Chato's Land

After a few minutes, you will realize the connection between the director and the authorship of his probably most famous film Death Wish. Winner was never a complicated creator with the ability to delve into the substance. He filmed straightforwardly, I wouldn't hesitate to say stereotypically, and that is also evident in Chato's Land. A very simple story of revenge and the fight of a lonely individual against a gang of villains. More than ever, I realized that Charles Bronson was just a typical actor who simply didn't have the ability to handle more complex acting roles. Not that the role of a silent Indian required acting miracles, but still, there are a few places where it's disappointing that he couldn't put some emotions into his performance. The critique of racism, typical for 70s Hollywood productions, stands out somewhat clumsily here, but I mean Winner really isn't a creator capable of subtle work with the material. The biggest problem of the movie is the desperate predictability of the plot. Winner has nothing to surprise us with, so it's only about how his directorial style suits you. My overall impression is about 40%. (30/04/2020)

The much talked about simple script is, in my opinion, simple on purpose and I don't blame it, but it certainly shouldn't have been so boring. I praise Chato's Land especially for how quickly (practically before the opening credits) it plunges the viewer into the main action, and for the excellent showdown finale (the rattlesnake). The problem is that the hour gap that connects these sections is kind of bland. Of the actors, Jack Palance is definitely the most interesting, Charles Bronson is the usual (silent and eloquently frowning), Fielding's music is not great... Two and a half stars. (28/08/2011)

Chato (Charles Bronson) shoots the yokel sheriff during a pub brawl and angers a posse of self-appointed defenders of justice, however they have no idea that Chato is always two steps ahead. The movie has a very simple plot, a completely straightforward story, and yet, it is nevertheless quite a stylish and uncompromising western, with great Jack Palance in the role of one of the pursuers. Charles Bronson gives a very moderate and taciturn performance (he barely utters more than a few words). (13/05/2019)