Review of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) by Wayne K — 20 Sep 2015
An oft-referenced movie when the word 'classic' is mentioned, and yet another such film in which I really can't see the appeal. Potentially it could have been wonderful, a cat and mouse game involving 3 men, all seeking a hidden treasure in a war-torn country while coming across many memorable conflicts along the way.
Some scenes are very remarkable, particularly the now legendary Mexican standoff at the climax, a masterwork of camera positioning, timing, tension and the trio of varying facial expressions, it's by far the greatest moment in the entire flick.
The thing that lets the movie down most is its pacing. At times it is unforgivably slow, and rather than heightening any kind of suspense or atmosphere it just pads the runtime, as do several completely unnecessary scenes that are almost self-aware in their padding ability.
We see far too little of the 'Bad' character, spending most of it with the 'Ugly', an individual who swings sporadically between put-upon victim and obnoxious comic relief. The musical score is, admittedly, fantastic, and Clint Eastwood is entertaining as the 'Good', but often understates his performance to the point that he may as well be replaced with a mannequin.
The end comes about an hour too late, and when it finally arrives you'll be forced to ask yourself if you've just wasted your time completely. For me, the answer was a regrettable 'yes.'.
This review of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) was written by Wayne K on 20 Sep 2015.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly has generally received very positive reviews.
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