MUBI

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 Alex Cox, he’s a Peckinpahian anti-hero who sacrifices himself and his men for the good of the country. Try to find symbolism in Cox’s anachronistic hints at modern American capitalism and aggression, and the Sandinista revolution of the ‘80’s, and you’ll be analyzing the film too much; it’s all just too sloppy and bombastic to warrant such critical devotion. That said, credit Joe Strummer with an impressive improvisational score, suggestive of The Clash’s own masterwork “Sandinista!”, and to Criterion for presenting a film that was reviled in its day, but might still have a few followers in the far regions of cultdom who think their film is deserving of such a lofty DVD tribute.