Year of the Gun (1991)

MOVIE REVIEW

With a current IMDb rating of 5.6 from around 2,400 users, it would seem that this movie has neither been widely seen, nor has it been much appreciated.  I’d like to suggest that it deserves a much higher rating.  Notably, Roger Ebert gave it 3 stars.

To be clear, it is a flawed, pulpy thriller- but it is taut and gripping.  Then there is the setting- Rome, 1978- a time when Italy was rocked by an unprecedented level of violent political unrest.  It presents a fictional story that is tied to one of the most shocking events in the modern political history of Italy.  If you don’t know what I’m referring to, chances are that you might find the movie a bit more suspenseful. What is especially remarkable about the movie is the way it transports you into that world- in large part, due to the splendid camerawork, and the manner in which the demonstrations and the violence are choreographed.

In case you feel like checking it out, I’d suggest you avoid watching the trailer.