The classic Western formula of one being a hunter and the other being a prey turns Solima's film into an odyssey through the spaghetti wild west, where the usual inhabitants of the western are presented in a rather ironic way... Bounty hunter Jonathan Corbett, performed by the maestro Lee Van Cliff, pursues the charismatic Mexican bandit Cuchillo, played by Milian, accused of murder and rape of a twelve-year-old girl. Along the way they meet Mormons, nymphomaniac widows and other curious people.
The longer the chase continues, the stronger Corbett's doubts as to whether he is pursuing the right person. And even before the denouement, the viewer begins to sympathize with Cuchillo - Milian's performance here evokes associations with Eli Wallach's unforgettable Tuco from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
To be honest, Solima's debut spaghetti is pure entertainment, both in essence and in atmosphere. All these small and ambiguous details act only as an ornament to an essentially simple story - and the visual style here is close to Leone's style as far as it can get. This imitation is especially obvious in the scene of the final duel.
However, this is still a solid movie on its' own and a must-watch for all Leone fans who crave for more spaghetti-westerns in the similar manner.
The longer the chase continues, the stronger Corbett's doubts as to whether he is pursuing the right person. And even before the denouement, the viewer begins to sympathize with Cuchillo - Milian's performance here evokes associations with Eli Wallach's unforgettable Tuco from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
To be honest, Solima's debut spaghetti is pure entertainment, both in essence and in atmosphere. All these small and ambiguous details act only as an ornament to an essentially simple story - and the visual style here is close to Leone's style as far as it can get. This imitation is especially obvious in the scene of the final duel.
However, this is still a solid movie on its' own and a must-watch for all Leone fans who crave for more spaghetti-westerns in the similar manner.
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