Sunday Matinee #158 The Warriors
R-Rated Movie Club reeaaadeeers... come out to reeaaad...
Been a while, hope you’re well. Life is tough, and I needed to write, so here we are. Hoping to regain rhythm and you always have my gratitude, thank you. -nm
The Warriors | 1979
IMDb | Letterboxd | RRMC
Context: After a terrifying night of survival, the remnants of the Warriors gang are confronted by Luther (David Patrick Kelly), leader of the Rogues. He killed Cyrus, leader of the Gramercy Riffs, and framed the Warriors. Now, the last few Warriors are cornered by the gangs out to get them. Luther pulls up in a car, clinking beer bottles, taunting them.
Luther: Warriors… come out to play-aaay… Warriorrrsss… Come out to play-aaayyy… Warriorrrssss… Come out to play-eee-aaaaayyy… Warriors… Come out to PLAAAAAYYY… Warriors… Come out to play-eee-aaaaayyy!!!
John 1:29-42 | EnterTheBible.org
Second Sunday after Epiphany | 01.18.2026
Context: Jesus begins his public ministry by gathering disciples. Here in the Gospel of John, he welcomes the first of his disciples to follow him.
35 The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples [including Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother], 36 and as he watched Jesus walk by he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon.
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Commentary:
Protection. Siblinghood. Survival.
I won’t pretend to be an expert on gangs, and I definitely won’t say The Warriors is a true-to-life depiction of street gang life. But it does appear that most gangs form around those three elements. If you’re with a group, you’re well-protected from others. If you’re with a gang, you’ve got automatic siblings who care about you. If you’re with a gang, you’ll survive whatever life throws at you.
Or, in the case of this scene, whatever life clinks at you with bottles with wide eyes and a creeeeepy song.
Everyone in the Warriors gang felt a call to join up long before we get to the movie. We meet all of the rival gangs nearly right away, and when Luther betrays all of the gangs and blames it on the Warriors, the rest of the film truly tests their togetherness in a race for survival. They fight, they escape. They fight again, they escape again. Well, not all of them. They lose siblings along the way from the Bronx to their home turf on Coney Island, unable to protect one another from the likes of the Rogues, Gramercy Riffs, Baseball Furies, Lizzies, Punks, Boppers, and Ding Dongs. One of those may be a delicious dessert instead of a gang, it’s hard to say.
The Warriors are trying to make peace. They, like the rest of the gangs, were convened to step out of a larger world of hate and end their destructive conflict. The call is a bit threatening, and it’s disrupted by murder. Nevertheless, that call recognizes identity, values companionship, and says there’s a greater good than the bad their world has become. Yes, I’m giving street toughs like The Warriors the benefit of the doubt because I believe in second chances. Even a gang known for violence can make a turn.
Protection. Siblinghood. Survival.
Put those three words for the Warriors gang into a description of the gang of twelve disciples who Jesus calls together. Through his teachings, they learn to protect others. They experience siblinghood with each other. They found a way for the movement to resurrect and survive. They weren’t always perfect at it. In fact, they were rarely perfect at it. But they were together. That can make all the difference.
I’m a huge fan of Jesus telling these new disciples, “Come and see.” I read it less a command and more of an invitation. Ever wonder if your life could be more? Come and see. Isn’t it time someone stood up for those suffering injustice? Come and see. What can happen when good people work together to do the right things for the right reasons? Come and see.
Jesus rallies his gang for peace. Like Cyrus in The Warriors, he’s assassinated, though his cause is more noble than deciding who rules the five boroughs.
Again, street gangs? Never been there. But as for friend groups, I’ve had my fair share over the years. Sometimes, we came together over a common interest or a common goal such as in the workplace. The friend groups which have lasted the longest and endured the toughest stuff and dug the deepest? It’s the groups who know and demonstrate the value of mutual protection, siblinghood, and survival. No one should be alone. Jesus knew it, the Warriors knew it, my best friend groups knew it, and deep down you know it, too, Dear Reader.
Even when we know that with all of our hearts, sometimes we still need to hear the invitation: “Come and see.”
Who is in your gang? Who is all about mutual protection, siblinghood, and not just survival but thriving with dignity? Who are the gangs calling out with lies to make your heart ice-cold and defy the desire of God? How does your mutual protection gang stand up against those other icy gangs in safe and heart-changing ways? Why is this the time to “come and see” the good of God in the world when we stand strong against cruelty? This is not a paragraph about The Warriors.
Blessings to you all, Dear Reader. Thanks for reading my silly little movie Bible blog in tough times. Sometimes, it’s the little things. Appreciate you.
Been a while, hope you’re well.
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Glad you’re here today, Dear Reader. God’s peace and good movies to you!