This was a great movie!!!Yul Brynner plays just a bad ass as usual, Max Von Sydow acted real well, and William Smith was cast perfect as the villain. The set was designed to perfection as a post apocalyptic world would be seen. The music was done very well by Gil Melle and still holds today. The costumes fit a lot of people for this type of movie but some just didn't look raggedy enough, but the acting makes up for it as well as the violence. The fight scenes were done well, remember folks this was directed by Robert Clouse of "Enter The Dragon" fame as well for other exploitation films.This is probably his best besides "Enter The Dragon"; just do to it's atmosphere and the way it was filmed. I thought Brynner showed off some cool fighting techniques as well as knife fighting. But yet people complain that there wasn't enough or it wasn't flashy or lots of kicks like Bruce Lee (RIP)would have done it. Remember not all martial arts are flashy or scientific, some are just nitty gritty street fighting techniques or survival, not all are for show. Also remember for movie to be done well, there must be a story and doesn't always has to revolve a guy kicking and showing off his martial arts talent. I thought Brynner was a great fighter, showing a different style of fighter consenting of holds, throws, punches, knees, and slashing. He wasn't trained full time like Bruce but he pulls off the fights with enough charisma. The best thing to remember is that Yul Brynner is not Bruce Lee and Bruce Lee is no Yul Brynner either.
The story and fight scenes were balanced just right where one didn't over take the other. But anyways here what the story is about. New York 2012, the world has gone down the crapper and a plague as wiped out the food supply. The Baron (Von Sydow) and a couple of survivors developed seeds that are resistant against the plague. But Carrot (Smith, just a cool baddie) and his boys are causing some havoc of sorts and the Baron enlist the help of "the Ultimate Warrior" Carson (Brynner, in the first minutes of the film is shown standing in front of the library square for two days meditating while standing, very atmospheric) to help transport the seeds to a island of the coast of North Carolina with his pregnant daughter Melinda (Joanna Miles, giving a really good performance). Then this eventually leads to a showdown between Carson and Carrot in the New York Subways.
To wrap up this review, this was a great entertaining movie from the 70s that somewhat helped jump start a film genre that still remains today...the post apocalyptic, as well for the martial art post apocalyptic one as well. Rent it then buy it if you like it and hopefully it will be out on DVD in widescreen and with goodies. Also try to find the novelization of this movie, it is one of the better novelization of a movie and goes into detail as well for emotions, fights, the city in general and the nitty gritty. Before I start rambling on again just watch this underrated classic!Peace!
I also recommend Mad Max Trilogy, Steel Dawn, Cyborg, Escape from NY and LA
The story and fight scenes were balanced just right where one didn't over take the other. But anyways here what the story is about. New York 2012, the world has gone down the crapper and a plague as wiped out the food supply. The Baron (Von Sydow) and a couple of survivors developed seeds that are resistant against the plague. But Carrot (Smith, just a cool baddie) and his boys are causing some havoc of sorts and the Baron enlist the help of "the Ultimate Warrior" Carson (Brynner, in the first minutes of the film is shown standing in front of the library square for two days meditating while standing, very atmospheric) to help transport the seeds to a island of the coast of North Carolina with his pregnant daughter Melinda (Joanna Miles, giving a really good performance). Then this eventually leads to a showdown between Carson and Carrot in the New York Subways.
To wrap up this review, this was a great entertaining movie from the 70s that somewhat helped jump start a film genre that still remains today...the post apocalyptic, as well for the martial art post apocalyptic one as well. Rent it then buy it if you like it and hopefully it will be out on DVD in widescreen and with goodies. Also try to find the novelization of this movie, it is one of the better novelization of a movie and goes into detail as well for emotions, fights, the city in general and the nitty gritty. Before I start rambling on again just watch this underrated classic!Peace!
I also recommend Mad Max Trilogy, Steel Dawn, Cyborg, Escape from NY and LA