History Film / TheWarriors

* ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy: The Lizzies, who [[spoiler:only manage to graze a single Warrior after ambushing them at close range. In the original script, Vermin was supposed to die.]]

* GangsterLand: Nearly every character that isn't a cop is a gangbanger.

* BringTheAnchorAlong: When Ajax gets handcuffed to a park bench by a decoy cop, he manages to drag the park bench several feet while attempting to reach her and get the handcuff key. He is prevented from going any further by the arrival of squad car full of cops.

* DeathBySex:
** While not killed, [[spoiler:Ajax is arrested when he gets rough with a woman he's trying to pick up.]]
** [[spoiler:Three of the Warriors are seduced and then ambushed by the Lizzies, but they all manage to escape. Originally Vermin was supposed to get killed by the Lizzies, but this was changed when the filmmakers were forced to kill Fox instead due to his actor's departure.]]

* DemotedToExtra: In the book, the main protagonist is Hinton, the gang's graffiti artist. His equivalent in the movie, Rembrandt, is a secondary character.

* VagueAge: Caused by DawsonCasting young adults as teens in a movie where the dialogue implies high-school age for the main cast. Notably, the general age of the underage main characters was also changed in the adaptation to late teens rather than early to mostly mid-teens, like the characters in the novel. The novel's characters also behave a lot more suspiciously, immaturely and nervously, and there is a much harsher take in the novel on teen male toxic masculinity.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse:
** We never do find out to whom Luther was speaking during those phone conversations. It was someone he was familiar with and needed to give constant updates on what was happening. While most fans of the film think it was the DJ, there have been theories that it was the true BigBad that pulling the strings behind the scenes and wanted Cyrus dead to keep the gangs from uniting. It could have been a rival gang leader, a mafia boss, a powerful politician, or someone in the NYPD. This would mean Luther didn't really kill Cyrus ForTheEvulz. Although when he had a chance to reveal that someone put him up to killing Cyrus, he took the blame himself and said there was no reason for it.
** Because of the time frame of the film, we never find out what become of Ajax after getting arrested. We also never find out exactly what happens to Cleon, although our last glimpse of him certainly implies he was beaten to death. In the comic book "Jailbreak" from Dynamite Entertainment, Ajax is sent to prison but gets busted out by a combined force of Warriors and Riffs.

* FantasyGunControl: Since this film is very close to UrbanFantasy (as others have noted, it's as realistic a portrayal of NYC street gangs as ''Film/{{West Side Story|1961}}''), it's played with in an odd way. On the way to the conclave, while the truce is on, it makes sense that none of the gangs would pack heat. Afterwards, though, especially with the bounty the Riffs put on the Warriors, it seems odd that no gang uses guns at all, except the Lizzies [[spoiler:and Luther]]. The best explanation seems to be that New York City had good enough gun control to prevent gangs from easily acquiring firearms.

** The comic book epilogue puts paid to most of this—[[spoiler: Swan is the Warriors' new leader but clearly doesn't want the responsibility that comes with it and he and Mercy's relationship is on the rocks, plus Masai, the leader of the Riffs, shoots down his offer for an alliance and pretty much confirms that Cyrus's dream for unity among the various gangs died with him. And the gang manages to bust Ajax out of jail, again whether or not that's a good thing depends on how you look at it.]]

* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: Averted. Everyone gets pretty roughed up as the film goes on. Even after Cyrus is shot, the Warriors are visibly dripping with sweat. Mercy and Swan are contrasted with a clean cut couple coming home from the prom.

* ButtMonkey: The Orphans. A minor street gang so low on the pecking order they didn't even know about Cyrus's event. The entire gang can't even handle eight Warriors walking through their turf.

** Rembrandt, a young and fairly meek twink who was recruited to be the gang's "artist", is completely immune to the Lizzie's seductions (and even seems repulsed and disgusted by his friends attraction to them), though it could just be his cautious nature.
*** In a [[https://www.vulture.com/2017/04/walter-hill-defends-the-assignment-after-gender-controversy.html 2017 interview with Vulture.com]], Walter Hill [[WordofGay explicitly listed Rembrandt as one of his gay characters]].

* AntiHero: The heroes of the film are an unapologetic street gang. We sympathize with them because they're unjustly accused, but they still occasionally remind us that they're no saints:
** Our hero Swan casually wonders whether he should let the whole gang "run a train" on Mercy. Even if it were an empty threat, it's still a pretty horrible thing to say to someone.
** Ajax is constantly insulting or picking fights with the other Warriors, sometimes using anti-gay slurs, and tries to force himself on a lone woman in a park.
*** What's worse, when he runs the idea of gang-banging the woman by Swan, Cowboy and Snow, they turn him down...although it's not because it's a bad thing to do or because he sickens them, but because every gang is out to kill them and they don't have time. They even tell him that there's plenty of women back in Coney. The entire discussion implies that to the Warriors, and possibly the entire [[CrapsackWorld universe]] the film is set in, rape is as casual to them as consensual sex would be to two random strangers hooking up for a nightcap.
** If the Rockstar game is anything to go by, the gang not only fight other gangs and protect their turf, but they regularly attack innocent people, get in trouble with the cops, and vandalize private property, often extorting shop owners. Likable though they may be, they're criminals allright.

