In his last film, Steve Reeves played his usual hero number (though a bit too sombre, with no glimpse of humor, as in the adventure films he starred in), doing not too different grimaces and acrobatics as the ones he performed for his incarnations of Romulus, Sir Henry Morgan, Hercules and Sandokan. It was adapted from a novel, and probably the scriptwriters (including Reeves) were too respectful of the original (written, as told by other reviewer, by a specialist in western novels) and took little advantage of the European western film craze of the 1960s. Even in the more serious western dramas (as Leone's "Once Upon a Time in the West"), there were always bizarre elements and even a bit of Brechtian estrangement, making it obvious that it was a foreign concoction turning a classic genre upside down, every now and then revealing something that had not been told in the classic American westerns (although I believe the real revisionist westerns were made by American filmmakers, as Penn, Peckinpah, Altman and Gries). This one plays it straight, and maybe Reeves wanted to do a real western, but it just comes out as an average European western without zest.

Good gracious!!! Steve Reeves in a western movie??? It's really hard to find this movie on DVD, i need to wait for a long long time to get a chance to watch this movie. Luckily i found it on You Tube and download this as well. Honestly, I'm not disappointed after watching it! Steve Reeves came up with his final movie and quit acting after this movie, i wonder why??? The way he acted in a cowboy movie was surprisingly good and he could turn out to be a lot better if he further his career. It's too bad he quit earlier..I wish he acted more in spaghetti western movies..he could be as popular as Franco Nero or Lee Van Cleef! A Long Ride From Hell is just one of the best western movies i have seen so far. In my opinion, this one surpasses Django and The Great Silence. I just thought that A Long Ride From Hell is better.10/10 stars (excellent)

PLOT: Rancher Mike Sturges (Steve Reeves, the late body builder best remembered for starting the sword & sandal craze by starring in "Hercules" and "Hercules Unchained") and his younger brother Roy are framed for a train robbery they didn't commit and sent the brutal Yuma prison without a trial. There, Roy is tortured and eventually beaten to death by a sadistic guard (are there any other kind in movies like this?). Enraged, Mike escapes during a prison break out, kills the guard who killed his brother and sets out to exact a similar revenge on the criminals who tore his life apart. An accomplished horse rider, Steve Reeves had always liked westerns - as most people of his generation no doubt did - and when he got into the movie business he naturally wanted to make one (legend has it he was offered the role of The Man With No Name in "A Fistful of Dollars", which helped make a cinematic icon out of then TV star Clint Eastwood - but turned it down because he found the script too violent and was skeptical of Italian knowledge of America's "Old West"), and finally did with this, his last film, which he also co-wrote. Though only in his early 40s, meaning he could have hung around and made more spaghetti westerns as his pal and fellow athlete the late Gordon Scott did, Reeves had injured his shoulder during a chariot accident on a previous film and stunt work in between that accident and "A Long Ride From Hell" only aggravated it and would cause him problems later in life regarding his work out regime (Reeves did his own stunts since there were no Italian stunt men big enough to double for him). Since the injury made being an action star, even a B-movie action star, impractical, Reeves opted to bow out from the game and spent the remainder of his life living quietly in California, where he managed a horse ranch. As for the film itself, it's a fairly grim, gritty and dark story, in contrast to the mythological fantasy adventure films Reeves was best known for. You wouldn't think Reeves was suffering from a bad shoulder watching him in the film though, as he batters his way through villains and proved himself to be surprisingly nimble for a guy who stood 6'1" and weighed over 200 lbs of solid muscle. Though dubbed again, Reeves dominates every scene he's in by sheer virtue of his physical presence and steely blue eyes.All in all, a must for fans of Reeves and spaghetti westerns in general.

