A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

For starters, "The Ultimate Warrior" only confirmed what I already knew for multiple years, and that is that Yul Brunner represents pure manliness to the fullest! This actor, and several other ones from his generation like Charles Bronson and Steve McQueen, was testosterone personified. Especially during the opening sequences, when Brunner's character just stands shirtless on a rooftop with his eyes closed, waiting for villagers from a nearby community to approach him; it doesn't get any more robust or macho than this. I hate to sound like an old and whiny critic, but actors like Brunner simply don't exist anymore nowadays. Even the toughest action heroes nowadays, like Vin Diesel or Jason Statham, can't hold a candle to Brunner and company. Secondly, for your sake, I sincerely hope that you're not going into "The Ultimate Warrior" expecting an extravagant post-nuclear Sci-Fi/thriller in the vein of "Mad Max: Road Warrior", "Escape from New York" or one of their countless Italian rip-offs. The title and Brunner's portrait on the film poster may suggest an exhilarating spectacle, but this is actually a very sober, intellectual and atmosphere-driven "after-the- apocalypse" tale. Being released in 1975, the film falls somewhat in between of the pioneers ("Silent Running", "The Omega Man", "Soylent Green") and the action-packed blockbusters. The story takes place in the outskirts of New York City, in the year 2012. The depressing images during the opening credits already say it all, in fact. Streets and boulevards that used to be crowded with people are now completely deserted and shrouded in an uncomfortable silence. There are ruins and waste everywhere. The relatively few survivors live in communities in secured fortresses and attempt to protect themselves from organized criminal gangs living on the streets. Via the leader of such a community, The Baron, we slowly learn that our planet fell victim to epidemics that eradicated all vegetation and animal life. The Baron begs for the help of lone fighter Carson, supposedly to help protect his fortress and followers against the increasing number of attacks of street gangs led by the relentless Carrot. Once recruited, Carson discovers that the Baron wants him for a secret mission to transport rare and vulnerable vegetable seeds towards an island where perhaps they may grow. The first half of "The Ultimate Warrior" is extremely powerful and intensively grim, but unfortunately all this diminishes and the second half of the film suffers too much from tedious moments and repetitive subject matter. The Baron's disciples demonstrate that they are just as barbaric and selfish as Carrot's troops, while greed and distrust destroy the last remnants of civilization. The fighting sequences come across as somewhat tame and dated by today's standards, and personally I think the film could have benefited from a bit of firepower. "The Ultimate Warrior" was written and directed by the extremely underrated Robert Clouse. The Kung-Fu movies that he made with Bruce Lee ("Enter the Dragon", "Game of Death") are successful enough, but Clouse also made a handful of really good horror/thriller movies that sadly nobody still mentions. "The Ultimate Warrior" is one of them, but also "The Pack", "The Amsterdam Kill" and "Deadly Eyes" are recommendable genre films. The DVD-version that I own of this film is a cool French release with an awesome alternative title ("New York doesn't respond anymore...") and several interesting extras.

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.

This is the movie that virtually set the template for all post-holocaust action films. Yul Brynner, pushing sixty at the time of filming(!)has enough old school movie star charisma to more than make up for the rather pedestrian fight scenes. It is a shame he died when he did because he is loaded with charm and presence and he could have made a much better action movie hero than the lame wanna-be's who followed in the 80's. And how often does one get to see an actor of Max Von Sydow's caliber in films like this? He brings an air of dignity and authority to the film. If one could quibble with anything it would be the sheer cleanliness of everyone--they all look like they just got their freshly laundered clothes from Wardrobe--but this is small potatoes. Take the cool story, cool post-apocalyptic sets and Brynner's and VonSydow's presence and add b-movie legend WILLIAM SMITH as the heavy and you have a rather enjoyable way to spend 90 minutes. One final note,the cinematography by Gerald Hirschfield is quite lovely, contrary to my memories of earlier viewings, where I thought the lighting flat and TV movie-like; not at all; Hirshfields cinematography creates an eerie, diffuse beauty out of the images of a decayed, empty metropolis.

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.