* ConservationOfNinjutsu:
** Subverted at the very beginning. The Rogues attack Cleon one at a time and he handily fights them off, but the Riffs seem to be more GenreSavvy about this and swarm him with a barrage of elbow strikes all at once.
** Played more-or-less straight in the Baseball Furies fight, when one Fury squares off against Ajax while the rest watch. In fairness, they've got Ajax surrounded, and they already downed Cowboy without much trouble.

* NonActionBigBad: Luther, most notably in the final showdown when Swan challenges him one-on-one and Luther offers to shoot Swan instead.

* PetTheDog: Swan is mostly a jerk to Mercy. But in a later scene they wind up sharing a train with some yuppies whose girlfriends take very pointed, mocking glances at Mercy's general state of disarray. Swan responds with a DeathGlare that scares them off the train before they reach their stop. As they leave the train themselves, [[FlowersOfRomance he gives her the corsage]] the yuppies dropped.

* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: The Warriors to a man. The Riffs too, although with more a soldier vibe than warrior.

** The novel falls squarely on the "Cynicism" side of the scale. Fittingly so, as it was based on [[WriteWhatYouKnow Sol Yurick's experience]] as a social worker dealing with troubled teenagers in gangs, and made as a [[TakeThat direct rebuttal]] to Theatre/WestSideStory and its heavily glamorized, campy portrayal of the culture. The movie decided to have its cake and eat it too in this regard... and actually succeeded in with flying colors.

** This is also the major theme of Sol Yurick's novel. The oldest member of the gang is about fifteen, and the youngest is eight. The way they look and dress is reminiscent more of the Film/TheLittleRascals than the Hells Angels. That is, until all the murder, vandalism, sexual assault and sex with prostitutes happens. The book ends with the main character sucking his thumb while sleeping on a fire escape.

* YoungerThanTheyLook: While the actors are all their 20s (Michael Beck was 30), there are a few hints that the Warriors are meant to be teenagers. Vermin mentions offhandedly that they see a social worker at their local youth center.

The remaining Warriors are now faced with a nearly impossible task: They must make their way from literally one end of New York City (the Bronx) to the other (Coney Island), [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkCitySubway by subway]], while being hunted by every other gang in the city, the cops, and the people who actually killed Cyrus.

Because the film was about street gangs, when it was shown in theatres, it often attracted members of actual street gangs. A number of theatres had extra security on hand after several riots broke out with rival gangs in some cities (most notably, Los Angeles) where it was shown. Ironically enough, there were no reported riots involving the film in New York City.

* DeadpanSnarker: The DJ qualifies throughout, but especially at the end: "Now for that group out there that had such a hard time getting home last night... ''sorry about that.'' I guess the only thing we can do is play you a song." The written line can't do justice to the tone.

The movie starts with the Warriors arriving in a huge Bronx park to attend a summit called by Cyrus, the intelligent and charismatic leader of the Riffs, New York's most powerful street gang. Cyrus makes an ambitious proposal to the assembled delegates of the city's various gangs: if all of them unite under his leadership into an army, they can rule the city and take out [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkCityCops the cops]], [[TheMafia the mob]], and anyone else who gets in their way. Swayed by his eloquence, almost all the gangs are completely fired up to unite and make Cyrus's dream a reality. They don't realize two things; the cops have been quietly surrounding the park as Cyrus speaks, and Luther, leader of the Rogues, is planning havoc. In the midst of his speech, as hundreds of gang members are distracted by their own frenzy, Luther shoots and kills Cyrus. Luther then frames Cleon, the leader of the Warriors, for Cyrus's murder. An instant later, the cops raid the park as the Riffs kill Cleon. None of the other Warriors know either that their leader is dead or that they are accused of Cyrus' murder, but they do manage to escape the frenzy. The remaining Warriors are now faced with a nearly impossible task: They must make their way from literally one end of New York City (the Bronx) to the other (Coney Island), [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkCitySubway by subway]], while being hunted by every other gang in the city, the cops, and the people who actually killed Cyrus.

* ConservationOfNinjutsu: Subverted. The Rogues attack Cleon one at a time and he handily fights them off, but the Riffs seem to be more GenreSavvy about this and swarm him with a barrage of elbow strikes all at once.

''The Warriors'' is a 1979 crime/action movie, directed by Creator/WalterHill and [[TheFilmOfTheBook based on]] the 1965 novel of the same name by Sol Yurick, that tells the story of nine members of a UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity street gang called the Coney Island Warriors as they fight to survive one very bad night.

* FingerlessGloves: Ajax sports a pair, almost certainly to cushion his knuckles.

