VENGEANCE is one of the better films in Italian director Antonio Margheriti's long and entertaining career. It stars Richard Harrison in what is probably his best spaghetti western; he plays the usual vengeful gunslinger whose brother is murdered in an eye-watering way in the film's most memorable moment, the opening sequence. Harrison then goes on his revenge trek, bumping off the gang members one at a time. This is a dusty, gritty western, with a very dark look and feel. It's full of death scenes and torture as Harrison kills and is variously captured and abused by the bad guys in turn. A fine supporting cast includes the underrated Werner Pochath and Luciano Pigozzi, both underrated actors in their own right. Margheriti keeps the pace fast and shoots his action scenes with speed and aplomb, leaving this a film without a single extraneous moment.

A mute, violent hero (the leader of an outlaw band) single-minded in taking vengeance (on the accomplices who have betrayed him)... Well, it looks as though the viewer is off for just another spaghetti western. And during the first undistinguished half, their fears ARE well-founded. But hope should not be given up, all is not lost. Indeed the man at the helm is none other than Antonio Margheriti (aka Anthony Dawson), a pleasant minor master particularly at ease in fantasy films ("Horror Castle", "Castle of Blood"). And when (rather unexpectedly to be true) the director suddenly remembers what he is really good at, the run-of-the-mill flick is metamorphosed into an unidentified (and inspired) cinematic object. "Vengeance" is still a western, complete with duels, showdown and Morricone-like score, but from then on it gets mixed with thriller (the delayed discovery of the traitor; the astonishing flashback unveiling the true facts about the bank robbery) and horror ((the long final sequence in the sulfur mine with its extravagant lightings and baroque framework ; the villain appearing as a grotesque clown). No longer apathetic, the viewer is now agape. The lesson to be drawn is that if you demand more of a film than just B (or Z) features, just have patience and you will be rewarded. Like Rocco, the hero of the story in a way...

(aka: VENGEANCE)Hercules star Richard Harrison plays Rocco, a half-breed Indian who swears revenge on those who betrayed them for a gold robbery they had done. His best friend Ritchie (Alberto Dell'Acqua) is ripped apart (not shown) by horses tied to his arms and legs. One by one, he tracks them down and kills them. Along the way, he finds out that another best friend, Mendoza (Carlo Camaso) has also betrayed him. He looks tubercular with yellow splotches all over his face.The two scenes that stand out are in the first saloon fight where Rocco grabs on to a beam from up above and swings his legs up killing a man in the throat with his spurs. The second memorable scene is when Rocco is captured by one of the gang, is tied up and sticks are placed under his eyelids so he can't sleep and the sun will damage his eyes. There's also an ending scene between Mendoza and Rocco in an underground mine turned hideout, that goes on for too long. Rocco gives Mendoza too many chances to kill him making the whole ending seem anti-climatic.Antonio Margheriti, better known for his horror films, took a time out from his usual shock fests to direct this one and if he had cut ten minutes from the film, it would have made for a tighter story. As it is, it sometimes meanders too much for effect.The widescreen Elite DVD is pretty basic with a rough, unremastered print that shows it's age in places. No trailer or extras of any kind. At least the dubbing isn't too bad and I was slightly entertained by some of the gun battles and the action it had. 5 out of 10 -

Director Margheriti is well known for his long list of fast, cheap but well-made horror, sci-fi and action films. As Westerns were so popular in the late 60s he dabbled in that genre also and made some good films. VENGEANCE isn't as interesting as his other late 60s Western AND GOD SAID TO CAIN, but this is still fine entertainment for European pop cinema fans because all the elements of this genre are present (zooms into squinting eyes, impossibly fast gundowns, fuzz guitar laden score, seemingly invincible anti-heroes defeating scummy bad guys).