Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

Ensofter Overrated and overhyped

Baseshment I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Dirtylogy It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

speedtest Boring and pointless story, the only good thing about the movie is Charles Bronson who seems to be a pretty good rider. The story is forgettable and stupid.

Wuchak Although an Italian/Spanish/French production and shot in Spain, "Chino" (1973) isn't a genuine Spaghetti Western on account of director, John Sturges ("Magnificent Seven") being an American (although he didn't finish the film; Duilio Colett did). More Importantly, "Chino" lacks the typical comic book tone and one-dimensional/amoral protagonists of most Italian Westerns, e.g. "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly." On the contrary, "Chino" is ultra-realistic and features flesh & blood protagonists.THE PLOT: Chino Valdez (Charles Bronson), a half-breed, runs a horse farm in the desert and is usually persecuted when he goes to town. A 15 year-old runaway named Jamie drops by and Chino decides to hire him. Meanwhile, a neighboring rancher is starting to fence-up the wilderness and Chino falls for his beautiful half-sister (Jill Ireland).I stayed away from "Chino" all these years because I was told that it was a slow, lackluster and uneventful Bronson Western. Well, it might be sort of slow, since the story focuses on the characters and their drama, but it's not lackluster or uneventful. I was surprised at how good it is. The theme is the dying of the Old West and everything that went with it. Big time ranchers are moving in and fencing-off the land and Native Americans are becoming extinct across the landscape, except for Reservations. Being a half-breed, Chino seems to stir-up trouble wherever he goes through no fault of his own, which results in a saloon fight here and there. Thankfully, Jamie is too young to be bigoted and they develop a sort of father/son relationship. If you enjoy horses you'll love "Chino." It features the running of a herd in open pasture, cameos of a magnificent stallion, the birthing of a foal and its life with Chino & Jamie, the bareback riding of a group of Natives, Chino's great drive of some horses into town and an unexpected horse mating scene. Fittingly, that last one is the set-up for Chino making the moves on his woman, lol.There's also a fairly long Native American sequence where Chino introduces Jamie to the band of Indians that are basically his family. There's a sleeping-in-the-tepee scene that's reminiscent of a similar scene in "Dances with Wolves," which came out 17 years later. Also, as Chino entertains the idea of hooking-up with a sexy squaw Jamies meets a sweet young thang.Unfortunately the story didn't end the way I would've liked it to end; it left a sour taste. But then I reflected on the movie and accepted it. In view of the film's main theme -- the twilight of the Old West -- I suppose it ended the way it had to. Besides, not every story ends on a "everyone lived happily ever after" note.In any event, "Chino" breaches the ceiling of greatness as a simple, yet compelling drama that takes place in the soon-to-be-gone Old West.The film runs 98 minutes. GRADE: A-

Tony Rome This a very good Charles Bronson film. Not very violent, with a good message. This was one of the many films Charles Bronson made with his wife Jill Ireland. Bronson plays Chino Valdez, a man who is haunted by the fact that everywhere he goes there is trouble. He is a silent, not scary man, but people constantly get into fights with him. He meets a young boy who is eager to work with him as a ranch hand. The boy learns how to break horses and he learns the facts of life. Chino Valdez serves as a father figure for the boy. **** Great movie. Unfortunately many of the prints on DVD are lousy. The 1984 Warner Home Video VHS copy is not a bad print.

asinyne I watched this movie a few days ago and at the time wasn't overly impressed. However, I find myself still thinking about it and therefore I can't deny it made a lasting impression. This is certainly one of the more unusual westerns you will ever watch and I would add this is definitely one of Bronson's better films. I watched a really bad print of this on VHS and wish I had something better to view this film again. I'm sure I would like it even better second time around.I think that maybe the real genius in this movie is the way it accurately captured the isolation early pioneers actually encountered in the vastness of the old west. Bronson is a man living alone on a horse ranch and "living" is about it. Unexpectedly he befriends a young drifter and then even more unexpectedly falls in love with a very beautiful woman. Then his life really become complicated. However, all the while, you sort of sense that he expects things to work out wrong because that is just the way life goes for a man like him; someone who learns to mostly just depend on himself and just accept whatever comes as whatever comes. In a way its a sad film...but you have to realize that life out there on the frontier battling the elements, ruthless land barons, and loneliness wasn't exactly a bowl of cherries. The landscape, overcast skies, and the sets do a fabulous job helping create the somber atmosphere that is, in my opinion, the real star of this film. This is a spaghetti western but this time around the various elements of Italian films are brought out in their better light. This is a serious piece of film and worth watching for a number of reasons. It is not an action filled shoot em' up but rather a character study and realistic portrayal of how hard times and hard living were in the tough old west. Nicely photographed too. This movie reminds me of stuff like Will Penny, Tender Mercies, or even Monte Walsh. Not as good as those but pretty close. Yes, there are flaws but its still interesting and unique...and fun to look at I might add.