The Revengers

Indians led by a renegade kill William Holden's family, so he rides from Colorado to Mexico to pick out violent prisoners to lead in a vengeful raid.

This western remake of THE DIRTY DOZEN has some fine performers in its ranks, including Ernest Borgnine (who overacts), Woody Strode, Arthur Hunnicutt and, in her final film role, Susan Hayward sporting an Irish accent. There's a nice bit of writing, involving points that the earlier, better known movie often slides over: here, the violent criminals are not team players. The ending may look like they ran out of money for the production, or as if Holden wanted to get back to drinking in Africa, but it's decently set-up, and there are plenty of explosions.

Cinematographer Gabriel Torres shoots springtime Mexico in a style that suggests the Hudson Valley school of painting as it evolved in the second half of the 20th Century.

Rancher John Benedict's wife and four children are killed one day by Comanche Indians.He needs to revenge for their deaths.He gathers up a posse formed of six prisoners.Their job is to find a man named Tarp, who led the slaughter.The Revengers (1972) is directed by Daniel Mann.There's a great ensemble in this movie.The legendary William Holden plays John Benedict.A legend is also Ernest Borgnine, a living legend, I might add.He plays Hoop.Today this man celebrates his 95th birthday.That's quite an achievement.And he's done about 200 movies in his career.And he's still not thinking of retirement.Way to go, Ernie! The terrific Woody Strode portrays Job.Roger Hanin plays the part of Quiberon.Susan Hayward returned from her voluntary retirement to play Elizabeth Reilly.Arthur Hunnicutt is Free State.Warren Vanders plays Tarp.Larry Pennell is Arny.James Daughton is Morgan.Holden's late son, Scott Holden, plays Lieutenant.I'd say as a western this is underrated.It may not reach the level of The Wild Bunch, but there still are some likable qualities in this movie.It's a manly movie, but those moments between Bill Holden and Susan Hayward are filled with sweetness and tenderness.And those manly scenes also work, the bloody battle scenes.Watch this movie and have your own opinion of it.But I liked it pretty much.

Mediocre Western with a relentless revenger , William Holden , post-¨Wild Bunch¨. The rancher named John Benedict (William Holden) goes back his ranch when he meets his family has been slaughtered by a gang of marauding Comancheros and his farm is devastated . Holden is decided to take a group of prisoners and strike a blow against the Comancheros bandits . He goes to a Territorial Prison where he gets a gang of misfit thieves, and other mean convicts . As he assembles a band of outlaws prisoners to act as his posse as they chase the bunch responsible for the deaths of his loved ones . The misfit group is formed by lawless of various countries as a French (Roger Hanin), German (Reinhard Kolldehoff), Mexican (Jorge Hoyos) , a mestizo (Jorge Luke) , an ex-slave ( Woody Strode ) and of course the Yankees (played by William Holden and Ernest Borgnine ), but the men came too late and stayed too long . After that , they go across Mexican territory , being led by Benedict and his ragtag team . At the ending the Wild Bunch makes a violent stand against Indians who besiege a northern fort.

This average Western packs lots of action, shootouts, and explosive violence . Taut excitement throughout, beautifully photographed and with spectacular bloodletting but lousy realized with flaws and gaps . William Holden is good as peaceful rancher who turns apart , becoming two-fisted avenger. As Holden is nice as the older gunfighters with their own ethic codes . Furthermore, fine secondaries as Arthur Hunnicutt , Woody Strode , an excessive acting of Ernest Borgnine and Susan Hayward in her last film gives one of the best performances as spinster who falls in love with Holden in some silly love scenes . The story is exactly like ¨The magnificent seven ride ¡ by George McCowan¨ in which the starring, Lee Van Cleef-a Holden lookalike role, after massacred his family enlists convicts in ¨Dirty dozen¨ style with customary outlaws band formed by an eclectic group ; adding brief touches Spaghetti Western with usual theme as 'Vengeance' as leitmotif . The film gets action Western, exciting go riding , shoot outs, it's entertaining , although nothing new but displays a bad pace . The movie contains some moment of grisly violence and even touching on the relationships between the inmates . Colorful cinematography filmed in Mexico by Gabriel Torres Estudios Churubusco Azteca, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico (studio) and on location in Lagunas de Zempoala, Morelos, Parral, Chihuahua, Torreón, Coahuíla,Tres Marias, Morelos,Viesca, Coahuíla. Atmospheric musical score fitting to action Wesstern by Pino Calvi. The motion picture is regularly directed by Daniel Mann , an expert on dramas as ¨Come back little Seba , Rose Tattoo , Last hungry man ¨, but no in Western genre. Recently restored and reissued with perfect remastering is agreeable seeing for spectacular Mexican outdoors. Rating : 5, 5 , passable.

At first glance this would seem to be just another violent western of the same class as "The Wild Bunch". Look more deeply into the characters and you will find several interesting changes over the course of the movie. Each character shows a human and sometimes frail side that belies the hard person that they have become.

Elements of "The Revengers" are very familiar, though the overall package is reasonably original and engaging.

The story begins with the writer telegraphing what will soon happen. After all, John Benedict (William Holden) is deliriously happy as he returns home to his family on their ranch. You just KNOW something bad will soon happen...and it does. While John is at another part of the property, bandits arrive and massacre his wife, his four kids and a friend. Soon John vows to spend his remaining days looking for the scum who murdered these innocent souls...and it soon becomes an obsession, like Gregory Peck's character in "The Bravados".

To get revenge, however, Benedict cannot go off half-cocked. After all, a gang of bandits and renegade Indians did this, and it's not like he alone can take on these thugs. So, much like "The Professionals", Benedict goes to round up expert killers to help in his quest...and settles on prisoners ("The Dirty Dozen"). But it won't be easy...these men ARE killers and sociopaths! What's next? See the film.

There are a few minor problems with the film, such as how quickly and easily the hired killers seem to reform and buy in to Benedict's quest. Also, the kill ratio seems to be about 100:1 in the film....as he and his men seem more like Terminators due to their abilities to defeat other hardened criminals with apparent ease! But still, it is entertaining and well done....and you get a chance to see Susan Hayward in her final film, as cancer would claim her only a bit after doing this movie.