Pleasant Spaghetti Western with a Peplum usual , Steve Reeves , as starring and writer . An Italian production full of action , exaggerated characters, shootouts and lots of violence . This is the story of a man with an only obsession ¨Live for kill¨ . For money, for pleasure, for revenge , he doesn't care why he kills or how ¡ ... Some rustlers rob horses from Sturges family . The oldest son named Mike (Steve Reeves ) Sturges (homage to John Sturges ?) and his brother Roy set out in pursuit the thieves . While they are looking for the outlaws Mike sees as the Southern Pacific Railways blows up and they are accused for robbing the cash , being framed by a corrupt sheriff (Dick Palmer , aka Mimmo Palmara ) who executes a ¨Pestaggio¨ against Mike as hitting , punch and kicking . They are incarcerated in Yuma Penitentiary . There Roy doesn't bear the mistreats and humiliations , but Mike gets to getaway and seeks vendetta against nasties . He escapes and sees the atrocity over his family and the Sturges ranch is destroyed , then executes a single-handedly revenge, as he slashes, ravages and murders each person involved in the killing . Mike encounters hints about the bandits in Dragon Pass Coach Station and a box of Niagara dynamite , plus an Abisian Desert Companion bottle , all of them lead his enemies. Mike is relentless in his vendetta , deadly in his violence. The conflict is a simple one between avenger Mike Sturges , and oppressors, nasties bandits commanded by cruel sheriff and his underlings. Then Sturges is submitted a tempestuous trap and is caught and he faces the vicious bandits. Finally , in a coach station takes place a deadly showdown between Mike and his enemies .It's an exciting western all'Italiana with breathtaking showdown between the protagonist Steve Reeves against the heartless Dick Palmer and his merciless gunfighters . Steve is fine, he runs , ravages the screen, shoots, hit and run and kills but also receives violent knocks , punches , kicks and wounds . In the film premiere attained bit success , nowadays is best valued and I think it turns out to be an acceptable Spaghetti Western. Steve Reeves played ¨Hercules¨ and ¨Hercules¨ and ¨Hercules and Queen of Lydia¨ and many others muscle-men epics . He also acted in adventure genre as ¨Sandokan¨, swashbuckling as ¨Morgan the pirate¨ and fantasy as ¨The thief of Bagdag¨ . Reeves was almost retired when starred and wrote ¨ Viovo per la tua morte¨, unfortunately for Mr. Universe the picture was a failure . His riding scenes were usually carried out by the habitual stunt and double Giovanni Cianfriglia or Ken Wood . Frustrated Steve Reeves returned US and nothing more else , as he retired in his ranch . The secondary Nello Pazzafini as a cruelly warden role is terrific , he bears a hysterical and mocking smile , subsequently the would play similar characters .In the picture appears ordinary secondaries from Spaghetti as Gino Lollobrigida (or Lee Burton , Gina Lollobrigida's brother) , Ivan Scratuglia , Franco Fantasia , Enzo Fiermonte , Spartaco Conversi , and the Eurotrash goddess Rosalba Neri , and also uncredited Aldo Sambrell as a brutal bounty hunter . The film packs violence , gun-play , explosion, high body-count and it's fast moving and quite entertaining. There is plenty of action in the movie , guaranteeing some shootouts or stunts every few minutes. There are many fine technicians and nice assistants as Remo De Angelis , habitual master of arms and stunts in numerous Spaghetti Western . Good production design creating an excellent scenario with luminous outdoors , dirty and rocky landscapes under a glimmer sun and a fine set on the town . The musician Carlo Savina, composes a nice soundtrack and well conducted ; it's full of guttural sounds, sensible songs and a haunting musical leitmotif . Catching song at the beginning and ending titled ¨Go West young man¨ by Powell and Savina . Striking cinematography by Enzo Barboni - Trinity and Bambino film's director- with negative well processed and perfect remastering . Interior filmed at Elios Studios and outdoor sequences filmed in Spanish outdoors located in Almeria , Spain.Camilo Bazzoni's direction -under a pseudonym named Alex Burks , an usual cameraman- is middlingly crafted , here he's less thought-provoking and broody and more inclined toward violence and too much action , though he's an expert on cinematography . Rating : 5 acceptable and passable . The picture will appeal to Spaghetti Western fans.