A hallucinatory biopic that breaks all cinematic conventions, Walker_, from British director Alex Cox (_Repo Man, Sid & Nancy), tells the story of nineteenth-century American adventurer William Walker (Ed Harris), who abandoned a series of careers in law, politics, journalism, and medicine to become a soldier of fortune, and for several years dictator of Nicaragua. Made with mad abandon and political acuity—and the support of the Sandinista army and government during the Contra war—the film uses this true tale as a satirical attack on American ultrapatriotism and a freewheeling condemnation of “manifest destiny.” Featuring a powerful score by Joe Strummer and a performance of intense, repressed rage by Harris, Walker remains one of Cox’s most daring works. —The Criterion Collection
English director Alex Cox studied law at Oxford—at least until being deflected into theatre through his participation in the University’s drama department. Cox switched to a film studies program at University of Bristol, received a Fulbright scholarship, then traveled to the United States to attend the UCLA film school. His plans to become the next Welles or Scorsese were muddied by several years’ inactivity, during which time he took a job repossessing automobiles. Drawing from the experience, Cox made his feature-film directorial bow with the wildly inconsistent but very entertaining Repo Man (1984), which served as one of the first starring assignments of Emilio Estevez. Repo Man’s musical score was drenched in punk-rock, a symbolic form of violent rebellion explored further in Cox’s Sid and Nancy (1987), a fascinating if depressing chronicle of the life and death of “punk” musician Sid Vicious and groupie Nancy Spungen. Critically celebrated for both films, Cox’s reputation declined… read more
Moves up higher on my list of favorite films every time I see it. Top Ten at least right now. Ed Harris is a maniac, Cox flexs his most cinematic muscles, Strummer's score is amazing, and did I mention it was smart, action packed and friggin' hilarious??
An anarchic, apocalyptic vision from Alex Cox, an absolute one-of-a-kind filmmaker. Walker is a political satire, bloody spaghetti western, historical biopic, and absurdist comedy all rolled into one. Too bizarre to be mainstream, and too ambitious to be a cult film. So it was sadly overlooked. Features a brilliant, crazed performance by Ed Harris and a haunting score by Joe Strummer.
Alex Cox's send-up of US military intervention in Latin America must have hit too close to home in 1987, because I can't think of any other reason why this film tanked and Cox blacklisted for years. Even though the era of screwing over Latin America may have ended, the message is still timely and relevant as we continue to break the spine of the world in other locales. This movie is also hilariously absurd and thrilling. It has elements of a western, a surrealist comedy, a war movie, and a biopic. Ed Harris is full of suppressed rage and grand delusions and he is an intense screen presence. Ignore the reviews and see this one.
Ed Harris as 19th century American politico William Walker, who invades Nicaragua in the name of freedom but winds up ruling it with an iron fist, though seen through the eyes of self indulgent auteur… read review
