"We've been unable to see the truth, because we've been
fighting for ten square feet of ground - our turf, our little piece of
turf." - Cyrus
In an undefined but not too distant future, 900 members of
New York's various gangs gather at night in a Bronx park, including nine
members of the Warriors from Coney Island. The meeting is called by the
Gramercy Riffs, New York's largest gang, and their leader Cyrus delivers a
rousing speech outlining how by maintaining a truce and uniting, the gangs can
rule the City.
“Warriors come out to play”…… From the last scene high on
tension and overcoming a night of violence to the very first, setting the tone
for gang violence and gathering, “The Warriors” still to this day lives as the
ultimate NY gang film. The timing of the film was right and still to this day is
considered “the” cult classic of gang warfare.
What is it that makes this film so special? On one hand we
have a group known as “The Warriors” who were framed for the murder of Cyrus
(Roger Hill), leader of the most powerful of NY city gangs, the Riffs. On the
other, we have a journey that’s filled with a variety of characters and gang
personalities.
As the film begins, we get plenty of build up on the event
going down and the cities urban gathering. Cyrus, who many call the “one and
only” has called all the gangs together to meet. The terms are that 9 delegates
from each gang may attend without weapons. The event is set in the Bronx
gathering the elite gangs to hear from the leader of the Riffs. “Can you count
suckers” “The future is ours”, “Can you dig it”, stand as classic lines that
are as much a part of the film as it’s performance. We soon find the meeting
was orchestrated to form a truce among gangs in which to unite and rule as a
single entity.
This plan though goes to hell when “Luther” (David Patrick Kelly) from the Rogues
shoots Cyrus – (he explains “I just like to do things like that”) and then
frames “The Warriors” as the shooters.
From this point it’s an action filled adventure that tracks
“The Warriors” as they try and return to their home of Coney Island. After "warlord" Cleon (Dorsey Wright) is beaten down by
the Riffs, Swan (Michael Beck) takes charge as they bop there way from sector to sector. Ajax (James
Remar) sets a memorable role as a dynamic member of the gang who loves violence
and the thrill of it all.
A local radio DJ sets the word on the street sent directly
from the “Riffs” that the Warriors have got a hit on them to be brought back
dead or alive .The journey home through future New York. The gang encounters a
range of gangs who vary in types, themes and dispositions. They also manage to
pick up Deborah Van Valkenburgh who plays the role of Mercy and tags along for
the adventure, "You're just a part of everything that's happened
tonight...and it's all bad."
Director Walter Hill achieves something remarkable in The
Warriors. It is one of those rare films where the story, directing,
performances, cinematography, lighting and music come together to create a
timeless classic. The Warriors is as enjoyable and current today as it was back
in 1979. It's not that the film has aged well - it simply does not age.
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