Review of The Wild Bunch (1969) by Grant S — 15 Feb 2014
A raw classic. The Sam Peckinpah masterpiece that effectively changed the way westerns, and action movies, were made. Set the trend for graphic (but necessary for the plot) violence and gritty, edgy storylines.
Also one of the first movies to blur the lines between good guys and bad guys - which was which? Were there any good guys?
You can see the influence of this movie in much of the work of many modern-day directors, especially Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino.
Great direction by Sam Peckinpah. The opening and closing action scenes are among the greatest action sequences in cinematic history.
Good performance by William Holden plus decent support from a host of actors.
Not perfect though. Plot is not entirely watertight. Some scenes seem unnecessary and the movie loses focus from time to time.
Production values are a bit lacking at times, making the movie feel rough around the edges. Some of this helps, giving the movie a gritty, unpolished feel. However, some degree of polish is required, I feel.
Still, every bit the classic.
This review of The Wild Bunch (1969) was written by Grant S on 15 Feb 2014.
The Wild Bunch has generally received very positive reviews.
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