Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		2.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Barquero Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 19, 2015

Shaping his reputation as the hardest of the hard men of the west, Lee Van Cleef signs up for defense duty in 1970’s “Barquero.” A cowboy saga about bitter, unflinching men, the picture benefits from its star’s customary domination, with Van Cleef using acting tools of intimidation and impatience to give the feature a decidedly masculine position, matched well with Warren Oates as the maniac baddie. “Barquero” is raw, with surprising violence for the era, but it’s also an appealing standoff tale, using its surroundings inventively as two brutes battle over a barge along a wide, rushing river. Some weird ideas on sexual bargaining and insect threat remains, and the effort is a good 20 minutes too long, but for Van Cleef completists, the movie is brawny, aggressive, and entertaining in fits, joining the screen legend’s long roster of meaty cinematic accomplishments.

Near a large river, Travis (Lee Van Cleef) runs the local barge, spending his days ferrying visitors across the water using sheer strength, making a living providing a necessary service in the era of western expansion. Watching his town develop into a thriving society, Travis keeps to himself, making time with a native woman, Nola (Marie Gomez). Remy (Warren Oates) is a lawless man with a haunted past, unafraid to kill anyone who stands in his way. Joined by his second in command, Frenchman Marquette (Kerwin Mathews), Remy gathers a gang of misfits and massacres an affluent town, stealing a fortune in jewels, guns, and silver, with plans to exit America and enjoy his newfound wealth. Unfortunately, the path to freedom requires passage on Travis’s barge. Joined by nomadic pal Mountain Phil (Forrest Tucker), Travis helps to evacuate his town, taking residents to the other side of the river, leaving Remy stranded and steaming mad, commencing a long distance war of negotiation and escalating violence.

Directed by Gordon Douglas, “Barquero” establishes its hostilities right away, introducing Travis as a no-nonsense individual who doesn’t enjoy outside attention, pouring his concentration into barge work, where he pulls the wooden vessel across the water on a rope, spending his evenings in bed with the voluptuous Nola. It’s Van Cleef, so niceties are few. The production focuses on his steely gaze and curt manner with others, transforming Travis into a seasoned man who’s possibly seen too much, retreating to his corner of the world. Remy enters as a broken outlaw who’s out for a monster payday, refusing mercy as his crew storm into action, slaughtering everyone to secure their wagons of treasures. The opening of “Barquero” is devoted to the looting sequence, and it’s filled with theme park stunt show action, watching men fall off roofs and jump through glass windows, but there’s substantial horror to the rampage, with Remy refusing to leave anyone alive, indiscriminately gunning down all challengers and innocents. The bloodbath launches the movie with an unexpected cruelty, transforming Remy into a formidable villain.

The river soon divides our main characters, transforming “Barquero” into a battle of wills, with Travis waiting for Remy to walk away from his violent demands, while Remy is intent on acquiring the barge, planning to murder the townsfolk (Travis and Mountain Phil refer to them as “squatters”) the minute he topples the unusual community guardian. “Barquero” is frontloaded with violence to acquire viewer attention, soon settling into a routine of threats shouted across the water, while dissent and drama infiltrates both camps. More vocal members of the squatters want to give up and return to their everyday life, and the idiots working for Remy just want to keep moving along, ready to spend their fortune before they’ve received a chance to secure it. Outside pressure from advancing law enforcement officials acts as the movie’s ticking clock, putting pressure on Remy to either kill or buy Travis off before nightfall.

“Barquero” slows down considerably during its midsection, concentrating on the psychological aspects of Remy, who carries trauma acquired during punishment for a previous crime, using marijuana to calm himself as he waits for the right idea to materialize, helping him to steal the barge. Travis is pressured by one particular squatter, Anna (Mariette Hartley), who offers herself to the bargeman in exchange for her husband’s freedom, who’s been captured on the other side of the river. This exchange brings up a bizarre theme of white privilege and condemnation, finding Anna chastising Travis’s choice of a native companion, presenting herself as a pure female experience. Interestingly, the script pursues the idea all the way, cracking Travis’s nobility in a fascinating manner, even if the scene itself is stilted. The man’s no hero, despite actions suggesting the contrary. He’s not above taking a carnal moment when presented, adding a touch of murky morality that keeps the effort fascinating.

Barquero Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is perhaps the most enticing "Barquero" has ever looked, but this low-budget effort doesn't make it easy on HD expectations. Grain is erratic, with fluctuating levels of intensity that tend to break the visual flow of shots, offering a few noisy bursts along the way. The feature's second half utilizes day for night processing, which tends to dilute everything filmic about the frame, with the BD lacking intensity, though it's an inherently cinematographic problem. In the daylight, fine detail emerges on sweaty faces and the spare construction of the riverside town. Textures are acceptable, isolating creases and woodwork, with a reasonable amount of sharpness to sustain clarity. Colors are adequate as well, with secure skintones and a nice overview of costuming, while outdoorsy hues sustain intent. Delineation runs into photography limitations (contrast tends to lose stability during the aforementioned "sundown" hours), but doesn't entirely solidify. Print is in encouraging shape, with only a few marks of damage detected.

Barquero Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix is also hampered by the production's limited resources, offering some of the worst on-set dialogue recording I've encountered. Voices are buried in the track, keeping hushed and easily overwhelmed by atmospherics, with rushing water a persist foe to dialogue exchanges. Volume riding is required to pick up everything, but once the knob is turned up to hear the characters, the score comes crashing into play, offering a loudness that keeps the listening experience out of whack. Instrumentation is capable, but loses effectiveness when the burden of balance is placed on the viewer. Sound effects are the only element that comes across stable, presenting snappy gunfire and deep rifle booms, along with galloping horses and assorted combat chaos.

Barquero Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (2:36, HD) is included.

Barquero Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Barquero" keeps up with the times by including a spaghetti western-style score from Dominic Frontiere, amplifying the action with musical authority. And performances are strong, with a pro like Tucker able to make a feeble concept that involves Mountain Phil's use of ants as a threat to make one of Remy's men talk passably interesting. While decidedly slow going between conflicts, "Barquero" offers a satisfying handle on character definition and western-style animosity, maintain a convincing run of intimidation between two forceful personalities. And with Van Cleef, there's never a dull moment as he attempts to glare every close-up into submission.