* MeaningfulName: Ajax is the DumbMuscle, as was his mythical namesake. Rembrandt is in charge of tagging, making him the gang's "artist." Fox is the gang's scout and quickest member. Snow always stays cool. Swan is calm, dignified, and handsome. Cleon is named after a famous Greek general. Cowboy is never seen without his stetson hat. Cochise is dressed in Native American apparel. Vermin, in the original script, was to be "exterminated" by the Lizzies. Cyrus's namesake was a powerful prince in ''Literature/{{Anabasis}}'' who was killed trying to claim the throne of the Persian empire. Masai is named for the African warrior culture.

* TakeThat: Sol Yurick's novel was written to contrast against ''Film/WestSideStory'' and its more silly, rosey portrayal of gangs with a much more gritty, grim and realistic portrayal based on his actual experience as a social worker. While the book itself mostly takes the high road and doesn't mention the play or anything in it by name, a few reprinted covers didn't shy away from taking potshots at it. As one blurb read:

* FantasyGunControl: Since this film is very close to UrbanFantasy (as others have noted, it's as realistic a portrayal of NYC street gangs as ''Film/WestSideStory''), it's played with in an odd way. On the way to the conclave, while the truce is on, it makes sense that none of the gangs would pack heat. Afterwards, though, especially with the bounty the Riffs put on the Warriors, it seems odd that no gang uses guns at all, except the Lizzies [[spoiler:and Luther]]. The best explanation seems to be that New York City had good enough gun control to prevent gangs from easily acquiring firearms.

* DefiniteArticleTitle

* TheThemeParkVersion: Played with. Especially by today's standards, the film offers a somewhat cartoonish vision of gang life in New York, with gangs wearing elaborate costumes and getting up-to-the-minute coverage on rumbles from a local "underground" radio station. However, the film is also rather brutal, with a number of characters getting killed. One particular scene, in which the surviving members of the gang are contrasted to some suburbanites coming from prom, emphasizes the relative grittiness of the setting. The film became infamous when real gang members attended showings and got into fatal fights.

* ButtMonkey: The Orphans. A minor street gang so low on the pecking order they didn't even know about Cyrus' event. The entire gang can't even handle eight Warriors walking through their turf.
* ChainPain: One the Punks who attacks the Warriors in the men's room is wielding a length of chain as a weapon. Cochise manages to wrap it around the Punk's own neck. Later, one the Riff's who surrounds [[spoiler:Luther]] on the beach is carrying a heavy chain.

* NeverBringAKnifeToAGunfight: Averted. Swan proves quicker on the draw with a knife than Luther is with a gun.

The movie starts with the Warriors arriving in a huge Bronx park to attend a summit called by Cyrus, the intelligent and charismatic leader of the Riffs, New York's most powerful street gang. Cyrus makes an ambitious proposal to the assembled delegates of the city's various gangs: if they all unite under his leadership into an army, they can rule New York City and take out [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkCityCops the cops]], [[TheMafia the mob]], and anyone else who gets in their way. Swayed by his eloquence, almost all the gangs are completely fired up to unite and make Cyrus's dream a reality. They don't realize two things; the cops have been quietly surrounding the park as Cyrus speaks, and Luther, leader of the Rogues, is planning havoc. In the midst of his speech, as hundreds of gang members are distracted by their own frenzy, Luther shoots and kills Cyrus. Luther then frames Cleon, the leader of the Warriors, for Cyrus's murder. An instant later, the cops raid the park as the Riffs kill Cleon. None of the other Warriors know either that their leader is dead or that they are accused of Cyrus' murder, but they do manage to escape the frenzy. The remaining Warriors are now faced with a nearly impossible task: They must make their way from literally one end of New York City (the Bronx) to the other (Coney Island), [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkCitySubway by subway]], while being hunted by every other gang in the city, the cops, and the people who actually killed Cyrus.

''The Warriors'' is a 1979 crime/action movie, directed by Creator/WalterHill and based on the 1965 novel by Sol Yurick, that tells the story of nine members of a UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity street gang known as the Coney Island Warriors as they fight to survive one very bad night.

* AmbiguouslyBrown: Mercy looks and sounds [[SpicyLatina Puerto Rican]], but the movie never makes this clear. Actress Deborah [[TheVonTropeFamily Van Valkenburgh]] is of Dutch descent, making this possible FakeNationality as well.[[note]]Van Valkenburgh was reportedly surprised when she was cast in the film, assuming that the producers wanted the character to be played by "some blonde". In point of fact, Walter Hill had originally intended to cast a Puerto Rican actress in the role before Van Valkenburgh impressed him with her screen test.[[/note]]

* AmbiguouslyBrown: Mercy looks and sounds [[SpicyLatina Puerto Rican]], but the movie never makes this clear. Actress Deborah [[TheVonTropeFamily Van Valkenburgh]] is of Dutch descent, making this possible FakeNationality as well. (Van Valkenburgh was reportedly surprised when she was cast in the film, assuming that the producers wanted the character to be played by "some blonde".)