1990: los guerreros del Bronx

Definitely struck me as an uncredited remake of The Warriors (1979) with elements stolen from Escape from New York (1981).

The Bronx has been abandoned by police, since it has been taken over by gangs. Each gang wears costumes and have matching modes of transportation. A woman runs over a bridge into the Bronx. She's due to inherit the presidency of The Manhattan Corporation, but wants to avoid those people who would have her be just a puppet. After she gets attacked by one gang, another gang saves her and she becomes the girlfriend of their leader, Trash, who has the most feminine walk I've ever seen in a guy. Perhaps that's what too-tight pants does.

Anyway, Trash's gang ends up having to fight their way through a couple other gangs to get to the King of the Bronx, the head of the Tigers, Ogre. Trash also has to deal with traitors in his own gang.

The video I saw unfortunately was cut, so I missed out on the tap-dancing gang (!). There were some silly gangs in The Warriors too, so I guess they were just following that.

Fairly entertaining, but derivative. Don't bother with any cut versions.

I'd be lying if I said 1990: The Bronx Warriors was a good movie, because its not. In fact, the rating I've given it is probably too high. But there's a certain amount of fun to be had with the movie. It's one part Jack Hill's The Warriors, one part John Carpenter's Escape from New York, a sprinkling of the Hell's Angels, a dash of bizarre costume design, and just a pinch of homo-eroticism all covered in Italian cheese. 1990: The Bronx Warriors unashamedly rips-off just about everything. I'm not sure what it is about the movie I like, but I found myself oddly enjoying much of it. Maybe it's the overacting, scene-chewing Vic Marrow, maybe it's the bad-ass Fred Williamson, or maybe it's the bizarre set-pieces like the one featuring the song-and-dance street gang. Whatever "it" is, 1990: The Bronx Warriors has "it".

Even though I had fun with the movie, there are too many problems and weaknesses to just ignore them. Beyond the less than original screenplay, the movie has other problems. Chief among them is the "acting" on the part of the male and female leads. Actually, I'm not sure "acting" is the right word for what these two were doing. They're as stiff as boards. The scenes of the pair in an emotional moment are all but laugh out loud funny. Other weaknesses include ridiculously large plot holes, bad fight choreography, and unnatural dialogue. But if you're able to look past these shortcomings, 1990: The Bronx Warriors can be fun.

'1990: The Bronx Warriors' is a VERY cheap Italian rip-off of John Carpenter's 'Escape From New York' with a little of 'The Warriors' thrown in. Before I watched it I thought it was going to be a deliriously silly and hugely entertaining trash classic, but I'm afraid for me it just never quite made it. Not that it completely sucks mind you, but I was a bit disappointed. I think if you watched this playing a drinking game where you imbibe every time you see or hear "The Bronx" it might make it a lot more fun! (I said "see" because I was fortunate enough to see this in the original Italian with English subtitles) The two leads are pretty dull, muscleman Trash (Mark Gregory) and runaway rich girl Ann (Stefania Girolami), but the supporting cast includes Vic Morrow (his second last movie), George Eastman (from Joe D'Amato's notorious 'Antropophagus' aka 'The Grim Reaper'), and best of all, blaxploitation legend Fred Williamson ('Black Caesar', 'That Man Bolt', 'From Dusk Til Dawn',etc.etc.). Though why Morrow's character is called Hammer instead of Williamson's is quite puzzling! Anyway, this is quite enjoyable low budget idiocy with some rather laughable looking gangs and enough fight scenes and explosions to satisfy most people. I can't say I was knocked out by it, but it's worth watching, especially if you are a fan of Fred Williamson who steals the movie. But make sure you watch the John Carpenter and Walter Hill classics that "inspired" this first. They are both GENUINE trash classics, not a limp imitation like '1990': The Bronx Warriors'.

A pressured young woman, heir to a weapons empire, is saved by a gang leader and he will lay down his life to protect her, even if it means going through other gang territories and war with his rivals.

Enzo G Castellari's 1990: The Bronx Warriors shares more with The Warriors (1979) and Escape From New York than the other two Mad Max 2 (1981) science fiction- like films also produced by Fabrizio De Angelis. With echoes of The Exterminator, Class of 1984 Castellari's offering is surprisingly grand in scale for a low budget cash-in thanks to the locations and Sergio Salvati's cinematography. The script is a above average for these Italian B-films including a stand out surprise. The atmosphere is as crisp as Walter Rizzati's excellent rock score as gang violence, brutality, impalements and murder erupt in No Man's Land. In between the motorcycle riding, the well staged fights with the bizarre costumed gangs, including whips flamethrowers and iffy dubbing, there's plenty of over-the-top shenanigans to be had as Trash makes his way through the Bronx.

The late artist and actor Mark Gregory is in perfect debut shape and does a good enough job as lead Trash. Incidentally, this was Vic Morrow's last completed film before his untimely death. Morrow is on his usual fine method form as Hammer. Smooth Fred Williamson is notable as The Ogre, his action scenes and screen presence are highlight. Notable is intense Christopher Connelly as Hot Dog and Stefania Girolami Goodwin does and adequate job as Ann. Model Elisabetta Dessy is a scene stealer as Witch and although her screen time is limited, she handles the standout fight scenes with ease.

Overall, it's cool, it's silly, its an entertaining guilty pleasure and one of the better put together post-apocalyptic exploitation gang films.

I have watched the sequel to this film before, but this is the first time seeing this one and I have to say it is a better film. Basically, it is kind of a combination of Warriors and Escape From New York brought to us by Italy who likes to take something that is popular here and make it their own. Usually the film is not the best film ever made, but it can oftentimes turn out to be rather entertaining and that is the case with this one. It has some good action and a so over the top plot that it is at times rather funny too.

The story, Trash and his gang find a girl being harassed by a gang on roller skates called the Zombies! Why they are called the Zombies and not the Wheelies is anybody's guess. This girl is actually supposed to be the head of some major weapons company, which is honestly rather stupid and just a strange excuse to bring in the Hammer! Vic Morrow plays the bad guy and does so with his usual gusto making the film more entertaining than it should be. Trash must find the Ogre who is king of Bronx, but there is much treachery afoot and the flamethrowers are a coming!

Fred Williamson plays the Ogre and the amount of times he appears in films in Italy leads me to believe the man really enjoy the country. I heard he once asked to be in a film, the one with the guy and a talking motorcycle and they agreed to put him in it. I am betting he was going to have to go home otherwise! Vic Morrow also appears in a lot of these Italian films too and I bet the same applies to him.

So, this film has lots of mindless violence and lots of weird stuff going on and so it is not a good film, but fun to watch nonetheless. It is kind of like a Full Moon film with these Italian films that copy the famous films, they are usually short and may not be great, but always generally fun and once in a while you get a diamond in the rough. This one manages to entertain and also can make you laugh and make you wonder. Like, why didn't Vic Morrow simply move out of the way of the harpoon as he had all day to do so.