"Sabata" or "Ehi amico... c'รจ Sabata, hai chiuso!" is a comic book affair with ridiculously over the top action and banal dialogue. This is a very childish film and also extraordinarily camp. I misconstrued the first look between the effeminate Villain and his fat banker accomplice as a look of homosexual satisfaction!
Lee Van Cleef is as magnetic as ever and steals every scene. He has a Mexican comic sidekick that is not very funny and a Wayne Sleep look-alike that bounces on hidden trampolines through out most of the film. William Berger is truly awful as Banjo the murderous musician. His performance, if you can call it that, is so bad that it makes you cringe. His smirk is that of an old woman without her dentures in. You keep hoping through out the picture that Sabata will shoot that ridiculous actor in the face.
There is some very imaginative gunplay in this film that most certainly livens up the infantile proceedings. "Sabata" is really a cheap James Bond picture set in the west and I am sure Frank Kramer or should I say Gianfranco Parolini had that in mind while developing the project. My favourite moment is when Lee Van Cleef confuses a would-be assassin by posing behind a gilt picture frame.
The production design by Carlo Simi is very good especially the interiors and the saloon in particular. The music is also good fun especially the go-go title theme. That said this is a stupid little film that has its moments but if it weren't for Lee Van Cleef it would signify nothing.