buttonwillow

This is a fine film -- don't let the critics keep you away. It's true that Russell Crowe will forever be linked with his Gladiator character (just as Al Pacino will forever be linked with Michael Corleone) so it takes a bit of mental adjustment to accept him in a role like this, but he absolutely nails it down. The rich cast of supporting actors is equally fine in roles that are colorful but never campy. My highest praise goes to director Ridley Scott. There is a great look and feel to this film that sets it above every other film in this genre. It manages the nearly impossible trick of feeling snappy and relaxed all at once. If this film falls short of expectations in theaters, it will have a long, popular life as a DVD. It is the sort of film I can watch again and again.

Stuart Whitman is the glue that holds this thing together. It's a rather loose storyline about an international jewel thief and his compadres who get wrapped up in the concerns of a small peasant village. The beginning seems overly long and a bit confusing -- in part because the sound quality of the VHS tape I acquired wasn't very good. Once they get to the village, events play out in a manner that is more predictable than not, but I wasn't bored. The two women in the film, Elke and the beautiful Iranian actress, really hold their own with this group of rugged men, who take it upon themselves to protect the village from a gang of bandits led by Jim Mitchum. Very few movies from the 1960s ever approach vintage. I doubt this one will because it feels like it was made "on the cheap," but the actors are better than their material so it's worth a look.

If action is your genre, this film won't disappoint. The story never sags as it follows its band of mercenaries through a mine field of shifting loyalties and enemies. This movie has great visuals throughout and a solid ensemble cast led by Peter Fonda. Characterization is minimal, which is typical with this type of story, but the actors do a good job of keeping it real. The female love interest is especially good in her role as the nurse who risks her own life to defend the tribe. While it's true that nothing in this film stands out as truly memorable, it is definitely one of the better, older action films I've come across. If you're in the mood for something literary, skip it, this is pure pulp, but it's entertaining and delivers the goods the genre demands.