New York ne répond plus

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.

From Robert Clouse, the director who brought us the absolutely classic, Enter The Dragon, comes this post apocalyptic tale starring none other than Yul Bryner. Shall we dance indeed! Wow, sounds good so far eh? Well, as it happens it is rather and benefits immeasurably by its fine casting, especially the always superb Max Von Sydow, here playing a character called the Baron, leader of a commune of survivors trying desperately to survive in this harsh new world. As was later to become a staple plot in the plethora of post apocalyptic flicks which were to follow this in the early 1980's, not only is there unease and warring factions within the commune itself, but outside even more hostile groups are forever plotting to wipe out their neighbours. In this instance, a particularly nasty group headed by a chap called Carrot(!) (played by perennial bad boy, William Smith) are the antagonists. As a result of the mounting pressure, The Baron hires lone warrior Carson (Bryner) to help protect them and in a more secretive plan, to have him lead his daughter and her horticultural expert husband to safety, far away from the ravages of the doomed city.

Whilst best remembered for his action output, Clouse was actually a very gifted visual director and here manages to convey some particularly effective scenes of desolation (the visuals over the opening credits carry an especial air of sorrow and emptiness, depicting the end of civilisation).

Action wise, despite his mature years at the time of filming, Bryner is on fine form here as he demonstrates during the fair number of fight scenes contained within. Special mention to, for the rather shocking decision he makes during his final confrontation with his nemesis, a sure illustration of the old motto, 'Desperate times call for desperate measures.'

Overall, whilst not nearly as exhilarating as some of Clouse's other works such as Enter The Dragon and Black Belt Jones, this is a fascinating film that deserves far more recognition that it presently owns. For fans of the whole post nuke/post apocalyptic genre which was so huge following Mad Max, this is well worth checking out.

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.

...He just might pop them out of your head. The almighty B movie legend plays the antagonist "Carrot" in this reasonably enjoyable post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller from Robert Clouse, director of "Enter the Dragon".

An intense Yul Brynner stars as Carson, a loner hired as muscle by a peaceable group struggling to survive in the NYC of the year 2012. This group needs somebody like Carson to protect them from the aggressive forces led by Carrot. Leading the good guys is the Baron (a highly engaging Max von Sydow), and one other thing that they have on their side is their botanist Cal (Richard Kelton), who's developed seeds that are immune to the plague. Eventually Carson must make a trek for freedom accompanied by the Barons' pregnant daughter Melinda (Joanna Miles), with Carrot and his gang in hot pursuit.

"The Ultimate Warrior" is good fun, if unfortunately not having quite enough "oomph" to make it something truly special. The script, by director Clouse, is on the routine side, and it never does flesh out the characters too much. That said, the actors are still able to make an impression. Both Brynner and von Sydow have commanding presences and Smith, as could be expected, is a very effective bad guy. Among the supporting cast is reliable veteran character actor Stephen McHattie as Robert, one of the Barons' men. Production design, art direction, and set decoration are all heavy assets; the viewer will have a lot to take in while looking at these run down, forlorn "future" locales. Talents behind the camera include cinematographer Gerald Hirschfeld, editor Michael Kahn, and composer Gil Melle, whose score helps to drive the movie forward. What *is* great is the ultimate showdown between Brynner and Smith, which is well worth waiting for; Brynner proves to be in real fighting shape.

A very grim and gritty tale, this movie doesn't pull its punches and portrays a hard scrabble existence in a straightforward manner. It deserves to be more popular, especially considering the subsequent productions such as "Mad Max" and "Escape from New York" that it surely must have influenced.

Seven out of 10.