Who are The Warriors? Initially received as a box office failure, The Warriors is a 1979 action flick, based on a Sol Yurrick novel of the same name. It centers around a Coney Island gang known as The Warriors framed for the murder of Cyrus, the respected leader of a gang-run New York who aimed to unify all gangs through a truce after pointing out they easily outnumber the state’s police force. As a hit is placed on the gang, all hell breaks loose. They try to scramble their way back to their turf while evading capture from cops and other gangs running on their trail. 

Upon release, the film had poor reviews and stirred trouble in the US as some theaters had fights break out during its screenings. Concerned citizens criticized the movie for romanticizing gang violence, although it seems rather tame against today’s standards. As the years went by, more people started to come across it and it achieved the cult classic status. Now, The Warriors return, this time as a concept musical by notable playwrights Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis. 

Right off the bat, one main difference of the album from the movie is the gender-swapped roles of the main cast. While the change is minimal, it adds a different tone from the original story but still manages to stay faithful. From the first track, many might jump to the quick conclusion that this project is in the works to becoming the next Hamilton as it starts strong with performances from notable rappers like Nas, Ghostface Killah, RZA, and Busta Rhymes. Lauryn Hill makes a rare appearance, taking on the role of Cyrus and performing a songified version of the film’s speech. There’s a sudden tonal shift once their escape begins, with “Leave the Bronx Alive” marking the start by channeling the Latino energy of Lin-Manuel’s earlier work, In the Heights. Moving forward, tracks start to have unique sounds that borrow heavily from grunge, emo rock, heavy metal, reggae, and even K-pop. Though the sudden genre shifts might be jarring for some, it helps differentiate the style of each gang as the film did so through each gang’s fashion choices.

Overall, the album does a great job as a faithful adaptation while adding relevant changes to fit modern standards. Each cast member delivered electric performances and painted a vivid picture of the stakes at hand. Lin-Manuel and Eisa clearly had fun working around each character and fleshing out their stories. Though the duo have no concrete plans of bringing the concept project all the way to Broadway, it’s exciting to see this new take bring in more fans and introduce the cult classic to folks 45 years after its original theatrical run. Here’s hoping we can see The Warriors come out to play on the stage in time for the film’s 50th anniversary in 2029.