Self Defense

This is a Canadian movie originally called "Siege", very much in the tradition of John Carpenter's "Assault on Precinct 13." The story is about a police strike in Halifax, Nova Scotia, which paves the way for violence to break loose in the city . When a gay bar is attacked by a group of thugs, one gets away and escapes to an intstitute for disabled young people. This house then comes under the siege of the gang and they must use all their imagination to survive this night. The movie is obviously low budget, but as so often happens, that's just good for the creativity and tone of the film. In Europe, the movie was retitled "Night Warriors", and made it look like this was another Mad Max/Escape From New York clone. But it's just a clever little thriller.

This was a film I'd never even heard of until Shudder put it on their lineup and what a treat it is. It's clearly low budget, but has a lot of energy and spark as it details a siege in a gay bar where the survivor runs away into the night and takes shelter with a kind couple and their friends. The gang returns and wages an all-out battle.

It has its flaws and the pacing could be tighter, but I'm surprised this one isn't very well remembered. It seems more relevant now than ever.

As i was in the videostore i saw this box of a movie called NightWarriors. It looked familiar, turned out to be i saw it as a kid.

I must say even now it still is a very interesting thriller.

Police are on strike in Halifax which means a lot of scum are loose on the streets. A gang kills some people in a bar but one visitor manages to escape...and these guys don't want any witnesses. A couple of friendly people let him into theire house...and thats where it goes all wrong. The gang wants the witness...and the friendly people aint gonna turn him over. What follows is the gang trying to siege the building...and the people inside have to defend themselfs all night...

Looks indeed alot like Assault on Precinct 13, Escape from New York and a bit of the Warriors. Acting in the beginning of the movie is not that good, but further on in the movie it actually improves. Some solid action and it had me on the edge of my seat a couple of times. For all you people who want go out and rent this: i guess it is hard to get. In Europe it's called Night Warriors (why?), in US and Canada Siege or Self Defense.

One of the best Canuxploitations out there, from the very interesting Paul Donovan. After a beginning that looks more like a street gang movie, it quickly transforms into a claustrophobic siege film, clearly inspired by "Assault on Precinct 13". Made with very little money, but with a lot of talent; it's a hidden jewel that deserves to be better known.

And this is why the world needs RoboCop.

I'm pretty shocked I gave this one a chance by the poster, but then I was wildly curious after reading the first half of the synopsis. And when I watched it, it was much more than I even though possible.

In this film modeled after 1976's Assault on Precinct 13 and a precursor to 2015's Green Room, the police are on strike so crime spikes in this downtown area. Our story revolves around a bunch of indisputably vile characters who call themselves the "New Order," or NO for short, and they do not wish for their forthcoming "perfect" world to include homosexuals. So, they raid a gay bar, do surprisingly cruel actions and one patron manages to escape and into the arms of a group of unselfish, open minded people. And now, everyone is in danger from the NO.

Sounds like I'm spoiling the whole movie. Nope. This is just the barely first act as the grand majority of the film is the outside force trying to get inside for their witness.

This movie was intense and while a ton of scenes were well over-the-top, including the reactions and acting, it's a film of the times. Or at least parts of the scenes were. I'm actually shocked and very pleased on how progressive this movie was in 1983 when gay bashing, or worse, was definitely more widespread than today. And this movie stood out 100% against that. This movie was graphic and incredibly shocking/sad at times and it really stood its ground on doing the right thing and that everyone's equal.

I'm glad I gave this movie a chance. It was completely suspenseful and you really never know who's safe from the NO.

***

Final Thoughts: Now, of the three: Assault on Precinct 13, Siege and Green Room, my favorite is...well, that's hard. The first two were deliciously a product of their times. I would, however, select Green Room. While it wasn't 100% original, it sure felt that way when I saw it, before I saw the other two. Still, the most polished and best acted movie is definitely Green Room.

This would make a radical trilogy marathon some Saturday evening.