Okay, so I wasn't exactly expecting "Gunslinger's Revenge" to be the next "Unforgiven". But when the artwork of the 3 tough guys in western garb on the front cover grabbed my attention while sorting the the bargain bin at Wal-Mart caught my eye, I was compelled to picked it up, Hmmm, I thought, as I read the blurb on the back, sounds promising.
An aging infamous gunfighter returns home to live in peace with his family and is forced out of retirement by an even deadlier gunfighter who has been on his trail for a year and is itchin for a shoot out to prove who is best .Sounds like something right up my alley and what's more, one of my favorite tough guys, Harvey Keitel was the star. I couldn't pass it up.

Well, as it turns out, this was of course no "Unforgiven", and as a Western lover who never met a Western I didn't like in some way(if nothing else, the scenery and sound of the horses galloping always get to me), I think I can honestly say, this one was terrible. It may possibly be the worst Western I have ever seen.

A young "half-breed"(as he calls himself) boy is the light of his Indian Mom and White Dad's life.We see the story unfold from his eyes. The little town they live in has it's share of quirky characters, and live not far from from reservation with the boys maternal family. Dad is the town "Doc" and seems to be the peacemaker of all quarrels. When two guys argue in the middle of town and threaten to take each other out, Doc steps in the middle(literally) and all is forgiven. But when Doc's father returns to town after a twenty year absence, he turns their lives upside down.

Johnny Lowen(Keitel) was an infamous gunfighter. None tougher or faster on the draw. But he is through with the life of a killer and wants to come home to the homestead where he was born and live a peaceful life with his son and family.But with him he brings trouble.When Jack Sikora, an even deadlier gunfighter-due to the fact that he is not only good with a gun, but a "psycho" as well- comes looking for Lowen for one last gunfight, Lowen's family and the entire town are put in danger. Live's are being lost as Sikora taunts Lowen out of retirement and eventually Sikora has found a way to get Lowen to strap his gun belt back on.

This movie was filmed as if someone was trying to resurrect the old spaghetti western genre, and just failed miserably. It should be left in peace and in all the glory it had in the 60's and 70's. The good guys, (including our anti-hero wanna-be Keitel)with the possible execption of Doc's slightly touched sidekick and his wife, were the biggest bunch of wimps ever to set foot in the old west. The only time Keitel ever even used his gun was to shoot bottles off a fence post. The only one who show an ounce of spirit and courage was the boy's mom. Doc who was born in the west, spoke like he just graduated from some eastern finishing school. The acting was pitiful,dialogue awful,the action slow, painful and boring. I also expected more of a storyline for the Indians, who were merely kept informed of the events, and predicted what the "spirits" would do.

I would have expected one of my all time favorite tough guys, Harvey Keitel, to save this horrible film, as I have never seen a movie that had him in it that I didn't enjoy. But really the only meaty role and really good acting came from David Bowie, who was truly a scary psycho surrounded by an entourage of more psycho killers. So a star for him, and one for the music. I forgive Mr. Keitel for this, everyone has to have one bad film(think Brando in 'The Island of Dr. Moreau"),but as a fan, and as a Western lover,I'm sorry to say, I can not recommend this film at all(I'm not even sure this fits into the "western" genre"). There wasn't even that scenery or galloping horse sound to help me warm to this film. I watched the clock more then the film and was glad when the hour an a half came to an end.

The film is rated PG13 and has some violence(and one nude scene) mixed in with this other wise tame film.

Saddle Up and ride in the opposite direction of this one......Laurie

Also with Harvey Keitel(see my reviews for details) - Thelma & Louise

Taxi Driver (Collector's Edition)

Love David Bowie. Kietel is a good actor. But even they could not save this waste- of- time movie.
Badly directed, miscast, and lead actor (Italian) had an unfortunate voiceover attempt. I felt sorry for the Native American actors who had to stand around and actually do lines for this lame movie.
One star-for Bowie.

Gunslinger's Revenge is an Italian made Western featuring Harvey Keitel and David Bowie. Now, if that's not enough to make you go, "Hmmmmm...now THAT sounds interesting," nothing will.

While the idea of Keitel and Bowie in a modern day Spaghetti Western sounds like a real hoot of a movie - lots of action and great dialogue - but what the filmmakers delivered was a charming, touching movie instead. Sure, there are bits here and there that are inappropriate for kids under 14 or 15, but on the whole this really is a family movie at heart. And that's unusual for a Spaghetti Western. But, then again, Spaghetti Westerns pretty much died out 30 years ago, so this is really a new generation's take on the Spaghetti Western. (Clearly, this isn't a Leone Spaghetti Western. It isn't even a Corbucci Spaghetti Western in style, either.)

Keitel plays a well known gunfighter named Johnny Lowen, who has returned to the town he grew up in, and reunites with his son (whom he had abandoned 20 years earlier). His son is an avowed pacifict and the town doctor, which creates even more tension between them. To make matters infinitely worse, psychopathic gunslinger/killer Jack Sikora (Bowie) comes to town looking to put an end to the growing legend of Johnny Lowen and to build his own legend up in the process. This is where some of the more unpleasant and (mildly) graphic parts of the movie occur.

Sikora is almost amoral in his willingness to kill, but he has a mean streak to go along with his inability to feel right or wrong.

The conclusion seems to work for some, but not for others. For me it came across as an honest, realistic ending. All the loose ends are tied up, but not in a forced way.

Gunslinger's Revenge is not without flaws (some of the dialouge is poor - not a lot, but some - some of the events feel a bit rushed, and some of the plot is a bit predictable), but on the whole it is a solid modern take on the Western, and fits in with some of the more recent Westerns that have been released (it's not all that far removed from the tone of Open Range, but as a film it's just not as good).

In the end, if your expectations are right (don't expect a great movie) then you'll likely find Gunslinger's Revenge to be an entertaining and touching Western.

Picture an "After School Spaghetti Western Special" and you'll have a pretty good idea what to expect with this. It's not exactly, "Shane". Bowie is an exaggerated stereotype of the psycho gunslinger replete with a trio of sycophantic miscreants, short-fuse temper, and a never-ending string of epithets.
All the classic Grade B characters are present. The gentle half-wit, the prissy school m'a'rm,the dance hall girl with the heart of gold, and the aging gunfighter trying to hang it up.
Yawn, it's all been done before...and better.

The soundtrack alone makes this movie worthwhile - please post some information to let me know where I can buy a CD version of the soundtrack.