New York ne répond plus

This relatively obscure film is, it has to be said, under-rated. There's the usual fine performance from Max von Sydow as the 'Baron' while an old-looking Yul Brynner does well as Carson, the Ultimate Warrior.

The future looks bleak. In 2012 New York is a city devastated, with rival gangs living in communes. By appearance alone, you might be forgiven for thinking that this is a western - with von Sydow, particularly, looking like he's going to burst into a saloon bar, guns blazing. He plays the leader of one of these communes, desperate to secure a better life for his pregnant daughter Melinda (Miles) and enlists Brynner to this end.

Clouse manages to build up the tension nicely as Brynner & Miles race along the derelict New York subway to get to a fabled island, chased by a gang of nasties. The end, however, is abrupt, to say the least and you may feel cheated as about ten minutes before the end the movie seems actually quite good.

As I said before, this is an obscure film that will have a definite novelty value for fans of Sydow and Brynner. Viewers today will see the irony in the opening sequence of a supposedly devastated NY, with the Twin Towers promenantly still standing in the background.

7/10

The plot: In the far future of 2012, a warrior sells his services to the survivors of post-apocalyptic New York.

While there are some obvious flaws to this film, it's clearly a forgotten classic of the era. I don't see how you could possibly go wrong with Yul Brynner kicking ass in post-apocalyptic cities. It's been a long time since I saw this (probably cable television in the 1980s), but I can still quite clearly remember several of what have become (to me, at least) iconic scenes of 1970s action/adventure/exploitation. If this film got broadcast regularly (instead of other inexplicable cable TV favorites), I think it could really attract a cult following.

For an obvious genre film, the cast is amazing, the writing and directing are better than expected, and the rest of the film is forgivable. Why? Because the flaws pale in the face of a shirtless Yul Brynner standing in the center of a city plaza, waiting for someone to bid for his services. What do action heroes do when they're not fighting bad guys? Why, they just stand there and wait for the plot to catch up to their awesomeness, of course. It's brilliant. If this resonates with you, then you simply must watch this film. If you're going to start asking questions and trying to debate this inescapable logic, then you should probably watch The Shawshank Redemption instead. That's a great film, too, but it doesn't have Yul Brynner knife-fighting with post-apocalyptic gangs.

New York in the year of 2012 is a dangerously decayed environment that has been divided into communities who continuously fight, as the earth has been destroyed by a plague and sources of food is very limited. A small peaceful society living in a small compound are led by "The Baron" and seek that of a warrior to protect them from the street people led the malicious Carrot. The mysterious fighter Carson accepts Baron's offer. Although Carson learns that Baron actually has a plan to get his daughter, his son-law and their unborn child to an island off the coast of North Carolina. He would need Carson's help to get them there.

Where did this come from? I knew nothing off it when discovering it at video shop getting rid of their VHS'. Hard to say why this is one unsung flick, as there is some potent names involved and for most part its cleverly constructed. A thoughtfully desperate Sci-fi / action stint that actually throws up some genuine social commentary without any sort forced impression. Strangely enough, you could possibly claim this to be an influential benchmark in the post-apocalyptic sub-genre. This for goes "Mad Max" and the trend that followed it. There's no doubt the 70s were a flourishing time for innovative films. The director Robert Clouse would be known for Bruce Lee's film "Enter the Dragon (1973)" and some others like "The Pack (1977)" and "The Rats (1975)". Clouse manages to give it a hard-edge and the gritty, grubby post-holocaust setting demonstrates something rather eerie and raw. The violence is brutally intense and truly grim. This only makes this hasty plight more authentic with the nature of the situation turning people to think of only themselves and become something they might oppose. It shows there's common ground despite the walls separating the two sides. For some they might find the story to never really get going until the final half, but there are some interestingly credible ideas (like the horticultural aspect of a immune plant) covered in the chatty opening half and a pinch of wit is a nice welcome. Clouse does a frank and accessible job with what his got to shape here. Fight sequences are swiftly exciting (the final super-charged climax is a hoot), even if there's not much flair and the workable stunts go hand-to-hand. There's some imagery captured with a touch of style, but it mostly done with a lot dirt and grit. Organizing the film's rhythm is Gil Melle's dry and spicy experimental music score, which works a treat alongside Gerald Hirshfeld's reliably on-the-move and penetrating photography. Making up a fine cast is Yul Brynner, Max Von Sydow, William Smith and Joanne Miles. A picture-perfect Brynner emit's a gloriously humane, but also a deadly vibe with his warrior for hire, Carson. His dry temperament was surely tailor made for the part. Von Sydow adds the class to his character, the Baron and character actor Smith milks out a fun performance as the sadistically husky voiced swine Carrot. Miles is also good in her sympathetic turn as the baron's daughter Melinda.

It might look like a b-grade action movie and be spotty in parts, but there are some inspired brushes and fine performances to say it's worth the effort.

I really love 1970s science fiction movies, especially post-apocalyptic ones like 'The Omega Man', 'A Boy And His Dog' and 'Mad Max'. 'The Ultimate Warrior' is in this vein but is often overlooked. I don't know why, it's a very entertaining film. Director Robert Clouse is best known for his martial arts adventures 'Enter The Dragon' and 'Black Belt Jones'. There isn't any martial arts in this one, but there are some fights scenes, especially an exciting one towards the climax between Yul Brynner and b-grade legend William Smith. Brynner, hot off 'Westworld', plays Carson, muscle for hire in the year 2012, in a future society where a plague has devastated agriculture, and anarchy rules in the cities. Max von Sydow ('The Exorcist') plays "the Baron" leader of small group of survivors. They are successfully experimenting with breeding seeds which are immune to the plague. They hire Carson to protect them from a rival gang, led by the mean and nasty thug Carrot (William Smith of 'Run, Angel, Run', 'Invasion Of The Bee Girls', 'Boss N*gger', 'Maniac Cop', etc.etc.). The Baron has secret plans to abandon his followers and leave the city with the seeds and his pregnant daughter (Joanna Miles), and tries to convince Carson to help. Will he? Will Carrot let them? Watch 'The Ultimate Warrior' to find out. I've seen this one a few times and I'm always entertained. It's not the best 1970s SF movie by any means but it's a lot of fun, and Brynner (who's in pretty good shape for a guy pushing sixty!) and the super cool Smith are just great to watch.

I saw this when I was a kid around the same time I saw Planet of The Apes, Logan's Run and The Omega Man. I love this kind of stuff. Yul Brynner was always a cool actor and he's very cool in this piece of dystopian sci-fi. It also has Max Von Sydow in it who's always good value for money.

The amazing thing about this film (well ok it's not that amazing, more sort of interesting) is how the plot is so similar to Mad Max. There really was a preponderance of this sort of movie in the early seventies, enough to cover the writing of thesis me thinks.

Anyway if you have a spare evening and no idea what to watch why not check Yul in full flow.