In the year 2019, after a nuclear war, a ruthless gang called 'The Templars' constantly raid settlers. A former Templar, Scorpion, along with his allies, goes about protecting a small band of religious colonists from being massacred by the Templars.
Director Enzo G. Castellari's The New Barbarians (I nuovi barbari) aka Warriors of the Wasteland, written by Castellari and Tito Carpi, rather than an adventure style Escape from New York (1981) Italian cash-in this falls into the Mad Max 2 (1981) copy-cat category of the early 80s with the focus more on the vehicles.
The cast is what you'd expect, many featuring in this post-apocalyptic sub-genre before. 'Miss Italia' Anna Kanakis (2019: After the Fall of New York) doesn't get much to do as bouffant Alma aside from being rescued. Fred Williamson (1990: Bronx Warriors) as bow carrying explosive arrow firing Nadir is his usual likeable larger than life self. Lead Giancarlo Prete (Escape from the Bronx, Great White) is great as Scorpion even if a little out shined by Williamson. Prete can act, also a a stunt man (and it shows) has not problem with the fights, shootouts and driving. Child actor Giovanni Frezza (The House by the Cemetery) seems thrown in due to there being a feral child in Mad Max 2. Opening miniature model, outlandish costumes and vehicles aside, with Fausto Zuccoli cinematography captures the (unorthodox post nuclear greenery) usually overcast wreckage and muddy wasteland well. While it's not as dark as some of the other Italian post-apocalyptic action films it's certainly tense at times due to it white cladded villains namely Luigi Montefiori (credited as George Eastman) as One, Ennio Girolami as Shadow and Massimo Vanni as mohawk sporting Mako, who all ooze screen presence.
Castellari's and Zuccoli's post-nuclear landscape offers explosions, dirt bike and car chases with deadly gadgets if little more. It's well staged, some stunts look genuinely dangerous. The beat driven score by Goblin's Claudio Simonetti it's catchy, fittingly of the time and works well - even if a little repetitive.
Overall, with see through body armour, M-16 shooting lasers, handguns that fire explosive rounds, it's a must for those who enjoy the low budget Mad Max 2 rip-off films from the 80s.
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