyrus.
A series of narrow escapes ensue as the Warriors travel in fits and starts (due to various subway issues and confusion) across the city to return home. They face various gangs on their home turf, each gang identified with a dramatic theme. This ranges from the warriors and their chic leather vests and frills to the grubby green t-shirts of the Orphans and the baseball bat weilding mimes in Yankee jerseys known as the Baseball Furies. Each gang is confronted, fled from or avoided as appropriate. Attrition takes place, but the bulk of the gang succeeds in making it back to the island in time for a grand finale against the gang that really IS guilty of Cyrus' killing. Deus Ex Machina...err...the Riffs arrive, having finally discovered the truth on their own. They make clear that they intend to follow Cyrus' plan of domination...well, except for coney Island. That is Warriors turf and will remain so, in respect for their running the gauntlet of the city and the mistake that caused them to have to do so.
The members of the Warriors are all bluster and bravado, conflicted only in their quiet moments. While they struggle for position even amongst their small group of representatives to Cyrus' conclave, to those outside they stand firmly together. Swan, the warleader, is particularly clearly played on both levels by Michael Beck. James Remar, eventually fated to play Raiden in the second Mortal Kombat movie, is a compelling jerk.
None of these characters, nor the girl who they gather along the way, have any life outside of the story. They don't need one, either. This isn't a character study of the social pressures that formed the gangs. This is a visceral story of confrontation and pride. The Warriors need to survive the night...and the night is all we care about. There are small moments when the Warriors (Swan especially) consider that there might be something beyond where they are...but they are there in order to lend more depth to the night. The Warriors, whatever they say, whatever their vague urgings, are going nowhere. The night may end in victory, but it is clear that they know no upward mobility. They are who they are...and this lends a sad gravity to the entire pursuit.
I highly recommend this movie as a great ride with more depth than it is obvious about. This is a cut above the mindless beat 'em ups that have flooded the years, something of a hidden gem. If at all possible, get the older version, not the latest director's cut. This cut removes some key character and story development from the beginning of the movie, I'm told. While I can see the arguments for removing it, I think that knowing this information up front...as well as seeing more of a character killed early on in the night...is valuable.
