The Story

This is an audio-visual account of The Warriors story from the meeting in The Bronx to the showdown in Coney Island and the struggles faced by the gang along the way.

The Warriors Movie Site - Screen Capture

The movie follows a gang of nine guys from The Warriors gang of Coney Island as they head up to The Bronx for a big meeting.

The meeting was called by Cyrus, the leader of the Gramercy Riffs who are the biggest and most powerful gang in the city, as he wants to create a 100,000-strong gang that can overpower the police and takeover the city.

Under a truce, nine members from each of the biggest gangs in New York attend the meeting where Cyrus begins his speech of unity. As Cyrus nears the end of his speech he is shot dead by Luther from a gang called The Rogues.

In the panic that ensues, Luther frames The Warriors for shooting Cyrus. As the gangs flee back to their home turf, The Warriors soon realise that they need to fight their way back to Coney Island. To make matters worse, the truce has been called off, The Warriors have no weapons, and every cop and gang in the city is out looking for them.

The movie follows their struggle back home through enemy turf, and shows their encounters with various gangs including The Orphans, Punks and the infamous Baseball Furies.


The Story

The movie starts with Cleon, the leader of The Warriors, addressing his gang in Coney Island by telling them that they are going to a big meeting in The Bronx called by Cyrus, the leader of the biggest gang in the city – The Riffs.

Cleon tells them that there is a truce on and that they must travel unarmed and in peace. He doesn’t know anything about the meeting, but he knows that it’s going to be big.

Sound Clip: We’re going in there with nothing!

Some of the gang are concerned about what might go down.

Play Sound Clip: Who wants to hide?

Cleon chats to some of the gang about their concerns.

Play Sound Clip: Maybe we’ll get to waste a few heads along the way!

He also instructs the gang about what to do.

Play Sound Clip: I want you to hit everything in sight.

Swan, as second-in-command, also supports members of the gang.

Play Sound Clip: I don’t feel like getting wrecked.

In good spirits The Warriors travel by subway and arrive in The Bronx for the conclave. When they get to the meeting point in Van Cortlandt Park, they are joined by hundreds of rival gang members from across New York City.

As they get to the park, Cyrus takes to the stage. Cyrus talks at length about his plans to unite all the gangs in the city and to overthrow the police. This gets a lot of support from the crowd who cheer Cyrus on.

Play Sound Clip: Can you dig it?

The Warriors Movie Site - Screen Capture

However, in the crowd, a gun gets passed to Luther, the leader of a gang called The Rogues. Luther takes the gun, aims at Cyrus and shoots. The shot kills Cyrus instantly and he falls backwards off of his stage.

After a few seconds, the entire crowd panics and flees the scene trying to evade the cops who have just arrived.

Luther, not content with killing Cyrus, aims his gun at The Fox from The Warriors but is blinded by a bright police searchlight giving Fox enough time to escape.

Meanwhile, Cleon goes to pay his respects to Cyrus, but in doing so, Luther, and his right-hand man, Cropsey, frame him and The Warriors for the crime. Cleon fights off Luther but is then set upon by The Riffs and is killed.

In the meantime, the rest of The Warriors escape from the conclave by busting their way through a fence leading them into a nearby graveyard.

They realise that their leader is missing and Swan steps up to take his place as the War Chief and second-in-command. This causes some consternation for Ajax who wants to take over as War Lord.

Play Sound Clip: I wanna be War Lord.

As the rest of the gang calms Ajax down, Rembrandt scouts out the graveyard to check if they are okay, locating the subway station they need to get to in the process.

Play Sound Clip: This is a graveyard!

After Rembrandt tags a gravestone with The Warriors’ tag, they head to the subway.

Meanwhile, Masai takes over as the leader of the Gramercy Riffs and demands that his gang find The Warriors and bring them to him alive if possible, otherwise they should be wasted. Word is sent out to other gangs in the city via the seductive DJ on the local radio station. Gangs from across the city head out in search of The Warriors.

