Chris Adams (Lee Van Cleef) is now a Marshall in the Arizona Territory. Arrila (Mariette Hartley) is his young new wife. He refuses his old friend Jim Mackay who is defending a border town from Mexican bandit leader De Toro. He submits to Arrila and releases young thief Shelly Donavan. Shelly repays him by robbing a bank with his friends, shooting Chris, and kidnapping Arrila. They rape and kill her. Chris pursues Shelly to Mexico with help from friend Noah Forbes. On the way, he once again encounters Jim Mackay with his villagers and yet again refuses to join him. To his horror, Shelly had helped De Toro in ambushing Jim Mackay's villagers. The village is left helpless with only women and children. Laurie Gunn (Stefanie Powers) and the other women have already been brutalized. With no horses and no hope for help, the villagers are trapped. He returns to Arizona to recruit five prisoners in exchange for pardons.
This is the 3rd and last sequel to the Magnificent Seven. I don't buy Chris Adams as the law. I don't buy a lot about this although there is everything to buy about Lee Van Cleef. He is a superior Chris Adams to either earlier versions. He is just great. I really didn't buy it at the prison. I agree with the sentiment that the prisoners would simply kill Chris as soon as they are close to the border. I do like Chris convincing them to attack De Toro's compound but then I don't buy them letting that prisoner go. As soon as Chris starts listing their names, somebody should have killed the prisoner. Chris should write a letter to De Toro doing the same thing and give the letter to the prisoner. Once the prisoner leaves, Chris can then tell the men about the letter and they would be forced to follow him. The writing is just not that smart.
Other problems include lining up the women to be picked. It's a bit sexist but more importantly, it detracts from building possible romantic chemistry. The battle in the desert seems compelling on its surface but it doesn't really make sense. It's fun action but they need elevation. As defenders, they should be fighting from the higher vantage point and there is no exposition on why the bandits have to travel that path. It seems more reasonable to fortify the town. That's the frustration with this movie. The basic premise works to some extend but the details are wrong all over the place and that is frustrating to watch.
This is the 3rd and last sequel to the Magnificent Seven. I don't buy Chris Adams as the law. I don't buy a lot about this although there is everything to buy about Lee Van Cleef. He is a superior Chris Adams to either earlier versions. He is just great. I really didn't buy it at the prison. I agree with the sentiment that the prisoners would simply kill Chris as soon as they are close to the border. I do like Chris convincing them to attack De Toro's compound but then I don't buy them letting that prisoner go. As soon as Chris starts listing their names, somebody should have killed the prisoner. Chris should write a letter to De Toro doing the same thing and give the letter to the prisoner. Once the prisoner leaves, Chris can then tell the men about the letter and they would be forced to follow him. The writing is just not that smart.
Other problems include lining up the women to be picked. It's a bit sexist but more importantly, it detracts from building possible romantic chemistry. The battle in the desert seems compelling on its surface but it doesn't really make sense. It's fun action but they need elevation. As defenders, they should be fighting from the higher vantage point and there is no exposition on why the bandits have to travel that path. It seems more reasonable to fortify the town. That's the frustration with this movie. The basic premise works to some extend but the details are wrong all over the place and that is frustrating to watch.