Walker (1987)
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40% of critics liked it
(10 reviews) -
66% of users liked it
(784 ratings)
Alex Cox directed this hallucinatory bio-pic starring Ed Harris as 19th-century American adventurer William Walker, who abandoned a series of careers in law, politics, journalism, and medicine to become a soldier of fortune and eventually a Nicaraguan dictator. When his deaf wife (Marlee Matlin)… More Alex Cox directed this hallucinatory bio-pic starring Ed Harris as 19th-century American adventurer William Walker, who abandoned a series of careers in law, politics, journalism, and medicine to become a soldier of fortune and eventually a Nicaraguan dictator. When his deaf wife (Marlee Matlin) dies of cholera (but not before she utilizes sign language to tell Walker "To Hell with Manifest Destiny"), Walker is backed by multi-millionaire banker Cornelius Vanderbilt (Peter Boyle) to lead a band of mercenaries to Nicaragua in 1855 to make the country safe for Vanderbilt's steamships. When Walker subdues the Nicaraguan opposition, he sets himself up as president and rules the country with unfeeling repression. Finally the Nicaraguans rise up against him, figuring out that "the mad gringo is ripping us off." ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Directed By
- Alex Cox
- Written By
- Rudy Wurlitzer
- Genres
- Drama, Action & Adventure, Comedy
- In Theaters
- Dec 4, 1987 Wide
- Studio
- Universal Pictures
Critic Reviews
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Some bad movies are in no hurry to announce themselves, but Walker declares its badness right from the opening titles.
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Jeremiah Kipp, Slant Magazine
One of the greatest and most representative movies of the 1980s is still able to ironically laugh at the savagery and stupidity happening in our world right now.
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Jeremiah Kipp, Slant Magazine
Walker is the dark, neurotic flipside of Repo Man, where the antiheroic title character is not interested in any form of individual self-expression other than a single-minded pursuit of fame and glory.
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Chris Cabin, Filmcritic.com
a grievously misunderstood piece of schizo art
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Cox and writer Rudy Wurlitzer get the politics right, but don't know how to clearly tell their story without seeming like loonies.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Ed Harris
as William Walker
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Marlee Matlin
as Ellen Martin
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Peter Boyle
as Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt
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Keith Szarabajka
as Timothy Crocker
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Blanca Guerra
as Yrena
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Richard Masur
as Ephraim Squier
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Sy Richardson
as Capt. Hornsby
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Rene Auberjonois
as Maj. Siegfried Henningson
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Xander Berkeley
as Bryon Cole
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John Diehl
as Stebbins
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Pedro Armendariz Jr.
as Munoz
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Roberto Lopez Espinoza
as Mayorga
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Gerrit Graham
as Norvell Walker
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William O'Leary
as James Walker
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Alan Bolt
as Don Domingo
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Miguel Sandoval
as Parker French
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René Assa
as Dr. Jones
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Martin Aylett
as Reporter
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Sharon Barr
as Darlene
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Luis Contreras
as Benito
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Robert Dickman
as Company Man
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Richard Edson
as Turley
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Bennet Guillory
as Achilles Kewen
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Fox Harris
as District Attorney
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Frederick Neumann
as Wiley marshall
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Ed Pansullo
as Maj. Angus
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Edward Tudor-Pole
as Doubleday
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Milton Selzer
as Judge
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Bob Tzudiker
as Garrison
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William Utay
as Fry
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Norbert Weisser
as Prange
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Michele Winstanley
as Maid
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Ren Woods
as Alta Kewen
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Rudolph Wurlitzer
as Morgan
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Biff Yeager
as Max/Carpet Bagger
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Del Zamora
as Padre Vigil
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Richard Zobel
as Lemuel
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Alfonso Arau
as Raousset
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Rick Barker
as Breckenridge
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David Chung
as Lul
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David Hayman
as Father Rossiter
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Dick Rude
as Washburn
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Zander Schloss
as Huey
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Joe Strummer
as Faucet
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Ramon Alvarez
as Reporter
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George Belanger
as Assistant Deputy
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Enrique Beraza
as Corral
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Charley Braun
as Bruno Van Namzer
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Linda Callahan
as Mrs. Bingham
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Joe Celeste
as Jury Foreman
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Nestor Mendez Garcia
as Mendez
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Raymund Kettless
as Reporter
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Louis Mathews
as Priest
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Paulino Rodruguez
as Castellon
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William Rothlein
as Dewey
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J.D. Silvester
as Huston
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Jack Slater
as Sanders
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Spider Stacy
as Davenport
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Dexter Taylor
as Liverpool
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Kathy Burke
as Annie Mae
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Tom Collins
as Reporter
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Bruce Wright
as Anderson
