The Warriors (1979)

Director: Walter Hill
Starring: Michael Beck, James Remar, Dorsey Wright

Synopsis:
All the gangs of New York assemble to the call of the charismatic Cyrus, who calls for a union of the squabbling rivals, but when Cyrus is assassinated, the murder is pinned on the Warriors, who have to fight their way through the bowels of New York to get back to their home turf on Coney Island with every gang in the city out for blood and the cops looking for skulls to crack.

Impressions:
Themed gangs. That's something the underworld is missing. Admittedly, you'd feel dumb getting mugged by a bunch of mimes, but it'd add a lot of color to the criminal world. The Warriors has a lot of style. It is very much a product of the 70s and if you can dig that, you'll be cool, daddy-o.

Performances are okay, but the characters don't leave that deep of an impression. One-scene wonder Cyrus (Roger Hill) and lead villain Luther (David Patrick Kelly) stand out the most. This movie is about atmosphere more than anything else, I'd argue, and that it delivers in spades. If you want to feel the crime-ridden underbelly of New York so viscerally that you want to go home, change your locks and take a shower, this movie will do it for you.

Rating:
Watch It