Adiós Sabata on AllMovie

Adiós Sabata is rather odd entry in this spaghetti Western series. It continues the story of Sabata and boasts a plot that closely replicates the first film's key elements, from the cool and mysterious gunslinger hero down to the stunts, the gimmicky weapons, and the presence of a potentially traitorous sidekick for Sabata. However, Adiós Sabata introduces a new actor with an entirely different persona into the role of Sabata: Yul Brynner is as terse with his dialogue as Lee Van Cleef was in the first Sabata, but he brings a brooding, ominous undercurrent to the role that gives the film an added bit of tension. Thankfully, this tension between the familiar elements and Brynner's intense presence works in favor of Adiós Sabata instead of against it. Other highlights include a fun supporting performance from Pedro Sanchez as a mouthy revolutionary-turned-bandit and a rousing finale packed with plenty of stunts and gunplay. On the downside, Frank Kramer's direction, while stylish, is erratic in its pacing, and this leads to the occasional dull stretch, but the film's sense of color and lighthearted tone keep it from going off the rails. In short, Adiós Sabata might not be an obvious first choice for a spaghetti Western novice, but it is solid, engaging fare for someone already into the genre.