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)

Peplum bodybuilding sensation Steve Reeves of "Hercules" fame concluded his cinematic career with "Suicide Commandos" director Camilla Bazzoni's "A Long Ride From Hell," a thoroughly conventional but wholly cynical Spaghetti western penned by Reeves and co-scenarist Roberto Natale of "Kill, Baby... Kill!" from veteran American western novelist Gordon D. Shirreffs' book "The Judas Gun." Lensed on location in Spain by future "Trinity" helmer Enzo Barboni, "A Long Ride from Hell" is a visual treat, especially the nocturnal scenes. Unfortunately, Bazzoni lacks an eye for pictorial detail and composition. This low-budget oater looks like it was shot very quickly and the writers eliminated certain scenes, like a courthouse scene, to accelerate the pace. Bazzoni doesn't stage the shoot-outs with any sense of verve like either Sergio Leone or Gianfranco Parolini. Carlo Savina's music sounds like a left-over score from his sword and sandal features, but the theme song is rather catchy. Mind you, Steve Reeves looks like he was born to wear a six-gun and Stetson, but clean-shaven as he remains throughout the film, he never looks like a traditional Spaghetti western protagonist. Meanwhile, mustached Wade Preston makes an evil adversary, with Spaghetti western stalwart Aldo Sambrell of "Navajo Joe" fleshing out the cast of this 85 minute horse opera.Cast as rancher Mike Sturges, Steve Reeves learns that his herd of horses have been stolen and most of his riders killed. Tracy survives the ambush and makes it back to alert Mike about the theft of horseflesh. Mike rides out with his kid brother Roy (Franco Fantasia of "Hercules, Samson & Ulysses," and their ranch hand Bobcat Bates (Mario Maranzana of "The Nephews of Zorro") to recover the stolen horses because they have their fortune tied up in them. They ride to the farthest water hole at Dragoon Springs and camp. During the night, a stranger enters their camp. Mike recognizes Marlin Mayner (Wade Preston of "A Man Called Sledge") and Marlin warns them that they are sleeping on the right of way of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Marlin lies that he serves as a Southern Pacific investigator. He explains to Mike that the railroad is uneasy with drifters encroaching on it land since several robberies have occurred. Moreover, he points out to Mike that the ex-convict turn ranch hand Bobcat Bates would arose the suspicions of any lawman. As it turns out, Marlin was the dastard that arranged the ambush of Mike's horse herd, but Mike doesn't know this at this point. After Marlin leaves, Mike rides out to investigate. An unknown assailants floats a lariat over Mike's head, pulls him off his horse, and shoots him in the leg.Meanwhile, the Southern Pacific train pulls up the water tower at night to replenish the boiler of the locomotive. Marlin's outlaws open fire and pour a barrage of lead into the train. They wipe out all the guards and then dynamite the boxcar containing the loot. They make off with $80-thousand in gold coin. The authorities, Sheriff Max Freeman (Mimmo Palmara of "Bullets Don't Argue") arrive not long afterward and question Mike about the robbery. Savagely, he tries to beat any information out of Mike. As it turns out, the evidence is incriminating because Bobcat's dead body has been found near the railroad tracks. Later, despite a courtroom scene that was never shot, Mike and his brother Roy wind up in the infamous Yuma Prison. The scenes showing Mike smashing rocks in a quarry is the first time that Reeves bares his Mr. Universe chest. An evil Prison supervisor tortures Roy and kills him. Mike takes advantage of a prison riot to break out of Yuma. Eventually, he tracks down the villains, wipes them out and returns the $80-thousand that Marlin had buried in a safe place."A Long Ride from Hell" is nothing special and only the combined star power of Reeves and Preston make it worth watching.

I saw this recently for the first time. Reeves is great in his final film, what a shame he was unable to continue making films because of an injury. He looks good and acts well in this revenge story which is head and (very broad) shoulders above of most of the post 66 Italian western output. Reeves could have been one of the great western stars but it wasn't to be. A glimpse of what he could have achieved can been found in such films as 'Sandokan' and 'Morgan the Pirate', non-sandal films that were great fun. I was glad to discover that his post-movie life was a success and that he was a happy and wealthy man. He is much missed by his fans.