Once Were Warriors

Unpack the smoke machines and await those characteristic shafts of light. Tony Scott is back with an action film to top even his own action films. It might not have the huge fighter planes of Top Gun or the flash stock cars of his Days of Thunder, but Scott’s new movie, The Warriors, will make up for what it lacks in big machines by creating the ultimate in kick-ass fighting on a human scale. A remake of the 1979 cult film of the same name, the plot is nicely simple: after being falsely accused of a big-time gang leader’s murder, New York gang the Warriors must make it across the big Apple without being nabbed by the other rival mobs out to get them. And that’s it. With big brother Ridley also producing, Scott will, we’re sure, add his own artistic oomph to the original’s dirty, neon-lit subway world and will apparently mesh Hong Kong style martial arts with the more traditional flick knives and head butts of gang warfare. What fun. It could be still more enjoyable if Scott decides to stay with the original’s, shall we say, distinctive costume design. One of the 1979 film’s many, many crimes against fashion includes the Warrior’s gang uniform; red jeans, brown leather vests and, wait for it, no shirts. Mmm, tasteful.