The Wild Bunch - Restored Director's Cut

Rating:
Summary: My choice for the "Greatest American Film of All Time."
Review: I first viewed "The Wild Bunch" in a film criticism course sometime in the early Seventies. It seemed the prof knew Peckingpah from various interviews he had done with him in his then role as Editor-in-chief of "Film Heritage" magazine. Sam was good enough to furnish him with a copy of "his version" of the film which differed appreciably from that originally released theatrically. My Goodness!! The film was absolutely stunning from beginning to end - with the last 45 minutes or so possibly ranking as the most memorable film denouement ever shot. I've recommended the film to various friends, relatives, and aquantances throughout the intervening years and, to a man - and I say "man" because, with the possible exception of "Goldfinger" no other film matches its ability to clear the room of women - all have found it similarly riveting. Peckingpah's ability to deftly convey the growing sense of "honor among thieves" that ultimately contributes to the Bunch's bloody demise makes the almost Good Friday-like ending all the more poignant. And the "Last Laugh", WOW!! Wiser people than I have long dealt with the film's many intriguing moral and/or ethical ambiguities and its "excessive" violence - which pales in comparison to today's hackneyed and largely pointless offerings that almost roboticaly spew forth from the likes Tarantino, Woo, and DePalma etc... So I'll only add that they don't make 'em like they used to and that if you haven't as yet seen this film by all means do so!!!

Rating:
Summary: A true guy flick all the way!
Review: 30 years and still going strong; The Wild Bunch is everything most westerns want to be when they grow up. Great story and characters, superb casting, and one of the better examples of cinematography in a gritty format. If you're put off by the genre or graphic violence on film, don't even bother. But if you're in the mood for a good action movie with a once-in-a-lifetime cast, then this one's for you. A classic by any standard. Best watched with a bottle or two of Mexican beer, and a few good friends who also share your views about guy flicks.

Rating:
Summary: The Western by which all others are judged
Review: This is a masterpiece. The slow motion gun battle at the end, where the gang kills the whole Mexican army, set the standard for all future shoot outs. The blurring of good and evil, the gang and the railroad bounty hunters, the Mexican army and the rebel army, pre-dates Clint's "Unforgiven" storyline.

Rating:
Summary: This is the greatest western movie ever made
Review: Quite simply, do yourself a favor and watch this movie,not only because it is the finest western ever made, but because it is a great movie. The scene of the Bunch's walk to their final death is, in ever sense, classic. No western, except THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES, has come close to this movie. Honor and loyalty have never been better stated. This is one movie worth seening despite the violent overtones.

Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece
Review: One of the ten-best and most important motion pictures ever made

Rating:
Summary: This is the greatest western.
Review: After 'Network' this is William Holden's greatest role and the best movie western ever. From the opening bank robbery in the town of Starbuck to the elegaic final shootout, as a eulogy to the "Old West" this movie has it all. They are outlaws, sure, and we are supposed to not like the bad guy, but with the railroad and the 20th century are crowding in on them, they have nowhere to go. Perfect.

Rating:
Summary: THE MANLIEST MOVIE EVER MADE
Review: I'm twenty three years old and I wasn't around when this film was made and in fact had never heard of it until one day I was talking movies with my father and he said, "You wanna see a manly movie- see The Wild Bunch." I waved him off because first of all I don't dig westerns (never really gave them a shot to be honest) and for some ridiculous reason I'm skeptical of any movie made before 1970. Well, I was in the video store wandering around like a moron as usual and I said to myself what the hell. By God from the first scene (Close up of ants devouring a scorpion while a bunch of dusty mexican kids poke at it with a stick) I was captivated. Testosterone pumps through every frame of this film at a madman's pace. And I found the notion of some old fashioned outlaws finding themselves getting left behind at the turn of the century provided some melancholy counterbalance. The final scene (the four of them marching side by side into certain death) is classic. Good God what a movie!

Rating:
Summary: Probably the best western ever made!
Review: Saw this movie when it first came out and was mezmerized by the story, the actors, the acting, and the slow-motion scenes of violence. I have watched it over and over, and recently purchased the 30th anniversary director's edition. I'll watch this over and over until I wear it out, then get another copy. There will NEVER be another like "The Wild Bunch".

Rating:
Summary: action packed mayhem
Review: I saw The Wild Bunch for the first time in 1969 and was blown away by it then and I still am 30 years later by the intense action and the great layering of acting shown by all the characters. It is really a story of mean and bad men who are really quite likeable because most everything they try to do ends up being wrong somehow. In the end however they do the right thing the "wild" way in the famous gun battle in the end. If the only time you have seen this movie is on tv, l say don't waste your time watching the butchered version there. I timed the shootout at the end and it lasts 5 minutes compared to the 30 seconds you get in most tv versions. Do yourself a favor and buy this movie. It is truly a "classic".

Rating:
Summary: One of the ten greatest movies of all times
Review: "The Wild Bunch" wasn't only a film forehead its time, if not one of the few reasonable visions about Mexico from Hollywood also. In fact, only "Viva Zapata", "The Seven Magnificents" and this one are saved of the plain and mediocre vision about Mexico in a grat deal of ameican movies. Pekhimpa's film wasn't only forehead for its visual concepts, its sociological background was too. I find this movie more effective now than 1969. That social image is applicable to present mexican situation. Personally, i keep it as one of ten greatest movies of all times.