The Warriors Movie Site - Screen Capture

As The Warriors approach the subway they stand in the shadows and watch as the Turnbull AC’s, a skin-headed gang, pass by armed with weapons on an old bus. At this point, The Warriors know that the truce is off and that they are going to have to fight their way back to Coney Island by any means possible.

Play Sound Clip: It’s the Turnbull ACs…

The train The Warriors need to catch approaches overhead forcing The Warriors to bolt for the train right in front of the Turnbull AC’s bus.

The Turnbull’s chase them on to the platform but can only watch as the subway train pulls off with The Warriors on-board.

Whilst The Warriors think that they are home free, their luck runs out as their subway train arrives into Tremont where a fire forces them off of the train and back into enemy territory. At the same time, The Rogues call in at an open candy store where Luther checks in with his mentor. He learns that The Riffs sent out the word to capture The Warriors. However, Luther, for obvious reasons, wants them to be killed. With the rest of his gang they get in their car and go looking for them.

The next gang that The Warriors encounter are The Orphans – a relatively low-class and unorganised gang of around 30.

The Warriors Movie Site - Screen Capture

After walking into their territory, Swan and Fox walk over to the leader of The Orphans to negotiate their way through their turf. The leader of the gang, unaware of the big meeting in The Bronx, is happy for them to walk through their territory as long as they do so in peace.

Play Sound Clip: We’ve got a heavy rep!

However, Mercy, a local prostitute who hangs around with The Orphans makes trouble and calls the leader of The Orphans a chicken.

The Leader of The Orphans then orders The Warriors to take off their vests as they walk through their turf which The Warriors refuse to do. Ignoring The Orphans, The Warriors march on through their enemy’s territory.

Bored by The Orphans and impressed by The Warriors, Mercy decides to follow them in search of “some real action”. Just as Mercy confronts The Warriors, The Orphans reappear with weapons ready to fight The Warriors.

However, Swan throws a Molotov cocktail into a nearby car which explodes giving The Warriors enough time to escape. The Warriors make it to the next station and escape once again on the subway.

The Warriors Movie Site - Screen Capture

A short while later and The Warriors find themselves stuck on a stationary train as it sits at the platform at 96th Street Station.

Play Sound Clip: I’m sick of waiting for trains!

As they wait, the gang hear footsteps which get closer and closer until a cop appears in the window of the train.

The Warriors split up and make their escape out of the station which is swarming with cops. Fox and Mercy head one way and run straight into a cop who throws Fox onto the tracks and under a passing train.

The Warriors Movie Site - Screen Capture

Cochise, Rembrandt and Vermin run around the station and squeeze through the doors of a train that is just departing for Union Square station.

Meanwhile, Ajax, Cowboy, Snow and Swan run up the stairs to the street and stop dead in their tracks as they are greeted by another gang – the Baseball Furies.

The Warriors Movie Site - Screen Capture

The Warriors immediately run and the Baseball Furies, face painted and dressed in baseball jerseys and armed with bats, chase them down the street and into Riverside Drive Park.

Play Sound Clip: Did we lose these fucking clowns or what?

Unable to run any further, The Warriors stop to fight.

Play Sound Clip: I’ll shove that bat up your ass and turn you into a Popsicle!

The Warriors Movie Site - Screen Capture
The Warriors Movie Site - Screen Capture

Fresh from their successful fight with the Baseball Furies, Ajax, Cowboy, Snow and Swan make their way to Union Square station on foot through the park.

Cochise, Rembrandt and Vermin who managed to escape on the subway arrive at Union Square, the meeting point The Warriors decided they would regroup at should they get separated. As they get off the train, they are greeted by a gang of girls who seduce them and take them back to their apartment. The Warriors have unwittingly run into a gang called The Lizzies.

Play Sound Clip: When I got off that subway and I saw you…

The Warriors Movie Site - Screen Capture

Meanwhile, as the other Warriors, fresh from their fight with The Baseball Furies, walk through the park Ajax sees a woman sat on a park bench. While the other gang members carry on walking to the station, Ajax stops to get some “action”. Unfortunately for Ajax, the woman on the bench is an undercover cop who arrests Ajax after he gets rough with her.

