Review of Django Shoots First

Although no authority in the field, I've seen enough Italian westerns to know that they're ALWAYS worth peeping if only for A) the music, B) the women and C) the violence which is more gritty and relentless than in westerns produced in any other country. The legendary work of Sergio Leone and Sergio Corbucci naturally state this theory the most, but even all the obscure and low-budget genre efforts coming from this country are worth tracking down. Particularly the numberless "Django" rip-offs/unofficial sequels are immensely entertaining, like for example this exciting & surprisingly humorous adventure directed by Alberto De Martino. Glenn Saxson (a Dutch guy) takes over the title role of cult icon Franco Nero and, although not half as charismatic as Nero, he does a fairly adequate job as the indefeasible gunslinger hero who – like the title implies – always shoots first and never ever misses his target. The screenplay of this film is compelling and actually rather clever, and there isn't a single dull moment throughout the entire playtime. We meet Django as he recovers his father's dead body from a bounty hunter. Since there was the huge reward of $5.000 on his head, Django decides to collect the money himself instead of respectfully burying his father in a last resting place. Shortly after his arrival in town, however, he learns that his father wasn't a criminal at all, but a businessman framed by his former partner & bank owner Kluster. With the help of a few friends he met in the saloon, Django stays to avenge his father and claim his rightful inheritance which is about 50% of the entire town. You may anticipate all the regular ingredients of Spaghetti Westerns, like outrageous bar fights, grisly vendettas and violent ambushes, but there's also room for original sub plots in this film! One of Django's accomplices, for example, hides a mysterious secret that only gets revealed late in the film and then neatly fits in with the main storyline. Also, the film's whole climax (and particularly the comical epilogue) is very spectacular and creative. Bruno Nicolai's musical score is phenomenal as usual and both Ida Galli & Erica Blanc provide the required female beauty. "Django Shoots First" is a minor must-see for die-hard fans of this sadly extinct Italian genre.