The Warriors: Ultimate Director's Cut
2/4
Starring: Michael Beck, James Remar, Deborah Van Valkenburgh, David Patrick Kelly, Dorsey Wright, Brian Tyler, David Harris, Tom McKitterick, Marcelino Sanchez, Terry Michos, Lynne Thigpen
Rated R for Violence and Language
On the basis of style and visual flair, "The Warriors" is a flat-out triumph. The film looks fantastic. It is so rare to find a movie that looks great without being ostentatious, and Walter Hill manages to do this. But when it comes to other areas, like plot and characterization, it comes up short. Simply put, this is not a well-written motion picture.
The film takes place in the near future from when the film was released (1979). Gangs rule the city, and there are a lot of them. All combined, they outnumber the police three to one. That's why Cyrus (Roger Hill), the leader of the most powerful gang in the city, makes a play for this gangs to join forces so they can rule the city. It's going well until he is shot dead by a lunatic by the name of Luther (Kelly). He fingers The Warriors, a small gang based out of Coney Island, as the perpetrators. Now, they have to find a way back home when every single gang member in the city is out for blood.
"The Warriors" is based on a novel by Sol Yurick. Not having read it, I can't say whether something was lost in translation or if it was simply flat to begin with. Regardless, the film doesn't give us anyone to care about or identify with. Character development is not a necessity in an action movie, especially one like this. Many films, like "Speed" or "Twister," have proved that you can get away with that as long as you see the characters as individuals. That doesn't happen here. Apart from Luther (and that's stretching it), the characters in this film are completely devoid of anything resembling a personality.
As such, it's hard to discuss the acting. The only ones who stand out are Deborah Van Valkenburgh and David Patrick Kelly. Van Valkenburgh plays Mercy, a tagalong with another gang who ends up joining with The Warriors as they pass through her neighborhood (at least I think that's how it goes. I may be wrong, though). She's tough and spunky, and it's a solid performance. David Patrick Kelly is terrific in the small role of Luther. The writing doesn't always allow the actor much to work with, but on the occasions that it does, Kelly chills the bone.
Walter Hill has style. There's no denying that. But he needs to concentrate more on scripting and characters (his last film, "Bullet to the Head," suffered from this problem too). With a stronger script, this could have really been something. There are some truly memorable scenes, such as the fight in the park and the bathroom brawl, with no one to care about, the possibilities are limited. Style and flair are great, but they will only get you so far without the basics.
Starring: Michael Beck, James Remar, Deborah Van Valkenburgh, David Patrick Kelly, Dorsey Wright, Brian Tyler, David Harris, Tom McKitterick, Marcelino Sanchez, Terry Michos, Lynne Thigpen
Rated R for Violence and Language
On the basis of style and visual flair, "The Warriors" is a flat-out triumph. The film looks fantastic. It is so rare to find a movie that looks great without being ostentatious, and Walter Hill manages to do this. But when it comes to other areas, like plot and characterization, it comes up short. Simply put, this is not a well-written motion picture.
The film takes place in the near future from when the film was released (1979). Gangs rule the city, and there are a lot of them. All combined, they outnumber the police three to one. That's why Cyrus (Roger Hill), the leader of the most powerful gang in the city, makes a play for this gangs to join forces so they can rule the city. It's going well until he is shot dead by a lunatic by the name of Luther (Kelly). He fingers The Warriors, a small gang based out of Coney Island, as the perpetrators. Now, they have to find a way back home when every single gang member in the city is out for blood.
"The Warriors" is based on a novel by Sol Yurick. Not having read it, I can't say whether something was lost in translation or if it was simply flat to begin with. Regardless, the film doesn't give us anyone to care about or identify with. Character development is not a necessity in an action movie, especially one like this. Many films, like "Speed" or "Twister," have proved that you can get away with that as long as you see the characters as individuals. That doesn't happen here. Apart from Luther (and that's stretching it), the characters in this film are completely devoid of anything resembling a personality.
As such, it's hard to discuss the acting. The only ones who stand out are Deborah Van Valkenburgh and David Patrick Kelly. Van Valkenburgh plays Mercy, a tagalong with another gang who ends up joining with The Warriors as they pass through her neighborhood (at least I think that's how it goes. I may be wrong, though). She's tough and spunky, and it's a solid performance. David Patrick Kelly is terrific in the small role of Luther. The writing doesn't always allow the actor much to work with, but on the occasions that it does, Kelly chills the bone.
Walter Hill has style. There's no denying that. But he needs to concentrate more on scripting and characters (his last film, "Bullet to the Head," suffered from this problem too). With a stronger script, this could have really been something. There are some truly memorable scenes, such as the fight in the park and the bathroom brawl, with no one to care about, the possibilities are limited. Style and flair are great, but they will only get you so far without the basics.
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