2020 Texas Gladiators (Film Review)

 

Italian Poster



“Joe D’ Amato’s” (Aristide Massaccesi) rare and mostly unseen post-apocalyptic film with legendry Italian actors “Al Cliver” and “Gorge Eastman” (Luigi Montefiori) and this low budget action film is somewhat very entertaining despite its low production values (And the fact that movie was filmed in Korea). I can’t say I am the biggest “Joe D’ Amato” fan due to some of his films but I can say I am  a big fan of his horror movie “Anthropophagus” (The Grim Reaper) and of course “Endgame” but this movie can do somewhat better than most films in America of its type.

Partly based on the Japanese stories of “Akira Kurosawa’s” “Seven Samurai” and “Yojimbo” A lone town in the wasteland after the war struggles to survive with the locale gangs trying to take it down (and control one of the last remaining power plants) and they hire 6 skilled workers from the town to defend it while the 7^th Nisus (Also becomes their leader) came into town looking for work (This part is Yojimbo)… With the gangs ready to attack and with each Wave all 7 hold them off with whatever they have until Nisus is taken and capitated by another gang and the other two of the grope need to break him out before their leader is killed.

And of course before the Gangs attack again.





-Story…Whiles again it’s a take on films by “Akira Kurosawa” with such classics as “Yojimbo” And “Seven Samurai” and of course “The Hidden Fortress” all by Akira but I must say the idea of Joe’ D Amato combing and using some of the plot elements really works…The story is pretty good and can be very unpredictable and very fun and entertaining to watch.

But it certainly has its drawbacks but that’s really about it… Not Flawless but cool. And any Kurosawa fan would like it (Or a lot).

Though Nisus (Al Cliver) is really based on the Samurai with no name who walks into town with the gang on each ends… But overall I think the Character development could have been better and most of the Characters are based on Kurosawa’s creations and ideas. But these ones are a little under done.

-Acting… Well the acting isn’t all that great but certainly not annoying (Minus Al Cliver who is the greatest actor ever). But overall with their limited experience in film they do put on a good show. Japanese actor Hal Yamanouchi seems to be the only one who has been in a movie like this before back in his native Japan, But he would still work with Joe D’ Amato with another few films.

Harrison Muller Jr., Daniel Stephen, Peter Hooten, Sabrina Siani, Isabella Rocchietta, Donald O'Brien…Are really the American cast for wider distribution but overall I can’t argue with the result.

-Production…Working with a very low budget of course like all Italians and the wired thing is with a title like “2020 Texas Gladiators” The movie was filmed in Korea…And a lot of the extras and stand-ins are Korean/Asian.

(This was likely because of more wider appeal to Korean audiences or Just cheaper to film their and still get the same result.)

Though some physical production designs such as costumes…Cars…Towns…ETC, Look alright despite how crap they might look most times…And “Al Clivers” costumes in more Americanised/Italian to that of our lead in Seven Samurai. The Special Effects are okay with a shit load of people dying in this from start to finish with enough gore most times… The Car chases are okay… Same with the fight/Raid scene with the gang or gangs. Some pretty entertains fight scene that are way off but are hidden with editing, Some really bad dubbing.

-Final… Look if you love “Akira Kurosawa” you might just love this underrated action flick by the Italians and my final verdict is recommended.