È tornato Sabata... hai chiuso un'altra volta!

Of the three "Sabata" films, "Return of Sabata" is the weakest entry. It was included in the notorious book "The 50 Worst Films of All Time", though I don't think the movie, despite its problems, deserved that dubious honor. I've seen much worse spaghetti westerns. Though I didn't think the movie was all that great. The movie does have a few positive attributes. Lee Van Cleef still makes for an effective anti hero (though who convinced him to wear that awful hairpiece?), the musical score is spirited, and the action sequences have energy and punch. But someone should have sent the screenplay back for a major rewrite before filming stared. To put it bluntly, the movie pretty much makes no sense at all. Though I wasn't really bored at any moment, I simply couldn't understand what was going on. Also, Van Cleef's Sabata character seems in some aspects to be different than the Sabata character he played in the first film; I wouldn't be surprised if the screenplay was originally written to not be a Sabata film. While I guess the movie is essential viewing for spaghetti western fans and collectors, I think even they will find it tough going at times.

The plot of this film has to do with the town of Hobsonville where McIntock, a now prosperous miner and town over seer is taxing the people in order to get the money to build up their fair town into something special. Enter Sabata, who is following a trail that led him from a murder in a traveling circus to the town. Clearly there is a great deal of money at stake and Sabata smells something a miss as well as sensing that there is a buck to be made.

This is a rambling, often seemingly plot less, (comedic) western. You're a good way into the film before you realize what exactly is going on. There a good number of characters who are two timing or three timing each other and we get dragged into their machinations, and it seems that there really isn't a central story (or real villain), or at least a reason why Sabata is in the town, until the movie is about half over. Its not bad as such but towards the end of the first half you really do begin to wonder why you're watching the film.

The reason you're watching it is Lee Van Cleef. Van Cleef as Sabata is pure smart mouthed hero. He can't be beat and he knows it. He is a hero we'd all like to be, even if his motivations are questionable. Van Cleef goes along with the nonsense on screen and in the process makes it somehow okay to go along too.

Worth a look for western fans, others may want to take a pass unless they are in an undemanding mood.

This follow-up deals with Sabata (Lee Van Cleef) who finds combating a mean businessman named McLintock (Albertini) . The major Sabata joins forces with a Saloon owner , the Lieutenant , (Reinar Schone). Furthermore, his misfit and strange team : two acrobats (Nick Jordan and Vassili Karis) , and , of course , the old rogue with a drummer (Ignacio Spalla or Pedro Sanchez) . Meanwhile, Sabata gets involved with a Saloon girl (gorgeous Annabella Incontrera) .

This offbeat Western comedy results to be the genuine sequel to ¨Sabata¨ (with Van Cleef , William Berger, Linda Veras and Franco Ressel) , and it's full of intriguing touches , Western action , shootouts and being very amusing . This entertaining picture gets the humorous remarks from Western parody combined to features of Spaghetti such as violent antiheroes , excessive zooms , extreme nasties and spectacular gunfight with high body-count . Appearing usual secondary actors , habitual in Italian Western , such as : Gianni Rizzo , Alberto Dell'Acqua , Rick Boyd, Fortunato Arena , Franco Fantasia , among others . And Pedro Sanchez who acted in the Sabata trilogy and he played similar roles to S. W. secondary idol Fernando Sancho. The movie was well produced by Alberto Grimaldi (Sergio Leone's Trilogy of dollars as producer). Atmospheric and adequate cinematography by cameraman Sandro Mancori. . Lively and jolly musical score by Marcello Giombini with Ennio Morricone influence . The motion picture was professionally directed by Gianfranco Paraolini who often used pseudonym Frank Kramer . It's followed by ¨Indio Black¨ with Yul Brynner , Dean Reed and Gerard Herter . The flick will appeal to Lee Van Cleef fans and S. W. buffs.

A Fellini movie about the circus wandered into a Sergio Leone picture and the result is a total train wreck. I'm 30 minutes into this and I literally have no idea what the hell is going on.

After Yul Brunner became Sabata for Indio Black, Lee Van Cleef reprises his original role in this final entry in the Sabata saga. Unfortunately it's also the lesser one, although probably the most expensive.

I've seen many a nonsensical spaghetti western in my life, but Return of Sabata takes the cake. There's probably some semblance of plot underneath all the twists and turns but one hour in and I was completely lost. No matter, it's still entertaining enough to pass the time. The action scenes are all that matters here, there are plenty of gunfights, goofy acrobatics and explosions. Good production values make it easy on the eyes, the sets, costumes and cinematography are all on pretty high standards to the point where this is probably one of the most expensive spaghetti westerns made, this side of Leone. The humour is mostly silly and flat, the acting is average and I've heard better (and worse) dubbings. Lee Van Cleef's usual charming and charismatic persona is another big plus. Watchable but by no means essential.