Review of The Wild Bunch (1969) by Craig T — 07 Aug 2011

Every once in a long while you hear about a picture that is off the charts, spectacular. Sam Peckinpah's masterpiece western is just that, and has lived up to the reputation for one of the best westerns ever made. The Wild Bunch is raw and explosive. It contains fine performances paired with expert direction all while taking in the glory of its surroundings. The cast seem to be actually living in the movie and that only adds to the thrilling experience. For the second time this year, I saw a film and it immediately became a TOP 100 favorite. The Tree of Life released this year which I saw in a Dallas theater, and this classic I saw on my own couch theater via Netflix. Peckinpah's vision and execution are brilliant and the rewards for watching it are priceless.

The Wild Bunch, a group of calculated outlaws led by William Holden, take aim at robbing a railroad office and are being set up by a retired member (Robert Ryan) and the authorities. The gang goes through with the robbery and have to shoot their way to escape (losing many members along the way in a breathtaking shootout). The railroad pushes Ryan and his crew after Holden and the bunch. Along the way, the bunch get an offer to rob a train containing an arsenal for a Mexican general. Between the general, Ryan hot on their tail, the soldiers on the train, the army, and the boiling tempers internally, it is time bomb waiting to go off the entire length of the film. This is all a rare experience and words cannot summon the adrenaline or style that is represented here. It's all Peckinpah! It's all shotguns and 45's! It's all engrossing excitement!

Some of my favorite westerns are done with a certain degree of "class" that came from the age in which they made. Along with this "class", I feel that some amount of violence or hostility is restrained or limited so to not offend. That is not the case with The Wild Bunch, it unleashes its full range of ferocity and brutality. It is a certified fearless film. Having said that, it is not a torturous picture and does not need to be endured. At almost 2.5 hours, there is plenty of time and space between the in initial shoot out (which is awe inspiring) and the final blow out in Mexico (sets the bar even higher). The pace of the picture weighs heavily on Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Warren Oats, Ben Johnson, and Ryan who all give their best here and that is also what sets this story apart from the others in its genre. There is no reliance solely on one or two performances, the grand direction, or on the striking visuals. The project runs like a fine tuned machine in perfect symmetry. It has the time and space to allow so many characters to grow and as we get to know them more, we care more, and we want to see them succeed. These are the bad guys, and we are rooting for them; not too many westerns (or any other genre) can we say that about. Pound for pound, one of the very finest westerns I've seen and is an overall competent masterpiece for the ages. (A+).