You play by the rules you lose! Il mercenario (The Mercenary) comes from director Sergio Corbucci, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Luciano Vincenzoni, Sergio Spina and Adriano Bolzoni. The film features Franco Nero, Tony Musante, Jack Palance and Giovanna Ralli. Ennio Morricone and Bruno Nicolai composed the music, and Alejandro Ulloa handled the cinematography. The story unfolds during the Mexican Revolution, where Sergei "Polack" Kowalski (Nero) works as a hired gun. After being employed by revolutionary Paco Roman (Musante), Kowalski reflects on their past adventures before reaching the present-day conclusion... A Technicolor/Techniscope production, Corbucci’s Zapata Western is an exciting film with political undertones, wry humor and intense action sequences. The beautiful Spanish landscapes are prominently displayed, accompanied by a musical score that's lively and vibrant; the story keeps you engaged from start to finish. At its core, it's about two companions, though these friends aren’t exactly dependable people. Giovanna Ralli appears as well, adding another dimension to the film, while Paco and Kowalski confront the Government and its Army alongside Curly (Palance), a flamboyant sadist seeking vengeance. Corbucci has a knack for staging action; there's plenty of gunfire involving machine guns, artillery, and even an airplane causing destruction to people and buildings. The violence is often presented with a sense of dark humor, and it’s done exceptionally well. It's handled so skillfully that sometimes a scene plays out while another execution occurs casually, as if it were commonplace. Religious themes are also present in a playful way, with Paco’s army calling themselves the Apostles and Polack their Jesus, which explains the religious imagery throughout. Corbucci allows his camera to do some of the storytelling too, incorporating typical Spaghetti Western techniques such as close-ups of eyes, tracking shots that move around, upward angled shots, and sweeping glides. He also got lucky with the weather, capturing a natural rainbow during an action sequence. The cast delivers strong performances. Nero is cool and collected, sporting impressive facial hair and casually striking matches on various objects; he proves to be a capable action hero, and it's easy to believe in his character. Musante is also excellent, portraying Paco with sincerity that’s appealing—he’s a lovable rogue, occasionally clumsy but ultimately heroic within the revolutionary narrative. Palance, though not appearing as much as one might expect, gives Curly an intriguing personality, blending confusing sexuality and religious justifications. From a circus opening featuring little people clowns to a spectacular turkey shoot finale on a clifftop, there's no shortage of excitement in this film. It’s a top-tier Spaghetti Western, earning it an 8.5/10 rating.

Source on TMDB