Jack Benteen is a Texas Ranger on the Mexico border with a big drug smuggling problem by the name of Cash Bailey. A showdown is brewing, but when a mystery team of army special ops show up who also have designs on Bailey's operations, things get complex ...
This is a pretty standard tough guys action thriller, but is better than most due to Hill's taut direction, a strong cast and several interesting subplots and themes. Some of these don't work - the old-pals-in-school schtick is pretty lame and Sorita is a fairly thankless character with nothing much to say - but others do; the military thriller angle gives it a nice kick, Cash is a great villain in his white suit and Panama hat, at times sympathetic but also debauched and psychotic (he has a memorable silent first scene with a scorpion) and the whole thing is a sort of modern day remake of The Wild Bunch, complete with a terrific bloodbath at the end. The music by Jerry Goldsmith and photography by Matthew F. Leonetti are both excellent and lift up the rather dour atmosphere considerably, as do the dusty El Paso locations. The cast of macho men are good; Nolte takes the standard Lee Marvin approach with no blinking and only takes his hat off when he feels safe, while Boothe is a great charismatic villain, all sweaty stubble and darting eyes. Ironside is typically no-nonsense in the lynchpin turncoat role, and I especially like Contreras as the henchman Lupo (see him also in 1941, Repo Man and several other of Hill's movies). The action throughout is interesting and very well choreographed, but for me this is a conventional film improved by good craftsmanship, as opposed to a great movie. Even a minor offering by Hill however is above average and well worth catching. Written by John Milius, Fred Rexer, Deric Washburn and Harry Kleiner.
This is a pretty standard tough guys action thriller, but is better than most due to Hill's taut direction, a strong cast and several interesting subplots and themes. Some of these don't work - the old-pals-in-school schtick is pretty lame and Sorita is a fairly thankless character with nothing much to say - but others do; the military thriller angle gives it a nice kick, Cash is a great villain in his white suit and Panama hat, at times sympathetic but also debauched and psychotic (he has a memorable silent first scene with a scorpion) and the whole thing is a sort of modern day remake of The Wild Bunch, complete with a terrific bloodbath at the end. The music by Jerry Goldsmith and photography by Matthew F. Leonetti are both excellent and lift up the rather dour atmosphere considerably, as do the dusty El Paso locations. The cast of macho men are good; Nolte takes the standard Lee Marvin approach with no blinking and only takes his hat off when he feels safe, while Boothe is a great charismatic villain, all sweaty stubble and darting eyes. Ironside is typically no-nonsense in the lynchpin turncoat role, and I especially like Contreras as the henchman Lupo (see him also in 1941, Repo Man and several other of Hill's movies). The action throughout is interesting and very well choreographed, but for me this is a conventional film improved by good craftsmanship, as opposed to a great movie. Even a minor offering by Hill however is above average and well worth catching. Written by John Milius, Fred Rexer, Deric Washburn and Harry Kleiner.