Ultimately [Sergio] Leone’s epic of the Mexican revolution is a portrait in disillusion grounded in ambiguity and contradictions and the most eccentric and touching friendships in Leone’s cinema.

| May 4, 2024

Sergio Leone’s acerbic revolutionary epic A Fistful of Dynamite posits the notion that, when the bullets start flying, rather than turn rashly heroic, it’s best to keep your head down.

| Mar 18, 2024

As with most Leone works, A Fistful of Dynamite (which also made the rounds under the monikers Duck, You Sucker and Once Upon a Time ... the Revolution) is full of sly humor and startling camerawork.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 31, 2021

The film is overlooked, missing big name stars, and released with numerous different titles since its premiere, but it's still a memorable entry in Leone's Western pantheon.

| Original Score: 6/10 | Aug 29, 2020

Well, Leone still has his sense of humor.

| Jan 7, 2020

dark, gritty Leone classic ready to be rediscovered

| Nov 5, 2018

A fascinatingly disjointed hybrid of Western and combat film.

| Original Score: 7/10 | Sep 5, 2011

Impossibly virile and caustic

| Sep 6, 2009

One of Leone's best movies -- and one of his looniest, which may be exactly why it's one of the best.

| Original Score: 4.5/5 | Apr 16, 2008

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Feb 29, 2008

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 6, 2007

Not exactly classic Leone, but enjoyable nonetheless as many of the great elements are in place: maverick heroes, action, and Ennio Morricone music.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 4, 2007

The idiosyncrasies are there, all right, but they have never seemed less interesting.

| Original Score: 2.5/5 | Sep 4, 2007

Leone's genius is clearly on display here, and it's a near-great film.

| Jun 22, 2007

Well-plotted action, but as in most of Leone's films scenes seem to have been deleted from the American prints.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 29, 2006

An awkward, overlong and overblown actioner that was only interesting in parts.

| Original Score: C | Mar 21, 2006

The most wry of the political spaghettis, and wholly wonderful.

| Jan 26, 2006

Sergio Leone will rest in peace, now that this under valued film is finally restored ... retains its extraordinary power, driven in large part by the two central performances.

| Sep 9, 2005

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jun 11, 2005

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Feb 9, 2005