Man, Pride & Vengeance

I was excited to watch this film, a spaghetti western starring Franco Nero, of Django fame. However, this film had little to show for it. It is not a western in the usual sense, but takes place in Spain. It follows the exploits of a solider Hose, who is enthralled with a gypsy woman Carmen, and is led down an increasingly dark path, as he loses rank and privilege, and ends up joining a group of outlaws in the Spanish countryside. They begin to suspect each other of treachery however, and competition over Carmen leads them to conflict. Carmen herself is not always honest, and plays the men off of each other in order to survive.

This movie is full of issues however. The story is weak and muddled. The romance that develops between Carmen and Hose is interesting, but transparent. There were many problems with the story and action that made the movie closer to unwatchable than enjoyable. The action is shot in the dark, and difficult or impossible to view properly. Hose's character is very shallow.

However, there are some interesting points. As I said, the romance that develops between the two leads is interesting. Nero plays his part well, as do most of the actors/actresses. There were some interesting scenes and shots. Carmen's character is also complex and interesting. All in all, this is a bit of a mess. I would say this is a pretty safe "no" if you are looking for a good film. It isn't a complete waste of time however.