The Warriors

The Warriors



There are films that you remember from your youth which, when watched again as an adult, only serve to disappoint. The haircuts and the clothes are decades out of fashion and provoke a snort of laughter which destroys your suspended disbelief. The quality of the film is so poor next to your fancy Blu-Rays that your High definition television cracks when you press play. But, there are also films that have grown up with you.

Films that you can't help revisiting every couple of years because you loved them so much. Because of that, the ever-degrading quality is more subtle and forgivable. That's when you realise; It's not the film that's changed, it's you.

I remember the first time I discovered The Warriors. My uncle was friends with a local video shop owner and would often get old ex-rental videos for free. The tape on top of his latest stack of Betamax videos had a drawing of a crowd of people all facing front; some were wearing baseball outfits with painted faces, others had dungarees and roller skates on. Above them all, written in blood-like graffiti spatter, were the words 'The Warriors'.

The Warriors are a gang of young hoods from Coney Island identifiable by their maroon leather waistcoats. Along with many other colourful and contrasting gangs, they are invited to a meeting where an influential gang-leader called Cyrus tries to convince them to form one large gang (With 20,000 hardcore members). Someone in the crowd shoots Cyrus and in the commotion blames The Warriors.

As the gangs flee the scene, one of the Warriors is beaten to death. Word soon gets out to all the gangs that the Warriors killed Cyrus and they have to fight their way back home to Coney Island. Led by Swan (Michael Beck) they take on gangs such as the Turnbull AC's, the Baseball Furies and the all-female Lizzies.

It doesn't tackle any heavy subjects. It doesn't have any hidden depths. It doesn't even have any decent actors. It's because it lacks any of the pretentions of modern movies that makes it so enjoyable.

The characters are two dimensional. So what? The plot is paper thin. So what? These are all things that adults want to see in a film. When you're a kid, violent thugs do wear make-up and roller skates. The bad guys get what they deserve at the end and your heroes walk off into the sun blazed horizon. The dialogue may be cheesy, but you'll remember it like your own name. "Waw-ree-yurrrs, come out to play-ee-ay."

These are the films that you call your own. As soon as you think they're old and crap, take a look in the mirror and remember... they're younger than you.

Verdict 10/10
A slice of your life.

Watch out for the Tony Scott directed sequel/remake due out in 2010. Info.