6.8/10
Senior Film Conservator

A definitive 6.8/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Phantom Rider remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, only if you have a massive soft spot for the black-and-white serial era. If you need pacing that makes sense or dialogue that doesn't sound like it was written on the back of a napkin in five minutes, look away.
Die-hard fans of The Hole in the Wall might find some comfort in the familiar tropes, but the average viewer is going to start checking their watch by chapter four.
Watching this feels like being stuck in a time loop where every single scene ends with someone falling off a horse or missing a point-blank shot. Buck Jones is clearly the boss here, but the plot just refuses to move forward in any meaningful way.
It’s a 15-episode grind. Literally. They just kept filming until they hit the quota, I guess.
There is a moment in chapter six where someone trips over a rock and the sound effect is delayed by a full second. It was the most honest thing in the whole movie.
Compared to something like Sperduti nel buio, this is just absolute fluff. It isn't trying to be deep, which is fine, but it does get exhausting. The way the characters just stand around in the desert waiting for something to happen is… something.
It’s not good, but it’s not exactly bad in a way that hurts. It just is. If you want a nap, this is perfect. If you want a Western, maybe go watch something else. 🤠