Handcuffed to the bench, Ajax attempts to fight off the police but is eventually clubbed in the stomach by a cop and hauled away in the back of a police car. Cowboy and Snow, who come back to look out for Ajax, witness Ajax getting arrested and look on helplessly.

Since Cowboy and Snow went back to look out for Ajax, Swan is now on his own and carries on towards the station looking for the rest of the gang. As Swan enters the station he is met by Mercy. The two of them enter the station and get chased into a subway tunnel by a cop.

In the subway tunnel, Swan and Mercy talk about Mercy’s way of life before sharing a kiss. Swan instantly regrets kissing Mercy and leaves her in the tunnel as he goes to find the rest of his gang.

Meanwhile, at The Lizzies’ apartment, Vermin and Cochise settle in with their chosen women whilst Rembrandt looks on cautiously.

Play Sound Clip: Where’s your dudes?

The Warriors Movie Site - Screen Capture

Play Sound Clip: Oh hurt me, hurt me!

Rembrandt was right to be cautious as The Lizzies suddenly lock the door, and state that they are going to kill The Warriors in retaliation for killing Cyrus.

Despite The Lizzies having knives and guns, The Warriors fight their way out of the apartment and into the street.

Play Sound Clip: The chicks are packed!

At this point, The Warriors realise that they have been framed for the murder of Cyrus and that every gang in the city must be out to get them. They run on to Union Square station to warn the others.

The Warriors Movie Site - Screen Capture

At the same time, Swan arrives at Union Square station and realises that he is the only one there. As he walks through the station, he is followed by the leader of The Punks in a pair of roller-skates.

Play Sound Clip: See that dude over there with the skates?

Mercy soon re-appears and alerts Swan to the presence of The Punks in the station. Just as Mercy asks him what he’s going to do, the remaining members of The Warriors turn up and Swan indicates for them to move into the nearby restroom.

The Punks follow them and position themselves in front of the stalls where The Warriors are hiding.

The leader of The Punks, armed with a knife, opens the first stall door and is greeted by Rembrandt who sprays him in the eyes with spray paint before punching him in the face.

A big fight ensues which leaves some of The Warriors a bit battered and bruised but ultimately ends up with The Warriors being victorious.

Back in Gramercy, a witness from the conclave comes forward to tell Masai that it was in fact The Rogues who killed their leader Cyrus, and not The Warriors.

The Warriors, back on the subway again, make the final leg of their journey to Coney Island. Whilst some of The Warriors sleep, Swan and Mercy come face-to-face with two couples on their way back from their summer prom.

There is an uncomfortable silence between them as the prom couple are clean and well dressed in stark contrast to Swan and Mercy who are bloody and dirty.

As the sun rises, The Warriors alight from the train on their home turf of Coney Island.

The Warriors head through the amusement park towards the boardwalk. The Rogues, who have been tracking the progress of The Warriors throughout the night, follow The Warriors through the amusement park in their car.

The Warriors hide under the pier causing Luther to chant “Warriors, Come Out To Play” whilst clinking glass bottles together on his fingers.

Play Sound Clip: Warriors, come out to play-ay-ay!

The Warriors arm themselves with whatever they can find including pieces of metal and broken bottles and then head out onto the beach.

The Warriors Movie Site - Screen Capture

The Rogues follow them and they square off against each other. Swan asks Luther why he shot Cyrus and he replies that he “likes doing things like that”.

Swan then attempts to fight Luther one-on-one but Luther simply produces a gun. Luther exclaims that he is going to kill all The Warriors and takes aim at Swan.

The Warriors Movie Site - Screen Capture

However, Swan dodges the bullet and throws a knife into Luther’s arm. After Swan retrieves the knife, The Riffs appear on the beach led by Masai.

After being tipped off by someone who saw who really shot Cyrus, Masai tells Swan that The Warriors are “good, real good” and lets them go before bringing the full power of The Riffs down on The Rogues.

Play Sound Clip: You Warriors are good, real good!

Swan leads The Warriors down the beach as the sun rises up over Coney Island and the radio DJ dedicates a song to them by way of an apology – “In The City” by Joe Walsh.

The end credits roll as The Warriors walk down the beach.