Review of Walker (1987) by Stuart K — 05 Aug 2013

After Repo Man (1984) and Sid and Nancy (1986) became minor hits, Alex Cox was given the opportunity by Universal Pictures to make whatever he wanted, no questions asked. Cox teamed up with screenwriter Rudy Wurlitzer (Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid (1973)), to make this surreal, other-worldly western, which is one of a kind and absolutely insane, but it says a lot about American invasion.

In 1853, William Walker (Ed Harris), a soldier-of-fortune, is asked by millionaire Cornelius Vanderbilt (Peter Boyle) to go to Nicaragua and overthrow the government down there. He takes 60 mercenaries with him, and the plan is that Vanderbilt can open up a shipping lane in Nicaragua between the Atlantic and Pacific.

However, it all seems to go too well for Walker, as soon as the government is overthrown, Walker finds himself elected as President of Nicaragua. He has a mistress in Doña Yrena (Blanca Guerra), and from 1855 to 1857, became delusional with power, and essentially a brutal dictator, angering Vanderbilt back in America.

When Cox made this film, it was at the height of the Contra War in Nicaragua, around the time America became involved. But, it has some insane yet deliberate anachronisms throughout. Plus, there's a mad supporting cast including Rene Auberjonois, Joe Strummer, Edward Tudor-Pole and Kathy Burke.

Cox never worked in Hollywood again after this.