MovieChat Forums > The Warriors (1979) Discussion > Is it me, or did this movie suck?

Is it me, or did this movie suck?

posted 8 years ago by RynoII
16 replies | jump to latest

My friend kept recommending it to me, saying how it's such a classic. A lot of other people find it to be a cult classic to from what I am reading. But I don't see what all the hype is about. Now I don't think I set my expectations too high. I was not expecting something like Citizen Kane or anything. But I do like a lot of cult classics such as say... Big Trouble in Little China for example. But I don't think this movie even came close to those standards even.

The biggest problem I have this story is there is not much story hardly at all, and there does not seem to be any real thematic narrative. The gang goes from one place to another encountering random gangs that want them dead. But it feels like a series of random encounters, and not all of them have to do with Cyrus either.

And then there are other random encounters that have no pay off, such as one of the gang being busted by a cop, and the charges probably wouldn't even stick in that case legally, but there didn't seem to be any point to that scene and there was no pay off to it. None of the other random encounters didn't have any pay off either that I could see.

And when I predicted how this movie was going to end. The Warriors idea was to go back to Coney Island where they think they will be safe, and my prediction was that it was going to be a big mistake, since that's where all the other gangs, know where they will be.

And I was right, all the other gangs are waiting there. But all the other gangs find out who was really responsible for Cyrus's death. Even though I didn't predict this quite the way I expected it, feels like a deux ex machina, since The Warriors didn't have to solve the crime themselves to prove their innocence. I mean imagine like in a movie like... The Fugitive for example, Harrison Ford didn't have to actually figure out who framed him, and the cops did the work for him.

It just wouldn't be as exciting and not have much of a pay off. But maybe I am seeing it the wrong way?

[–] xavimarcia-52112 8 years ago

If u can play the video game for the original xbox it will make u appreciate the movie so much more

[–] RynoII 8 years ago

Well I think I should judge the movie as if it were back in it's release, back in 79, and judge it on it's own time and merits.

[–] Stevicus-2 8 years ago

The biggest problem I have this story is there is not much story hardly at all, and there does not seem to be any real thematic narrative. The gang goes from one place to another encountering random gangs that want them dead. But it feels like a series of random encounters, and not all of them have to do with Cyrus either.

I think the narrative coherently took us from place to place as they went their way through the city on their way to Coney Island. They were going through different gang territories, and meeting those gangs and having to deal with them to get past and on their way home. The cops were also out looking for them. It wasn't random, even if it might have seemed that way on first viewing.

I thought The Warriors was a good film - something I still enjoy watching every so often. I suppose it has a strong enough following and enduring fan base which might put it in the realm of "cult classic." I remember when it came out, it had been banned in some theaters and created a bit of media controversy. (I didn't actually see it myself until a few years after its initial release.)

I can see where some might see it as flawed - and compared to some of the more graphically violent gang and crime films of later decades, The Warriors might seem rather "tame" by comparison.

And I was right, all the other gangs are waiting there. But all the other gangs find out who was really responsible for Cyrus's death. Even though I didn't predict this quite the way I expected it, feels like a deux ex machina, since The Warriors didn't have to solve the crime themselves to prove their innocence. I mean imagine like in a movie like... The Fugitive for example, Harrison Ford didn't have to actually figure out who framed him, and the cops did the work for him.

They found out Luther was the shooter since there was another eyewitness who told the Riffs who really shot Cyrus. Perhaps they finally pieced it all together and realized that they acted precipitously in blaming the Warriors just on Luther's say so. With another witness coming forward and saying he saw Luther shoot Cyrus, they then shifted their wrath towards the Rogues. And they knew the Rogues would be following the Warriors to Coney Island, which is where the Riffs planned to meet them.

The Warriors weren't even interested in proving their innocence, since it was late in the movie before they even learned they were being blamed for Cyrus' murder. They correctly figured that the truce was off, so they knew they'd have to bop their way back to Coney. But they didn't know that they were being blamed for Cyrus' death until their confrontation with the Lizzies.

The Riffs really didn't do much investigating either, simply relying on witnesses to come forward. If someone told them that Mickey Mouse shot Cyrus, they'd send a company of Riffs to Disneyland.

[–] jamesmccrimmond 8 years ago

Yeah its just you ....usuck

[–] computermaster 8 years ago

Agreed with the OP...terrible movie. No real narrative behind it, just The Warriors running from and meeting random gang members, girls and cops. No real clever dialogue, all the main character really needed to do was try and look tough and deliver his lines in a monotone, generic way.

Had it not been for the fact that the cinematography and action was decent, this would be one of thee worst movies I have ever seen. Man, you guys from the late 70s, early 80s generation must have been experimenting a little too hard on whatever you were drugged up on if you think this movie was anything near great.

[–] jtrip-45023 8 years ago

It's better than the fast and furious crap of your generation.

[–] Jeromagnus 8 years ago

When Computermaster wrote

you guys from the late 70s, early 80s generation must have been experimenting a little too hard on whatever you were drugged up on if you think this movie was anything near great.

I really laughed.

But then, when jtrip-45023 wrote

It's better than the fast and furious crap of your generation.

I laughed even more

[–] SpringheelJack_fin 8 years ago

I like this tail you tell, it made me laugh.

[–] computermaster 8 years ago

Even that was better than this pile of garbage. I only watched it a few hours ago and i've already forgotten most of the characters name.

[–] RynoII 8 years ago

The Fast and the Furious had an actual narrative and story, with actual themes behind it though. This movie seems random and themeless.

[–] computermaster 8 years ago

Both are heavily style over substance movies (Warriors especially) but yeah, Fast and Furious at least forces the main character to act(however badly) and not just deliver generic plot stuff in a monotone voice.

[–] RynoII 8 years ago

One movie that is comparable to The Warriors I recently saw was Adventures in Babysitting (1987).

I know it's a very different movie, but the plot structure is similar, where you have a group of characters coming across a series of unfortunate, random encounters, from other groups.

But at least in Adventures in Babysitting, there were pay offs to the random encounters, and the encounters didn't just stay random, but they each had pays offs that came together in the end to tell a story.

So I feel that The Warriors maybe should have gone for that sort of approach.

[–] kissfan1981 8 years ago

it's you

[–] MayoGalway 8 years ago

It would help if you read the trivia pg.

[–] ewaf58 8 years ago

It's a magical mystery tour through New York.

[–] wiking5 8 years ago

It's you....

"I don't know man, I just got here meself!"