The Ultimate Warrior (1975)

Atomic holocaust is not the only plague that threatens our future. New York City, 2012 A.D.: In a devastated world, one tired man finds a reason to fight.

Director:

Robert Clouse

Writer:

Robert Clouse

Stars:

Yul Brynner, Max von Sydow, Joanna Miles

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Yul Brynner	...	Carson
Max von Sydow	...	Baron
Joanna Miles	...	Melinda
William Smith	...	Carrot
Richard Kelton	...	Cal
Stephen McHattie	...	Robert
Darrell Zwerling	...	Silas
Lane Bradbury	...	Barrie
Nate Esformes	...	Garon
Mel Novak	...	Lippert
Mickey Caruso	...	B. Harkness
Gary Johnson	...	L. Harkness
Susan Keener	...	Angry Woman
Stevie Myers	...	Ice House Woman
Fred Slyter	...	Store Room Clerk

Storyline

Only a few people still live in New York in 2012. They are organized in gangs with their own turf. One of them is led by Baron, another one by Carrot, and they are constantly at war with each other. Baron's gang is more peaceful and have developed seeds that can germinate despite the nuclear fallout. The lone ranger Carson is hired by Bishop for protection.

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Plot Keywords:

gang | seed | new york city | plague | turf | 

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Taglines:

A Film of the Future

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Genres:

Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

June 1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Barony

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

'Max Von Sydow', who plays Joanna Miles' father in the film, is only eleven years older than her in reality.

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Quotes

Carrot: We will both go to hell, you and me!

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Connections

Referenced in Hannibal (2001)

User Reviews

William Smith won't be good for your eyes here...

...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.