The Warriors (1979)

Roots are a funny thing sometimes. Everything has to come from something, sure, but some things just aren't indicative of what came before. Case in point: The Warriors. I'm sure that this was seen as a morally reprehensible, edgy, and hip movie back in 1979. Today, it merely looks back to a simpler time when we were naive enough to think gang violence took place between roving bands of themed tough guys using themed weapons in themed [parks?] locations; a time before every gang member was equipped with a red or blue bandanna and a Glock 9. What was edgy before, now simply comes off as silly, dull, irrelevant, and probably best enjoyed in the company of drunk friends. That isn't to say that it's a bad example of youth-targeted film making of its era. The characters are at least consistent, the world's internal logic is sound, and the story moves with predictable but interesting motion. By today's standards, it's a cheesy bit of over-serious fluff, awful music, and unintentional laughs. This film's many period triumphs have simply been washed out by the craft's natural evolution. Still, it has an endearing, remember-when quality that will tickle the nostalgia bone for some audiences. It's a relic, sure, but an amusing one.

6 out of 10.