You're a grand hero of the revolution now

Rating: 7/10 (11 October 2018)

You're a grand hero of the revolution now
"I know what I am talking about when I am talking about revolutions. The people who read the books go to the people who can't read the books, the poor people, and say, 'We have to have a change.' So, the poor people make the change. And then, the people who read the books, they all sit around the big polished tables, and they talk and talk and talk and eat and eat and eat. But what has happened to the poor people? They are dead! That's your revolution! So, please, don't tell me about revolutions. And what happens afterwards? The same (censored) thing starts all over again!"
From the very beginning, the film will shamelessly attract your attention. It is opened by the close-up of the urine stream, drowning insects on the tree. Close-up shots on details, especially the face and eyes, are a kind of trademark of Sergio Leone, and he uses them skillfully and frequently to show the atmosphere and more accurately depict the psychological state of his characters. For the fifth consecutive time, music was entrusted to the legendary Ennio Morricone, but it is so different from the music in the previous films that by style I would never have thought that Morricone was in question. Moreover, it did not fit in with the movie, and it irritated me so much that I was tempted to watch the film without sound.
This time, instead of a gunslinger, the main character is an explosive specialist, an Irish revolutionary who is forced to leave his homeland, and goes to join the revolutionaries in Mexico. Along the way, he meets Mexican bandit and tricks him into joining him and helping the cause. Although it definitely is Western, this film greatly differs from the classic representatives of the genre, because it is also socially and politically colored war drama, as well as a psychological study of morality, family, friendship and searching for oneself. The presence of humor somewhat dilutes the rather heavy atmosphere of the film and makes it, in my opinion, much more relaxed than this story deserves, but also significantly more fun.
The biggest drawbacks of this film are John's flashbacks, which, although they support the characterization of his character, completely derail the movie from its path, and the last one, in my opinion, is unnecessarily disgusting and more appropriate to some pathetic romantic drama than the war western, as well as totally inappropriate music, which may not be bad in itself, but it does not fit in this movie. If not for flashbacks and music, this movie would stand shoulder to shoulder with other Leone's masterpieces, but these two flaws totally ruined the overall impression.
7,5/10