Seen: July 4th, 2007
Format: DVD
Rating: 9
If you're looking for a western, this may not be your cup of tea. While it is a western, it's so much more that you may find the western part of it getting lost in the mix. This film is about so much more than bandits, robberies and shootouts. Sure there's gun play aplenty, all in Peckinpah's hyper realistic style, but the real substance runs much deeper.
There seems to be two main themes here. The first is change. The film tales place after the turn of the century. The world is making the transition from the west we've seen in a hundred (or more) films to one that is a recognizable version of the one we live in today. The Military is playing a larger and more well organized role. Towns are becoming cities. Technology is bringing the automobile and automatic weapons. Transportation and communication are becoming more sophisticated. Global political influences are beginning to play a part in North America.
In the midst of this change, our protagonists are aging. The world they've lived in and ravaged over the years is changing and leaving them behind. They methods are becoming obsolete. They have to be very creative in their jobs, simple smash and grabs aren't effective any longer. They have more and more trouble making a decent haul despite their new tactics.
All this sets up a very interesting dynamic in the gang. It's interesting to watch them try to adapt, to try to continue to live their lifestyle as the world changes around them.
The second theme is one of honor and deception. From the opening moments of the film, Peckinpah shows us graphically that things are not as they appear to be on the surface. There is no one in this film that is honest. There's no one that isn't working from their own personal agenda, and presenting whatever facade is necessary to accomplish their own objectives.
There is a thin sense of honor among these thieves. The fact that they go back for Angel can have no other explanation. But this may be a mere attempt at redemption. The same men abandoned one of their own for convenience earlier.
The layers of deception run deep, but are scarcely hidden. The distrust that they breed is palpable. With very few exceptions, no one trusts anyone else. Relationships are based primarily on threats, extortion, and outright violence. It's strange how this justified, ubiquitous distrust actually makes dealings civil. To paraphrase Heinlein; "An armed society is a polite society" and the extreme is represented here.
All the analysis aside, The Wild Bunch is a wild ride. The action is fast and furious with Peckipah's signature touch which makes violence more present. There are no cheap deaths here. The plot is multi-faceted as well. There's a lot going on in this film, and while it does settle down at times, the air of impending conflict is never far.
Performances are generally good to great. Holden is superb. I've seen a lot of Borgnine's work recently and am continually surprised. I guess I was brainwashed by McHale's Navy as a kid, as I had trouble imagining him in more serious and demanding roles. Emilio Fernández is great, his performance truly frightening.
I really like the feel of this film. The composition choices are very interesting. This film has over 3600 edits, which is very evident in the fight scenes. This may be the genesis of the frantic "jump-cut" style which is so prevalent today in action films. There's something about Peckinpah's style that makes it less tiring, though.
See this film if you like westerns, action films, or art films. It's a feast for the eyes.
Note: I'm gonna rate this one a 9 because it is a classic but I don't like enough for a 10.
The Good: A stinging portrait of the dying West.
The Bad: Everybody
The Ugly: There's evil aplenty, where's the good?
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