Thu 4 Aug 2016
A Movie Review by Jonathan Lewis: THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR (1975).
Posted by Steve under Reviews , SF & Fantasy films[7] Comments
THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR. Warner Brothers, 1975. Yul Brynner, Max von Sydow, Joanna Miles, William Smith, Richard Kelton, Stephen McHattie. Screenwriter and director: Robert Clouse.
As much as I wanted to like this 1970s science fiction movie, I have to admit that The Ultimate Warrior was an ultimate letdown. Directed by Robert Clouse, the film opens with significant promise. The year is 2012 and New York City has been decimated by a plague/nuclear holocaust (it’s never revealed what actually happened). Yet, the Twin Towers are still standing, looming large above a city ravaged by death and hopelessness. It’s even creepier, since we know from the vantage point of 2016 that New York City is thriving, but the Towers are gone.
As it turns out, there’s a commune somewhere in midtown Manhattan led by an erudite man known simply as the Baron (Max von Sydow). He and his followers are carving out an existence for themselves in the midst of chaos and decay. Their immediate threat, however, is a gang of violent street people led by a man simply known as Carrot (William Smith). Why does Carrot hate Baron’s people so much? Is he an evil man or just a rival? Unfortunately, we never learn much about him other than that he’s a bad dude.
And if there’s a bad dude, there needs to be a good dude to counter him. In this film, Yul Brynner’s character fulfills that role. Carson is a fighter who sells his skills to the highest bidder and eventually takes up employ in Baron’s commune. Soon, he’s tasked with not only protecting the inhabitants, but also with guiding Baron’s pregnant daughter to a protected haven off the coast of North Carolina.
Sounds like an interesting premise, right?
Unfortunately, the movie never develops the characters to any great extent. They are more or less the same people the moment they appear on the screen as when they leave. And without any substantial changes in their personalities, wants, or desires, they end up one-dimensional caricatures. Baron = the erudite scientist. Carrot = the bad guy. Carson = the good guy. Just because stuff happens in the movie does not mean that there’s actually much of a story.
Despite these harsh criticisms, I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t mention how effective the movie’s soundtrack is. Indeed, the score by Gil Mellé is so thoroughly captivating that it’s a real shame that the movie wasn’t such a missed opportunity.
August 4th, 2016 at 11:58 pm
It’s a western minus the plot, characters, and a line of suspense regarding the action. Major dud for me. Yul did a Verne pic LIGHTHOSE AT THE END OF THE WORLD that is worse, but not much.
August 5th, 2016 at 10:08 am
Yul Brenner is much too old for the role. And he needs to wear a shirt.
August 5th, 2016 at 11:21 am
David, for another take on this, you should have a look at DVD Savant’s review of The Light At The Edge of the World. Illuminating.
August 5th, 2016 at 12:15 pm
Here’s the link:
http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s493edge.html
August 5th, 2016 at 12:03 pm
Poor William Smith, always a bad guy, and even though in real life was a weight lifter & karate guy, never won a fight in the movies.
August 5th, 2016 at 7:10 pm
Of LIGHT I can only say there were ten of us in the theater and five of us fell asleep watching it. I would be willing to watch it uncut but only from a comfortable bed so I didn’t get a crick in my neck.
The reviewer saw things here I didn’t.
I did read and enjoy the book and would like to see a better film.
Great cast, terrible misfire.
March 26th, 2021 at 10:51 pm
I have to lay myself open to embarrassment here and admit that I truly enjoyed ‘Ultimate Warrior’. Somehow, it sticks in the mind. I fully acknowledge all its flaws; I don’t deny them; and I recognize the way they detract from basic, competent storytelling. There re missed opportunities in the screenplay. This movie is not the equal even of a really good TV episode done with a similar intent. It’s thin; it’s got holes; it’s threadbare. For all that, it still has a strange verve, maybe for the same reason that Ryan O’Neal in ‘The Driver’ always sticks in my recall. It’s a curiously empty story, but in spite of this (or because of this) it still appeals to me. William Smith biting into a tomato for the first time, and wanting more of them. Yul Brynner challenging a whole street full of assailants; and ready for them. It’s just a weird little film, with an astounding finale battle. Poor Will Smith. Intelligent and cultured and athletic, and unfairly beaten up by every good guy to come along. It was great to see him paid a vainglorious little tribute in Coppola’s “Rumble Fish”