Compañeros (1970)

Best movie of this year hands down!

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

I like most all Spaghetti Westerns and love most all the "Zapatista" political ones. I think this is my favorite of the lot, though. It's not a fun movie, but it's just so...fun! Only the best, most critical to the genre, can I watch more than once in a six month period and this one I can watch anytime anyone suggests it. I'm not going to go into all the ways it's arguably the best because this would be a very, very long review, but it's not lacking in any department. The underlying politics is thick and serious and contemporary to its time. The cast is...did I say fun...not to mention extremely talented actors doing some of their best work. That theme has to be the ear worm from hell, though not unpleasantly so, for an ear worm. I give this one 10/10.Food pairing: Venison Enchiladas Rojo with Beans and Rice and Negra Modelo

Franco Nero exudes his trademark cool in the role of Swedish arms dealer Yodlaf Peterson, who comes to Mexico during the time of the Mexican revolution. He butts heads with volatile revolutionary El Vasco (Tomas Milian), while arranging a deal with El Vascos' boss General Mongo (Jose Bodalo) to travel to Texas to abduct Mongos' nemesis, the peace-minded political leader Professor Xantos (Fernando Rey). This is done for reasons known only to Yodlaf and Mongo, and El Vasco goes along to keep an eye on Yodlaf, a true scoundrel. When the two of them are able to successfully obtain Prof. Xantos, a marijuana-smoking maniacal gunslinger named John (Jack Palance) relentlessly tracks them down."Companeros" is a beautifully shot widescreen Spaghetti Western done by Sergio Corbucci, who did very fine work in this genre and deserves to be just as well known as the other Sergio. Teaming with Nero again after the classic "Django" and the 1968 film "The Mercenary" ("Companeros" is said to be a companion piece to the latter film), Corbucci tells an intelligent, politically loaded, and compelling tale of men who start questioning their own methodologies and learn what is really important to them. It remains to be seen if the self-serving Yodlaf is actually going to take one side or the other; as we can see at the outset, he's basically motivated by money. The antagonistic relationship between Yodlaf and El Vasco generates some good laughs and makes for fine screen entertainment.Nero and Milian do have very nice chemistry; the latter gives a truly excellent performance. Rey is absolutely wonderful as the kind hearted professor. And the oft grinning Palance is a delightfully wicked villain. Even in the midst of a very male dominated environment, lovely ladies Iris Berben as Lola and Karin Schubert as Zaira do make a strong impression.There's not a lot of action here, but when it comes along it's very violent and hard hitting. Ennio Morricone supplies yet another atmospheric and lovely score.Essential viewing for fans of this genre.Eight out of 10.

In 1968, Sergio Carbucci directed "The Mercenary" (also called "A Hired Gun"). It starred Franco Nero and one of the baddies was played by Jack Palance. And, the story was about an amoral European who comes to Mexico during the civil war to make his fortune--regardless of who he helps. Now, Carbucci does something radically different! Instead, it stars Franco Nero as an amoral European trying to sell arms to folks during the Mexican civil war--and one of the baddies trying to stop him is, gasp, Jack Palance!! Huh?! In other words, Crabucci pretty much made the same film all over again--with a few minor cast changes (such as Tomas Milian cast instead of Tony Musante) and the addition of the Professor character (Fernando Rey). And, like the other film, the plot has a bit of comedy, there's TONS of killing and the film has a decidedly populist bent. Because the film is essentially a re-tread and the music is a bit too repetitive and annoying, I really can't recommend this film unless you are such a huge fan of Italian westerns that you must catch 'em all (sort of like Pokemon, huh?). As for me, I wish I hadn't bothered. I probably should have just watched "The Mercenary" twice...as it was a bit better and more original.

Sergio Corbucci's Vamos a Matar, Compañeros is a Spaghetti Western about a Swedish weapons dealer and a shady mercenary who must smuggle an idealistic professor into Mexico in the midst of a revolution. The movie tries for the epic status of Sergio Leone's The Good, The Bad and The Ugly but falls short by a mile. Where Leone managed to create a poignant, albeit hyper-stylized image of the Old West, Corbucci comes close only in style and fails everywhere else.Compañeros has some of the makings of a classic: a promising (though unoriginal) premise, a fantastic bad guy played by Jack Palance, a stunning supporting actress, and an excellent score by Enio Morricone. The scenery and costume design are also outstanding. But the story is underdeveloped, disjointed and at times ridiculous. Too many flaws get in the way of what could have been a great movie: the overdone moments of unfunny comic relief, the uninspired performances, and the confused political message make for an ultimately superficial caricature of the epic Western.Given its potential, it's a shame that this movie turned out how it did. There's a reason this movie was forgotten, while Leone's films are still talked about.