At the beginning of the 1913 Mexican Revolution, greedy bandit Juan Miranda and idealist John H. Mallory, an Irish Republican Army explosives expert on the lam from the British, fall in with a band of revolutionaries plotting to strike a national bank. When it turns out that the government has been using the bank as a hiding place for illegally detained political prisoners -- who are freed by the blast -- Miranda becomes a revolutionary hero against his will.
A marvelous sense of detail and spectacular effects -- good fun all the way.
– Don Druker,
Chicago Reader,
1 Jan 2000
fresh:
The combination of Leone's obsessive close-ups, Ennio Morricone's melodious music, and the comradely chemistry of Coburn and Steiger ignite an emotional explosion comparable to that of Once Upon a Time in the West.
– Andrew Sarris,
New York Observer,
17 Jan 2003
fresh:
The new print is good, and the 20 restored minutes are choice.
– J. Hoberman,
Village Voice,
18 Nov 2003
fresh:
Features one of the most glorious and unforgettable scores by Leone's composer, Ennio Morricone.
– Elvis Mitchell,
New York Times,
20 Nov 2003
rotten:
The idiosyncrasies are there, all right, but they have never seemed less interesting.