The double crosses fly as fast as bullets when a wagon master partners with a pacifist stranger and a passel of bandidos to find a hidden treasure. This rousing Italian/Spanish-produced spaghetti Western boasts muscular direction and exceptional photography (by Pablo Ripoll and Alberto Fusi) of its scenic Spanish locations in addition to the usual wealth of action scenes. It also offers a pair of change-of-pace roles to leads Gilbert Roland as the charismatic but dangerous wagon master Chisquito, and Eurowestern regular Richard Harrison as Pat Jordan, whose fast hand obscures his secret identity. As one genre critic has pointed out, the plot bears more than a passing resemblance to Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, though it thankfully avoids the broad allusions found in other "inspired-by" efforts (e.g., Antonio Margheriti's 1987 miniseries Treasure Island in Outer Space). Director Marino Girolami is also the father of actor Ennio Girolami (aka Thomas Moore), who plays the duplicitous Serraldo in the film, as well as director Enzo G. Castellari (Keoma).
by Paul Gaita
review