Director – Enzo G. Castellari (1990: Bronx Warriors)
Starring – Giancarlo Prete (Escape from the Bronx), Fred Williamson (From Dusk Till Dawn), and George Eastman (Sexy Nights of the Living Dead)
Release Date – 1983
Rating – 3/5
Tagline – “In the wasteland…only the strong survive”
The 1980s saw the release of so many amazing post-apocalyptic films that immediately became hits. Films like Escape from New York, Mad Max, The Road Warrior and in 1982 1990: Bronx Warriors was release by director Enzo G. Castellari. The film was a mash-up of Escape from New York and 1979 classic The Warriors.
The film went on to be a hit and Enzo soon followed that film up with another post-apocalyptic The New Barbarians which was known in the U.S. as Warriors of the Wasteland. The film was meant to split up 1990: Bronx Warriors and it’s sequel Escape from the Bronx. The film has nothing to do with the two and featured a completely story line along with some the cast used in 1990. The film was recently released on blu by the amazing Blue Underground. They were kind enough to send over a review copy of the film. Thanks guys!
**Spoiler Alert**The film takes place in the year 2019 and the world has been ravaged by a nuclear war. Humanity is on the brink of extinction and what few remaining settlements are out there is being hunted down by the cult known as The Templars who believe that mankind needs to be eradicated. Standing in their way is a former Templar named Scorpion (Prete) and his friend Nadir (Williamson) who must stop them from killing a group of Christians who believe God will one day save them.**Spoiler Alert**
These three films from Enzo G. Castellari are ones that I had never seen before but have been on my list to check out for years. The New Barbarians was one that I really wanted to check out the most and when the Blue Underground blus arrived I tossed it in first. Now, after watching all three I have to say that this film is the weakest of the three but still well worth the watch.
The acting in this one is campy to say the least. The characters are so full of themselves that it puts the viewer in mind of a Chuck Norris flick or Walker, Texas Ranger. This campy, over-dramatic characters are leveled out with characters that are goofy on screen and fun to watch. In the middle of all this we have Williamson who is always smooth regardless of the situation. He makes every scene he is in fun but skips on most of the action opting to stand out of the way to shoot his bow. This was a very big let down for me after growing up watching him brawl in almost every film he is in.
The story for this one is nothing new nor does it try to set itself apart from the other films like it. The film follows the world has ended and we need to rebuild it while defending ourselves story that has been played out even by 1983. However, the film does pull the viewer in with the Templar angle and the type of characters we do get. It is not Mad Max or The Road Warriorbut it is fun.
Also, the film has tons of deaths with most of them exploding. It has some high octane kills but the practical effects are hit or miss. The film uses a lot of explosions and they obviously use dummies for this and it is clearly visible. This cheapens the gag and makes it laughable at best. The film does offer up some great skeletons and other practical effects but not all are on the same level.
Finally, this release from Blue Underground has several fantastic special features. The film has been remastered and has commentary with Enzo G. Castellari, Conversations with Castellari and Fabrizio De Angelis part 2, interviewer with Fred Williamson, trailers, and poster and still gallery. Overall, The New Barbarians from Blue Underground is the perfect release for those looking for 80s post-apocalyptic action. The film is a great companion piece for any of the classics I mentioned earlier and this great release from Blue Underground deserves a spot in your collection. Check it out!
