Django Strikes Again

This film is very interesting. Many people will scoff at it's production values, but when you consider it's era, it's really not that far off from its contemporaries. Many people make the mistake of comparing this movie to the Rambo franchise.

I suppose this is based on the way the Italians chose to market the film (with Nero with a headband and giant veiny muscles). But the more appropriate comparison should be with Arnold Schwartzenegger's "Commando".

In both films, a burly guy trying to forget his violent past has his daughter kidnapped and is forced to kill hundreds of ethnic stereotyped Hispanic folks to get her back. It's even got exploding guard towers and guys getting stabbed in Arnie "stick around!" style!!!

It strange that they make a offical sequel 15+ years later, but this time Franco Nero teams up with TOP LINE director Ted Archer in a so-so sequel. Intresting supporting cast like the late Christopher Connelly, Donald Plesance, and Andy Sidaris regular Obreigon. It's worth a look, and I noticed the film finally came out on video after 12 years. I had to get a copy from Japanese video just to see it. Recommended to Nero fans.

Following the release of Sergio Corbucci's "Django" in 1966, there were a number of movies that had Django in the title but had nothing to do with the original movie. But now comes an authentic sequel, with Franco Nero reprising the role of the crime-fighting westerner. Set many years after the original, "Django 2: il grande ritorno" -- "Django Strikes Back" in English -- has the title character now living in a monastery. But when a rogue general (Christopher Connelly) arrives and starts making trouble, Django digs up his buried machine gun and takes charge. And he's ten times badder than in the first movie! Admittedly, there was a lot of silly stuff in the movie. For starters, many of the Mexicans have accents and lines that appear to be based on Speedy Gonzales. But in the grand scheme of things, this is a truly fun movie! And I get the feeling that they had fun making it. Quentin Tarantino is apparently planning another Django movie. I'll be eager to see that one.

A woman comes to a monastery and tells Django (Franco Nero), who became a monk many years ago, that he has a daughter in San Vicente that was kidnapped by the evil and cruel 'El Diablo' Orlowsky (Christopher Connelly), a former Hungarian soldier that uses his battleship to abduct men and boys to work as slaves in his silver mines and girls to be sold to brothels. Django follows his ship, but is captured and sent to labor work. He escapes with the support of the etymologist Professor Gunn (Donald Pleasance) and promises to return to rescues all the slaves. He goes to a cemetery where he digs his machine gun, preserved in a coffin buried under a tomb with the name "Django". He brings hell to Earth chasing Orlowsky and his gang.

"Django 2: Il Grande Ritorno" is the sequel of 1966 "Django" and is underrated in IMDb. The violent story is great and has some of excellent sequences, such as when Django is in the cemetery digging his machine gun; or when he schedules the undertaker to a future work; or riding the funeral stagecoach with the machine gun on the back. Christopher Connelly, in his last work, makes an excellent villain. Western is not my favorite genre, but I liked this movie a lot. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Django - A Volta do Vingador" ("Django – The Returno of the Avenger")

I really was happy to see Franco Nero reprise his role as Django 20 years after the original. The opening scene is fantastic.. But then it also kind of hypes you up to the dark carnage of the original.. Not so.. Django is a monk now.. Trying to avoid his murderous ways of the passed. Can he do it? I liked this movie. I didn't expect or want a rehashed Django.. They did seem to avoid that and it made for a good story. The famous machine gun makes a comeback as well, of course. The 1st movie was so dark.. This one isn't really but it does carry some from the original. I still can't believe he had any hands left after the beating he got in the 1st Django.. If you are a Django fan you should check this out for sure. Right now there is a double dvd with both the original & Django Strikes Again housed in one case and it usually runs around $11-12 which is a great deal. Worth watching! A good continuation of one of the great western characters.