Watch Young Warriors
- R
- 1983
- 1 hr 45 min
-
4.6 (603)
Young Warriors is an action-packed film that came out in 1983, directed by Lawrence D. Foldes. It is a story of a group of young people who are fed up with the current state of society and decide to take matters into their own hands by becoming vigilantes. The movie stars a number of big names from the time including Ernest Borgnine, Richard Roundtree, and Lynda Day George, who each play crucial roles in the plot. Borgnine, in particular, is an imposing presence on the screen, taking on the character of Lieutenant Donnelly, the head honcho of the local police force. Roundtree plays Lt. Ware, a member of Donnelly's team and Day George is Officer Catherine Walsh, a forensic specialist who joins the investigation.
The story revolves around a group of five friends, known colloquially as the 'Young Warriors', who are disillusioned with the state of their city. They are tired of seeing drugs and prostitution on every corner, and they feel that the police aren't doing enough to tackle the problem. So they take it upon themselves to clean up the streets, using their martial arts skills to take down drug lords, pimps, and other undesirables.
Their vigilantism doesn't go unnoticed, however, and soon the police are hot on their tail. As the Warriors continue to take out those they see as culprits, Lt. Donnelly and his team are left to clean up the mess, looking for clues and trying to catch the Young Warriors before they can do any more damage. But as they delve deeper into the case, they begin to realize that the Warriors' actions might not be as black and white as they initially thought.
One of the strengths of the movie is the way it deals with its characters. Each of the Young Warriors is given their own unique backstory, with motivations for their vigilantism rooted in their own experiences of the city. There's David, the leader of the group, whose brother was killed by a drug dealer; Mike, the martial arts expert who was once homeless; Tony, the Vietnam veteran who struggles with PTSD; Jerome, the sensitive artist who sees the city as a canvas; and Lisa, the only female member of the group, whose own experiences with sexual assault fuel her vigilantism.
Despite being vigilantes, the Young Warriors come across as authentic and empathetic characters, and the movie does a good job of showing the pros and cons of their actions. On the one hand, they are taking down criminals who are terrorizing their city and a police force who they see as ineffective. But on the other hand, their methods are dangerous and ultimately illegal, and their actions have consequences for both themselves and the people they are trying to protect.
The action scenes in Young Warriors are well choreographed, and the movie's soundtrack adds to the overall tone of the film. It's a gritty, urban movie that doesn't shy away from showing the darker side of city life. The film's climax is intense and action-packed, delivering exactly what audiences would want from a movie centered around martial arts vigilantes.
Overall, Young Warriors is a solid movie that offers an interesting take on the vigilante genre. It's a film that explores themes of crime, justice, and morality, with a focus on the individual experiences of its characters. It's a movie that has aged well, and one that would still be enjoyable to watch today.