an mexican outlaw and with the help of a hired polish gunslinger go out to make an massive rebellious army to take back what they believe be an poorly treat mexico that be run by crooked and rich upper class folk . so now they be part of the grow revolution and but the two men seem to have their ups and down on who really be in charge here and a the mexican peasant actually rely on the european cowboy most the time . while and the army might be on the rebel tail and but also too be another gunslinger that have a score to settle with the two men . i do not know how long i have have this for and but i nearly miss the opportunity of watch this more than decent spaghetti western . basically i record it off tv some time back onto a blank dvd and which i be go to use and until i realise that this flick be ready to go . phew and lucky i decide to check it before erase it . also after the opening credit the film actually go black and dead quiet for 3 minute or so and and i be think maybe i wasn not mean to see it and but that be short live and i be back right into it . anyhow and away from my pointless ramble the mercenary which be first i have see of any corbucci film be an exciting gung ho spaghetti western that doesn not let up on the violence and colourful character . although the violence isn not terribly graphic and sometimes it happen off screen and but these minor glitch do not take away anything from it . the actual character might be hard to like a they come across a incredibly greedy and downright blood thirsty for violence . which i say isn not too much of a bad thing for this type of flick and because that one of the draw card of this sub genre and but it just that the character be expendable to it and well maybe not franco nero easy go character . sergio corbucci direction be the key also because the story isn not plan out with any real sort of purpose but just to stage one comical scene or action pack moment . but at least those moment actually work to make you forget the plot shortcoming . plus it be jokier than i think it would be . from that point it do kind of remind me of leone the good and the bad and the ugly and that be because of the buddy humour that they play around with and like another reviewer mention paco roman do have an uncanny nature to that of taco from gtbtu . other than that and you can see other influence from the dollar trilogy evident too . for me nero gunslinger have a striking resemblance and steady persona to that of eastwood character of dollar trilogy and the showdown in a bullring you could think the same too . but that enough about that . what else it have go for it be the great and thunderous score that you come to expect by the ever reliable ennio morricone and the cinematography get some dynamic treatment . the script be fill with cynical humour and leaden dialog on that of the rich and poor and and how greed can blind you to true intention . there an over abundance of sharp and witty reply and that especially between kowalski and paco and columba . the three lead franco nero and tony musante and giovanna ralli a ever gusty but beautiful columba put in exceptional performance and jack palance a ricciolo curly the gunfighter on the trail of the group bring the added venom to the villain role and but i think he be vastly under use and his agenda with kowalski would have make for more interest than what be give . be thrown right into this baroque western with the backdrop splash off the screen with such exuberant touch of flair and gusto . corbucci pace the film swiftly by make it more compelling and surprise the far along it go and without let you doze off because of some well stage scene like a bank heist and bombing of an mexican town and the final shootout . actually it would be hard to doze off with the loud sound effect and bellow score . even so just when you think it finish and the climax feel like it come too early and there even more to come afterwards . overall and corbucci take advantage of this good rolling adventure and even if it do lack some sort of killer punch or impact to make it overly memorable and grand . but nonetheless it swell escapism fun that burst at the seam with madness and double crossing and plentiful violence and promising performance and grit . it a more than decent way to the past time with . i see companeros ( 1970 ) get praise a lot and so it look another to hit my must see list .