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The Wild Bunch

Play trailer 2:53 Poster for The Wild Bunch R 1969 2h 22m Western Play Trailer Watchlist
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91% Tomatometer 67 Reviews 90% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
In this gritty Western classic, aging outlaw Pike Bishop (William Holden) prepares to retire after one final robbery. Joined by his gang, which includes Dutch Engstrom (Ernest Borgnine) and brothers Lyle (Warren Oates) and Tector Gorch (Ben Johnson), Bishop discovers the heist is a setup orchestrated in part by his old partner, Deke Thornton (Robert Ryan). As the remaining gang takes refuge in Mexican territory, Thornton trails them, resulting in fierce gunfights with plenty of casualties.
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The Wild Bunch

The Wild Bunch

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Critics Consensus

The Wild Bunch is Sam Peckinpah's shocking, violent ballad to an old world and a dying genre.

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Critics Reviews

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Penelope Gilliatt The New Yorker Apart from Peckinpah's simple technical control and the cut of his script, which is a knife that never slips off the bone, there is an angry quality to his mind. Jul 7, 2022 Full Review Tom Milne Sight & Sound The film drives to its foregone conclusion with the sureness of an arrow. Mar 18, 2020 Full Review Judith Crist New York Magazine/Vulture If you must see The Wild Bunch, be sure to take along a barf bag. Jan 1, 2020 Full Review Jeff Beck The Blu Spot The Wild Bunch remains a beloved staple of the western genre, utilizing a gripping story, memorable characters, exciting action, and impeccable technical elements to deliver a thrilling adventure. Rated: 4/5 Jul 30, 2025 Full Review Bianca Garner InSession Film While I don’t exactly have the stomach for the violence, the sexism or the racism/xenophobia of The Wild Bunch, I do admire it for its artistic and technical aspects. There’s something oddly fascinating about the film... Jul 31, 2024 Full Review Danielle Solzman Solzy at the Movies To say that The Wild Bunch is a violent masterpiece would not be an understatement. Rated: 5/5 May 31, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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William R S One of my all time favorite westerns. Cutting edge violence, editing, direction and acting. The movie that put Peckinpah on the map and made his movies "must see" events (for me, anyway.) Saw this when it was released in 1969 and it's still as potent a story now as it was then. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/14/24 Full Review Ronnie M Some scenes were a little long ......still, a pretty good movie Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/28/25 Full Review Cecilia S To say that The Wild Bunch is a violent masterpiece would not be an understatement. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 08/13/25 Full Review Kafe R Cutting edge for its time and still awesome today. Love the end section the best Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 07/13/25 Full Review Fred T They dont get much better than this. Sags a touch in the middle but the rest of it more than makes up for it. Required viewing. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/28/25 Full Review Jack F This is a violent and brutal movie, but tells the story in such a direct, no nonsense way that it stays with you for a long time. Sophie's Choice did not cover a pleasant theme, but it was so well done that it leaves an impression on you (or at least it did for me). The Wild Bunch is much the same. Some will be turned off by the violence, which there is plenty of, but it is displayed as almost an art form. Not all of life is sunshine and roses and The Wild Bunch deals with multiple dark themes in a simple, unrefined way that few other movies do. That's why it is called a Masterpiece. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/23/25 Full Review Read all reviews
The Wild Bunch

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Movie Info

Synopsis In this gritty Western classic, aging outlaw Pike Bishop (William Holden) prepares to retire after one final robbery. Joined by his gang, which includes Dutch Engstrom (Ernest Borgnine) and brothers Lyle (Warren Oates) and Tector Gorch (Ben Johnson), Bishop discovers the heist is a setup orchestrated in part by his old partner, Deke Thornton (Robert Ryan). As the remaining gang takes refuge in Mexican territory, Thornton trails them, resulting in fierce gunfights with plenty of casualties.
Director
Sam Peckinpah
Producer
Phil Feldman
Screenwriter
Walon Green, Roy N. Sickner, Sam Peckinpah
Distributor
Warner Home Vídeo
Production Co
Warner Brothers
Rating
R
Genre
Western
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 18, 1969, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 19, 2016
Runtime
2h 22m
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