HOME |  CULT MOVIES | COMPETITIONS | ADVERTISE |  CONTACT US |  ABOUT US
 
 
 
Newest Reviews
American Fiction
Poor Things
Thunderclap
Zeiram
Legend of the Bat
Party Line
Night Fright
Pacha, Le
Kimi
Assemble Insert
Venus Tear Diamond, The
Promare
Beauty's Evil Roses, The
Free Guy
Huck and Tom's Mississippi Adventure
Rejuvenator, The
Who Fears the Devil?
Guignolo, Le
Batman, The
Land of Many Perfumes
Cat vs. Rat
Tom & Jerry: The Movie
Naked Violence
Joyeuses Pacques
Strangeness, The
How I Became a Superhero
Golden Nun
Incident at Phantom Hill
Winterhawk
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City
Maigret Sets a Trap
B.N.A.
Hell's Wind Staff, The
Topo Gigio and the Missile War
Battant, Le
Penguin Highway
Cazadore de Demonios
Snatchers
Imperial Swordsman
Foxtrap
   
 
Newest Articles
3 From Arrow Player: Sweet Sugar, Girls Nite Out and Manhattan Baby
Little Cat Feat: Stephen King's Cat's Eye on 4K UHD
La Violence: Dobermann at 25
Serious Comedy: The Wrong Arm of the Law on Blu-ray
DC Showcase: Constantine - The House of Mystery and More on Blu-ray
Monster Fun: Three Monster Tales of Sci-Fi Terror on Blu-ray
State of the 70s: Play for Today Volume 3 on Blu-ray
The Movie Damned: Cursed Films II on Shudder
The Dead of Night: In Cold Blood on Blu-ray
Suave and Sophisticated: The Persuaders! Take 50 on Blu-ray
Your Rules are Really Beginning to Annoy Me: Escape from L.A. on 4K UHD
A Woman's Viewfinder: The Camera is Ours on DVD
Chaplin's Silent Pursuit: Modern Times on Blu-ray
The Ecstasy of Cosmic Boredom: Dark Star on Arrow
A Frosty Reception: South and The Great White Silence on Blu-ray
You'll Never Guess Which is Sammo: Skinny Tiger and Fatty Dragon on Blu-ray
Two Christopher Miles Shorts: The Six-Sided Triangle/Rhythm 'n' Greens on Blu-ray
Not So Permissive: The Lovers! on Blu-ray
Uncomfortable Truths: Three Shorts by Andrea Arnold on MUBI
The Call of Nostalgia: Ghostbusters Afterlife on Blu-ray
Moon Night - Space 1999: Super Space Theater on Blu-ray
Super Sammo: Warriors Two and The Prodigal Son on Blu-ray
Sex vs Violence: In the Realm of the Senses on Blu-ray
What's So Funny About Brit Horror? Vampira and Bloodbath at the House of Death on Arrow
Keeping the Beatles Alive: Get Back
   
 
  Ultimate Warrior, The After The Fall Of New York
Year: 1975
Director: Robert Clouse
Stars: Yul Brynner, Max von Sydow, Joanna Miles, William Smith, Richard Kelton, Stephen McHattie, Darrell Zwerling, Lane Bradbury, Nate Esformes, Mel Novak, Mickey Caruso, Gary Johnson, Susan Keener, Stevie Myers, Fred Slyter
Genre: Action, Science FictionBuy from Amazon
Rating:  5 (from 2 votes)
Review: The year is 2012 and mankind has suffered a huge depletion in its numbers thanks to a worldwide plague. Small pockets of survivors hold out against the now-desolate planet, hostile not only because it is difficult to find enough to eat, but also because there are gangs around who are determined to grab what they can, even to the point of murder - and cannibalism. One of the communities in New York City struggling to get by is led by Baron (Max von Sydow), and he has cultivated a small crop on a rooftop garden, as well as hoarding preserved food, but outside the evil Carrot (William Smith) is wearing him down...

What kind of a name for your bad guy is Carrot? All right, he has red hair but that's no excuse. Anyway, he is played by that past master of action antagonists Smith, so he helps you forget his daft moniker while this very solemn science fiction thriller unfolds. The Ultimate Warrior was in effect the missing link between the likes of the Charlton Heston post-apocalypse movies like Soylent Green and The Omega Man and the soon to arrive eighties versions such as the Mad Max series and, seeing as where this is set, Escape from New York.

So if this looks like one of those imitators from the following decade, it's due to writer and director Robert Clouse being so forward thinking in his scenario. Here, however, things are not quite as trashy as they would become, as we're in no doubt this is to be taken very seriously, even to the point of the story not actually being much fun. It does work up a certain grandeur on its middling budget, and the two men mainly responsible for that are the two stars, von Sydow and the chap playing the title character, Yul Brynner, fresh from reminding everyone how great he could be in Westworld.

These two bring gravitas to what could easily have been your basic knockabout succession of fisticuffs and grim prophecies, and it's impressive to see them interact as Brynner's Carson makes his presence felt as the man who will save Baron's people from Carrot's hoodlums. At first we think Carson will be a mystical personality, appearing as he does standing stock still and shirtless (Yul was in great shape even in his fifties) with his eyes closed outwith the gates, waiting for Baron to approach him. But when he starts to talk, he seems much friendlier and is willing to assist Baron in return for food, essentially becoming the community's bodyguard.

The unspoken question in The Ultimate Warrior, yet one which is always on your mind as you watch, is this: is humanity worth saving? If we were all as noble and filled with fine intentions as Baron, then the answer would be yes, but here it's as if they're not so sure because not only is there the violent gang waiting to pounce in the area, but the besieged survivors are no angels, increasingly taking opportunities to undermine their leader despite him only having their best interests at heart. We can understand it is their dire situation that clouds their minds and colours their actions, but by the end you're thinking, what an ungrateful lot. For all this bleakness, there is a triumph at the end, although at some cost, that should restore your faith in the best of people, and if this is far too glum to really get lost in, it does command the attention. Music by Gil Melle.
Reviewer: Graeme Clark

 

This review has been viewed 6520 time(s).

As a member you could Rate this film

 

Robert Clouse  (1928 - 1997)

American director who, after directing Darker Than Amber, settled into a string of martial arts thrillers starting with the Bruce Lee favourite Enter the Dragon. His other films include Golden Needles, Black Belt Jones, The Ultimate Warrior, Game of Death, The London Connection, The Big Brawl, camp classic Gymkata, China O'Brien and its first sequel.

 
Review Comments (1)


Untitled 1

Login
  Username:
 
  Password:
 
   
 
Forgotten your details? Enter email address in Username box and click Reminder. Your details will be emailed to you.
   

Latest Poll
Which star probably has psychic powers?
Laurence Fishburne
Nicolas Cage
Anya Taylor-Joy
Patrick Stewart
Sissy Spacek
Michelle Yeoh
Aubrey Plaza
Tom Cruise
Beatrice Dalle
Michael Ironside
   
 
   

Recent Visitors
Mary Sibley
Enoch Sneed
Darren Jones
Mark Le Surf-hall
  Louise Hackett
Andrew Pragasam
Graeme Clark
  Desbris M
   

 

Last Updated: