The Long Kill (1999 TV Movie)
6/10
Paella/US Western about some gunslingers who seek avenge against heinous killers
5 October 2011
Two aging super-quick gunfighters (Nelson, Kristofferson) re-form their old bunch to revenge the killing of one of the previous members . Spaghetti Western co-production between US-Spain filmed of course in Almeria .¨The long kill¨ also titled ¨Outlaw Justice¨ is an acceptable Spanish/USA co-production with passable writing by Gene Quintano and Imanol Uribe ; displaying a slick direction by William J Corcoran . This exciting Western is packed with noisy action and lots of violence . The movie contains gun-play, action Western , bloody spectacle and fist-fights . Starred by a diverse casting as the good guys are performed by American actors and the bad guys acted by Spanish players as Simon Andreu , Sancho Gracia and Tony Isbert . It's an offbeat , thrilling and uneven Western particularly influenced by Sergio Leone , for that reason it will appeal to Spaghetti aficionados . American-Spanish co-production financed by Enrique Cerezo full of action , exaggerated characters, shootouts and drama . This is a surprisingly low-key Spaghetti Western set in the post-Civil War era in which some washed-out gunslingers (Kris Kristofferson , Willie Nelson) meet up with buddy (Waylon Jennings)'s son (Chad Willett) and join forces with a sheriff named Dalton (Tritt Travis ) and taking on a variety of problems and risks with the aim to get revenge . The gang find numerous complications when the baddies (Sancho Gracia , Tony Isbert) steal a bank and they are accused and detained. But they escape and go to Cottonwood .

This entertaining picture contains action Western , riding pursuits , shootouts and bits of campy and refreshing events with turns and twists , though contains a silly ending , including nonsense crossfire among contenders . It's an improbable blending of standard Western , there's a Spaghetti's homage , with pursuits, high body-count and it's fast moving and quite entertaining. An interesting casting formed by Country Western singers and full of American actors as Kristofferson , Nelson , Jonathan Banks along with Spanish players as Simon Andreu , Sancho Gracia , Leonor Watling , May Heatherly , Aldo Sambrell and Marina Saura ; all of them make this oater well worth the watching . Delightful Western in which two aging gunfighters helped by other buddies unite forces in order to avenge the death of their old partner . Using his wits , breaking all the rules and kicking virtually every cliché in the pants realize a killing spree , as they relentlessly rob and murder by means of some spectacular showdowns in operatic style . Amiable but sometimes lumbering Western goes on and on about the same premise , as minutes are superfluous , it has quarter hour of excess , as it packs some moments turn out to be dull and tiring . There is plenty of action and lots of stunts in the movie , guaranteeing shot'em up, fights or stunts every few minutes . The film bears remarkable resemblance to ¨Dollars for the dead (1998)¨ realized at the same time and in similar ink by Gene Quintano with same producer , screenwriter , exteriors and some actors . The musician Jay Gruska composes a nice soundtrack with catching leitmotif and well conducted ; it's full of emotive songs and enjoyable sounds fitting to action. Striking cinematography by Federico Ribes with barren outdoors, dirty landscapes under a glimmer sun, and outdoor sequences shot on Las Tabernas, Almería, Andalucía, Spain .

Bill Corcoran's direction is well crafted , here he's more cynical and violent and packs too much action , but especially this moving Western contains broad violence and long shootouts . He is an expert TV director , being his specialty sci-fi genre as ¨Left behind II : tribulation force , Vipers , Rise of gargoyles , Atomic twister ¨ and usual episodes filmmaker of known series as ¨Stargate , Hope island , Mutant x , Kung Fu , McGiver ¨ among others . Rating : 5,5, riotous Western in which there's too action and violence and enough excitement .
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