The Warriors (1979) Review

"Can you dig it?" - Cyrus.

How does one gang in New York City survive the threat of thousands of enemies? In The Warriors, the titular gang are falsely accused of assassinating the leader of the biggest gang in the city, who was planning to unite every gang as one unstoppable force. From there, the Warriors must make it back to their home turf of Coney Island whilst avoiding the other gangs and police. Walter Hill directs the film, and 1979 would prove to be a year of great success for him, with him producing the science-fiction classic Alien before releasing The Warriors, which has a strong cult following. Some critics who viewed the film unfavourably upon its initial release have since changed their minds, and have praised it for the reasons that I have enjoyed since my first time seeing it: memorable characters, quotable dialogue and superb visuals.

The film's plot is mainly geared towards having an abundance of set-pieces. The Warriors encounter one gang after another which results in all manner of action. Thankfully, Hill allows the audience to connect with each member of the Warriors by establishing their personalities and role within the gang. Leading the perilous journey back home is Swan (Michael Beck). Although quiet by nature, Swan quickly proves himself to be a worthy leader when facing competition for the position from the hot-headed Ajax (James Remar). Despite Ajax having a greater physical presence, Swan's intellect makes him the clear stand-out. With each set-piece, we learn more about the other members, particularly when they are separated after a police chase. With the intense situations the Warriors are put through, I almost end up forgetting that they are a gang, and so I sympathise with them more as we learn more about them. One of the best examples of this is after Rembrandt (Marcelino Sanchez), Cochise (David Harris) and Vermin (Terry Michos) narrowly avoiding being assassinated by female gang the Lizzies. Rembrandt is injured during the escape, despite him being the more sensible of the three. Cochise and Vermin were more interested in flirting with the women rather than considering the threat they may pose. This scene demonstrates the harshness of the lives of the gang, and further stacks the odds against them in their pursuit of safety.

But it's not just the character's personalities that makes them so memorable, The Warriors has very quotable dialogue. Two lines in particular have gone on to be recognised: "Can you dig it?" as spoken by Cyrus (Roger Hill), the leader of the biggest gang in New York, the Gramercy Riffs. The line is used many times during Cyrus' speech to the other gangs, and the gangs respond with rapturous applause. A clear demonstration of Cyrus' influence. The other most popular line is said by primary antagonist Luther (David Patrick Kelly), leader of a gang known as the Rogues. Luther is responsible for killing Cyrus and is the one that frames the Warriors for the act. In an attempt to bait the Warriors out, Luther confirms just how unhinged he is: clicking glass bottles together with his fingers whilst mockingly chanting "Warriors, come out to play!" in an increasingly high-pitched voice. One of my favourite moments of dialogue comes when Swan is talking to Mercy (Deborah Van Valkenburgh), the film's love interest, about her life as a prostitute. We get a sense of how depressing their lives are through their attempts to antagonise one another: "Why don't you just tie a mattress to your back?". Mercy's response to Swan's cold suggestion is simply telling him that some nights are better than others, confirming Swan's assumption that she doesn't really care for who she sleeps with.  A great scene that explores the emotional struggles of the characters.

The atmosphere is terrific, and that's largely down to the visuals and soundtrack. The opening shot of the Wonder Wheel with the eerie keyboard music accompaniment makes for an unsettling mood, perfectly setting the tone for the rest of the film. With so many gangs featured, The Warriors has a tough task in making each one look different so as not to confuse the audience. They get around that by having each gang's clothing feature their name and logo. I'm not sure if any real gangs would sport some of the wacky attire we see here, but it makes for a cool visual. My personal favourites are the Baseball Furies, which draw inspiration from the rock band Kiss. They are involved in a great chase scene, which culminates in one of the best lines ever spoken, as said by Ajax: "I'll shove that bat up your ass and turn you into a popsicle". 

With so many positives, all of which executed with slick direction from Walter Hill, it isn't hard to see why The Warriors has become one of the biggest cult hits ever made, and its popularity has sustained since its release. There's been a video game adaptation (which is fantastic) and even a proposed remake set in Los Angeles. All of this is testament to the power this film has, and it's a film that I never tire of watching.

Pros:
+ Memorable dialogue, with a good mix of cheesy and brilliant (see the above examples).
+ Solid character development despite thin plot.
+ Atmospheric visuals and soundtrack.
+ The fight vs. the Punks. It's so good it deserves its own spot on the list of pros.

Cons:
- One unexplained plot point involving a gang member who saw who shot Cyrus. It makes little sense considering the person who sees Luther commit the act gets killed off part way through the film.