The Warriors - Review

The Warriors from 1979, directed by Walter Hill, is a film about how gangs of New York may soon control the city. Hill is known for male-dominated action films and he makes no mistake about the genre of this film. In 1979, Hill directed The Warriors, which is a story of violent street gangs which arguably became his most popular film due to its ongoing cult following. It spawned a spin-off television show that aired in the mid-1980s on ABC called The Renegades, as well as a video game, action figures, and talk of a Tony Scott remake for six years until Scott died in 2012.

Hill sets up the landscape as a massive, violent playground. Its replete with bridges, vacant subway tunnels, parks, abandoned buildings and the like, all ripe for exploration and adventure. It is Walter Hill's vibrant 1979 adaptation of Sol Yurick's 1965 novel. The film is definatly a classic and the way Walter Hill conveys the struggle of survial for the Warriors is very creative.  He uses the bridge and vacant sunbway tunnels to build suspense and give the sense of doom for the Warriors about being backed into small areas. The brilliant final scene show us how the Warriors have gained respect after showing so much heart in all their fight throughout the film.

This is a technique used by Hill in many of his films and really common for him to convey the theme of the american dream. Hill's is most famously known for reinventing the western films in the 1970s. Just like in 1920's when cowboy's strive for freedom this update version uses the gangs of New York to replicate them.

This film is very far-fetched and it lacks realism but the 1970s was a time for experiment with films, and there are examples such as Jaws, Enter The Dragon and Straight Time. Like Jaws, the action is really spurious but the inital storyline could of been very real, as shark attacks are. A storyline were someone is set-up and constantly on the run happens in present day films such as 'Enemy Of State'.

Regardless wether the action is fake the storyline or plot will make the film sell. The Warriors was very successful and a true reflection of just how good Hill's work can be. The film cost only 7 million dollar and at Box Office made a staggering 22 million.