Walker

In the 1850's an American soldier-of-fortune known as William Walker marches his army into Nicaragua to take control of the country for a wealthy and powerful capitalist, Cornelius Vanderbilt. Through time, Walker sets himself up as the ruler of the worn-torn country, but the power gets to his head when he bites off more than he can chew to keep it that way and hold onto those principles he believes in.

Cult director Alex Cox churns out one very peculiar, social minded and disjointed experience from his effort on "Walker (1987)". While, the film does contain bad aspects and goes about things rather forcefully. There's still entertainment within this spirited feature and Ed Harris kept me captivated with a truly intense and radiant performance as the black dressed William Walker. After a somewhat serious opening on the factual story, it eventually succumbs to surreal imagery and anachronistic details to get its loud and intrusive message across. Like many have mentioned in their comments it does have real visionary punch to it that resembles Sam Peckinpah's work. Just look at the brutal action and glamorous slow-mo interwoven into many scenes. Alex Cox's direction is quite staged and can get heavy-handed, but the many stylistic touches and eccentric moods do rub off. I loved the way he decided to shoot the flick. Rudy Wurlitzer's over-dramatic, but stirring screenplay is laced with pot shots and parallels on the political interference of the USA from 1850's to the most recent. There seems to be too much going on in the script and it felt like it was pushed along too quickly, which meant the diverse narration became choppy with some unclear details. It was actually hard during certain moments to take it seriously because of some odd and absurd comedic developments.

Joe Strummer provides the ever-changing carefree mixture in the music score with perfect results in capturing the tenor. The strong supporting cast with the likes of Richard Masur, Xander Berkeley, Rene Auberjonois, Sy Richardson, Marlee Matlin and so on… work very well and fed of Harris' egotistical character marvellously. The way Walkers' progressive power got to his head personally and finally backfires on him (and his followers) with many disillusions having a lasting affect on his judgement is portrayed beautifully and concisely.

It probably thinks it's more grandeur than it actually is, but this is one fascinating foray nonetheless.

Alex Cox and Rudy Wurlitzer have one of the more perplexing and rather cool works of late 80s subversive film-making with Walker, a film about a real man and his mad overthrow of the government of Nicaragua in the mid 1850s. It was a fiasco, but it almost wasn't at one point. There was a moment where the line was distinctly crossed with the execution of a certain character, and it's also at this point in the film that Cox lets things go even further off the wall from the period setting. For a while it's so not trying to be any kind of absurdist take on things that it seems like a (good) serious take on a man like Walker (Ed Harris) in a strange land that he thinks he can make well under "democratic" terms. As he soon goes against everything stood for, the film too goes into bizarro world, mixing in cars, computers, Time and Newsweek, and even a real army helicopter and soldiers (the copter, I might add, was a real chopper used in the Nicaraguan battles of 1987).

In the sense of marking out ground that is all of a director's own in this form and context, it's not quite Aguirre, but for Alex Cox, a director who's had his ups and downs, it's a significant achievement. It seems like it should be all nonsense, and that the film might be taking itself too seriously. But in reality the nonsense is what the film is sort of about, not really how it comes off. Cox goes between overtly homage-like slow-motion action shots of battle and blood splattering with guns going off like Peckinpah with a heap-load to let go. What is it, anyway, to try and bring democracy to a land like Nicaragua, and under the circumstances (i.e. under Vanderbilt, played by Peter Boyle with his own crazy-big mutton chops) that should be already considered troublesome? Walker wasn't even any kind of politician before this, though as also a doctor and lawyer he tried (unsuccessfully) to bring some battle over Mexico.

Is it a microcosm? Does it say where we're headed, or rather where we are now? Probably to both. It's a trip that shouldn't be taken too lightly, and it definitely isn't for everyone, but what's thrilling about Cox's vision is that he has no fear of what the audience will think anyway. Like Repo Man's mix of teen punk comedy and sci-fi action pic, Cox is mixing and experimenting forms, a Dr. Strangelove take on Manifest Destiny with a style that veers between obscure spaghetti western and featuring one of the great, groovy soundtracks of the 80s from Joe Strummer. It might not be anything that will end up on 'best-of-ever' lists, but as a work unto itself this and Withnail & I are the superb cult films of 1987, with this begging for some re-examination twenty-something years later. At the least, it's one of Ed Harris's unsung masterful and subtle performances.

Walker was both a box office and critical failure upon its initial release, and even though it's not hard to see why (viewers expecting a historic drama played straight, by Cox of all directors, will be sorely disappointed), it certainly deserves to be rediscovered by a whole new audience. OK maybe Cox tries to be "cult" a little too hard for his own good, but that aside he pulls it off surprisingly well. Ed Harris is OK in the leading role but I would have LOVED to see Gary Oldman portray the semi-insane William Walker. If any role called for scenery consumption, it's this one. Watch it for the great Peckinpah-esquire shooting in slow motion, the amusing anachronisms (choppers, computers, Newsweek magazines, Coca-Cola bottles, Marlboros), the general air of absurdity and psychotronic charm, the comedic touches, the political commentary and the great cinematography. Walker is good exactly because it refuses to take itself overly serious.

This is one of the greatest films i have ever seen. The only issue I have with it is that it is out of print. I'd do almost anything to find a copy. While not the most accurate account of LITERAL history, it still provides decent reference as long as it is taken in its intended symbolic context. It is a truly profound portrayal, a historical as well as a relevant political statement filled with striking imagery and an outstanding score. Possibly too abstract for some, but in all actuality a most outstanding movie. If anyone knows where i might be able to find a copy of this I would be most obliged. I recommend it to anyone interested in...well I recommend it to anyone really.

This movie is one of those rare films I can't help but admire for its temerity. Hiding its eccentricities under the guise of a biographical epic, this film breaks all conventions, storytelling and otherwise to create a jarring yet memorable experience.

The film concerns itself with American 18th century soldier of fortune William Walker (Ed Helms) who from 1855 to 1857 was de facto ruler of Nicaragua. After the unexpected death of his wife (Marlee Matlin), Walker leaves for Nicaragua with the support of Cornelius Vanderbilt (Peter Boyle) who hopes to capitalize on the country's position between the Atlantic and Pacific. He is also aided by a group of mercenaries some of which worked with him in an unsuccessful campaign in Mexico. They would become known as Walker's Immortals.

"Walker" is like "Aguirre" mixed with "Wild Bunch" and "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." The film starts out in a hail of gunfire and blood before setting up breezy yet much needed exposition. From then on its a no holds barred acid trip with a modern satirical twist. While Arthur Miller's The Crucible was a veiled criticism of McCarthyism, Walker is a downright admonishment of U.S. involvement in Nicaragua during the 80's complete with cars, modern rifles and Time magazine. I could imagine the producers watching the final cut of "Walker" huddled into the screening room thinking "we're so screwed!" Director Alex Cox slowly unveils his demented scheme with such relish that its hard not to enjoy his F-U to the Hollywood studio system. In satirizing modern politics he also satirizes conventions of biographical film-making. Despite long hours of research most "true story" films are speculative anyway so why not show a helicopter in the 1850's? "Walker" is an ugly film about an ugly man told with energy and gumption. Ed Harris does a great job chewing the scenery creating a glory seeking reptilian monster who at one point seems not to know the means to his ends. Alex Cox has never since had a widely distributed film released in the United States which is a shame but on the bright side he follows an age old tradition. Welles had "Citizen Kane," Coppola had "Apocalypse Now" and Cox has "Walker."

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