The Cynic, the Rat & the Fist (1977)

- Il cinico, l'infame, il violento
Lived up to the hype, 6 March 2007

After watching a bunch of less than stellar Poliziotteschi in recent months, I am happy to report that this one lived up to just about every positive review I've read. With a cast that includes Maurizio Merli (doing less "posing" than in some of his other films), Tomas Milian, John Saxon, and a bunch of other familiar faces, Umberto Lenzi's The Cynic, the Rat & the Fist gets off to a fast start and keeps going at a good pace through most of the film's runtime. Nice action, violence, direction, and a catchy score (by Franco Micalizzi) also add to the enjoyment. Of all the great moments in the film, the sparring scenes between Milian and Saxon are easily my favorites.

My only real complaint comes at the films climax. It's over too quickly. There's a nice setup for the film's finale, but it's over before you know it. An ending that didn't feel so rushed would have made this one a real standout in the genre.

8/10