William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan

Outlaws on the Mexican-U.S. frontier face the march of progress, the Mexican army and a gang of bounty hunters led by a former member while they plan a robbery of a U.S. army train. No one is innocent...( read more  read more... ) in this gritty tale of of desperation against changing times. Pump shotguns, machine guns and automobiles mix with horses and winchesters in this ultraviolent western.

Flixster Users

90% liked it

7,820 ratings

Critics

97% liked it

36 critics

R, 2 hrs. 14 min.

Directed by: Sam Peckinpah

Release Date: June 18, 1969

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: August 27, 1997

Stats: 1,492 reviews

Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Your Rating



clear rating

Flixster Reviews (1,492)


  • October 26, 2009
    An incredible performance by William Holden is the high point of this sensational, landmark film. Holden made a whole career out of laid-back, easy-going, what-the-hell sort of characters but here, at his zenith, he departs from type and plays a character so mean and so embittere...( read more)d that in some ways he even out-Bronsons Bronson himself.

    The Wild Bunch is a group of disillusioned outlaws who are out of time and they know it. When Sykes says that they've got one of those things (a car) up north that can fly, they gloomily accept that this new-fangled 20th Century is not for them.

    It is a movie all about values and about a man's loyalty to his companions. Holden brilliantly declares that if you cannot stand by a man who rides with you, you are like some kind of animal. In the end, that is all these hunted men have: their loyalty to each other.

    And so they band together for one last walk to try and rescue their doomed Mexican comrade. The bloodbath that follows is an eloquent summary of their lives. They who live by the gun.....

    Superb performances by Holden in particular and also by O'Brien, Ryan, Borgnine, Oates and Johnson. Peckinpah's finest hour. Definitely ten out of ten.
  • August 7, 2009
    "The land had changed. They hadn't. The earth had cooled. They couldn't."

    An aging group of outlaws look for one last big score as the "traditional" American West is disappearing around them.

    REVIEW
    ...( read more)
    Exactly 40 years after its initial theatrical release, "The Wild Bunch" has become one of the most enduring American classics. The movie is about a posse of older bank robbers who attempt to do one more job before retiring for good. But everything goes terribly wrong for the aging "bandidos". It is an extraordinary film; one of the best westerns ever made and definitely director Sam Peckinpah's bona fide masterpiece. From a technical standpoint, this is a must for students of cinema. Editing, camera work, sound, music, etc., are top notch. I found myself totally captivated by Peckinpah's amazing command of the film medium. This is the first time I saw the uncut version (I'm guessing the new footage is mostly composed of the flashbacks sequences since I didn't remember these sequences), and I have to say that with or without the new additions this is a magnificent film. It is a profound exploration of honor and old age in last days of the wild frontier that is not only provocative but has also remained relevant to modern audiences. Highly recommended (if you do not mind excessive violence).
  • April 26, 2009
    While Peckinpah lacks the visual poetry of Kurosawa, he definitely reminds us of the kinetic energy of Kurosawa's movies. The violence comes close to Tarantino's movies but in a more realistic way. Think of it as a grittier, less romanticized "Butch Cassidy".
  • March 10, 2009
    One of the best westerns ever made and there isn't any equal to this one. Action packed front start to finish. . .
  • January 6, 2009
    A Peckinpah masterpiece. One of the best westerns ever made.
  • November 3, 2009
    A very unique Western to me, but I don't like the means of expression.
  • October 17, 2009
    This movie is so violently awesome, awesomely violent. Regard for human life? I thought you knew who these people were.
  • October 8, 2009
    Big fast-paced chaotic action sequences and real bonds between characters. This Western shows a lot of heart. I can see why John Woo loved this film.
  • September 26, 2009
    Its thanks to this movie basically single-handedly that movies are as violent as they are today. Most of the imagery is more than a little heavy-handed, but hell, Sam Peckinpah is no Orson Wells. He was more like the Michael Bay of his time. Except he made *good* movies. So thank...( read more) Mr. Peckinpah next time you see a head explode in a film. RIP.
  • September 18, 2009
    In less than 2.5 hours, Peckinpah makes a beautiful blood-soaked elegy for the West. The titular Bunch are brutal men who follow a code of honor as they face their doom. The great performances by Mexican and US acting legends, combined with the brilliant use of jump cuts and slow...( read more) motion blood spurt, help make this film a masterpiece for the ages.

Critic Reviews


January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Seeing this restored version is like understanding the film at last. full review

View more The Wild Bunch reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


This board looks lonely. Be the first to talk about "The Wild Bunch" !

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Official Trailer

More Like This


Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • The Seven Samurai (Shichinin no Samurai)
    The Seven Samurai (Shichinin no Samurai) (65%)
  • Il Buono, il Brutto, il Cattivo. (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly)
    Il Buono, il Brutto, il Cattivo. (The Good, t... (68%)
  • The Long Riders
    The Long Riders (100%)
  • The Usual Suspects
    The Usual Suspects (11%)

Theater Showtimes & TV Listings


The Wild Bunch Trivia


  • lWhich actor appears in the following classics; The Longest Day, The Professionals, The Dirty Dozen and The Wild Bunch?  Answer »
  • This 1967 Sam Peckinpah directed movie, graphically portrayed violent shootouts in slow motion. Starred William Holden, Warren Oates,Robert Ryan, and Ernest Borgnine.  Answer »
  • Which of these actors was NOT a cast member in Sam Peckinpah's epic western The Wild Bunch?  Answer »
  • In the openening sequence of The Wild Bunch, who or what is being tortured and killed?  Answer »

Movie Quizzes


No quizzes for The Wild Bunch. Want to create one?

Recent News


No recent headlines. Got one?

Most Popular Skin


No skins yet. Interested in creating one?