Revengers (1972)

Revengers: Directed by Daniel Mann. With William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Woody Strode, Roger Hanin. When a rancher’s family is massacred by a gang of outlaws, he assembles a mean team of convicts as his posse to pursue the killers.

“Elements of u0026quot;The Revengersu0026quot; are very familiar, though the overall package is reasonably original and engaging.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe story begins with the writer telegraphing what will soon happen. After all, John Benedict (William Holden) is deliriously happy as he returns home to his family on their ranch. You just KNOW something bad will soon happen…and it does. While John is at another part of the property, bandits arrive and massacre his wife, his four kids and a friend. Soon John vows to spend his remaining days looking for the scum who murdered these innocent souls…and it soon becomes an obsession, like Gregory Pecku0026#39;s character in u0026quot;The Bravadosu0026quot;.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eTo get revenge, however, Benedict cannot go off half-cocked. After all, a gang of bandits and renegade Indians did this, and itu0026#39;s not like he alone can take on these thugs. So, much like u0026quot;The Professionalsu0026quot;, Benedict goes to round up expert killers to help in his quest…and settles on prisoners (u0026quot;The Dirty Dozenu0026quot;). But it wonu0026#39;t be easy…these men ARE killers and sociopaths! Whatu0026#39;s next? See the film.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThere are a few minor problems with the film, such as how quickly and easily the hired killers seem to reform and buy in to Benedictu0026#39;s quest. Also, the kill ratio seems to be about 100:1 in the film….as he and his men seem more like Terminators due to their abilities to defeat other hardened criminals with apparent ease! But still, it is entertaining and well done….and you get a chance to see Susan Hayward in her final film, as cancer would claim her only a bit after doing this movie.”