very weak, unfortunately

Such a frustrating disappointment

just watch it!

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

"Barbarosa" stars the great country singer Willie Nelson in the title role: a self-styled outlaw, who makes the acquaintance of bumbling former farmboy Karl (Gary Busey). Karl has accidentally killed his brother in law, and now he's on the lam. Barbarosa isn't particularly looking for a sidekick or a protégé, but he and the eager-to-please Karl forge a strong friendship. As they go around committing robberies, there is a nemesis from Barbarosas' past, Don Braulio (Gilbert Roland) who is eager to put an end to his days.Australian filmmaker Fred Schepisi made his American debut with this thoughtful and likable film, a very nicely shot combination of character study and Western drama. It examines the nature of myths and legends - how they get started, and how they endure. It's intelligent, fairly violent but never overly gory, and fairly visceral. The screenplay by William D. Wittliff has some good lines, and gives us a story and characters worth caring about. It also isn't afraid to make us fill in the gaps, instead of blatantly spelling everything out for us.Nelson is a natural pick for the lead. Barbarosa is somewhat ornery, but basically good hearted, and a feisty and colorful person to boot. Busey's rarely been more appealing, and he and Nelson get some fine chemistry going as their personalities clash. The ladies (Isela Vega, Alma Martinez) are absolutely lovely and are very appealing themselves. Roland, a veteran of Hollywoods' Golden Age, still had a powerful screen presence, and his antagonist is no one dimensional bogeyman. There are also some first rate actors in other supporting roles: Danny De La Paz, George Voskovec as the vengeful Herman Pahmeyer, Howland Chamberlain, Harry Caesar, Kai Wulff, and father and son character actors Roberto and Luis Contreras.Best of all, this film manages to make its points and explore its themes while also wrapping up in a reasonable amount of time (90 minutes all told). It's all gorgeously shot (by Ian Baker) and wonderfully scored (by Bruce Smeaton).Buseys' son Jake has a tiny role as a "cook boy".Eight out of 10.

A legendary outlaw(Willie Nelson) join forces with a youngest(Gary Busey) who converts his protégé. One was a legend the other would become one, both are usually on the lam and pursued by vengeful men caused for family blood feud carried out by Don Braulio (Gilbert Roland).This gentle western contains action-Western, adventures, pursuits and brief touch of comedy about the enjoyable relationship between master and pupil. Most of the action of this modest Western takes place on breathtaking outdoors similarly to marvelous landscapes of the majestic John Ford .Packs a light touch in the wake of ¨Paul Newman- Robert Redford's Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid¨ adding a little bit of violence.There are some good action scenes that can fit in the previous film.The straightforward screenplay and unglamorous production give a true feeling of the Old West set in Texas. The performances by outcast, free-spirited Willie Nelson and Gary Busey do bring pleasure. Nelson shows the many sides of his spirited character.Australian director Fred Schepisi has flavorfully directed a nice and interesting Western.His greatest hits took place in the 80s such as proved in ¨Iceman,Plenty,Roxanne,Cry in the dark¨¨and of course ¨Barbarosa¨.For sheer spirit-lifting entertainment you can't do better that watching this picture.

The title role of Barbarosa is played by Willie Nelson and he's a former Texas Ranger turned outlaw who's on the run from his various crimes and from his in-laws who don't like him very much. They resent this Anglo marrying into their family and family patriarch Gilbert Roland got his leg shot off while trying to break up that marriage. He's lost several other family members in trying to kill Nelson to avenge that.But Nelson picks up Gary Busey a farm kid on the run from a feud himself because he accidentally killed his brother-in-law. Busey takes up with Nelson and his outlaw ways and the two become an amiable pair.Judging by the other reviewers Barbarosa seems to have a bit of a following. I wouldn't call it great by any means, still it's certainly entertaining enough for the discriminating western fans.Barbarosa's significance to me is that it is the farewell performance of Gilbert Roland whose career went back six decades into the silent era when he was touted as a would be Valentino successor. His career never quite fit that mold, but he was always a favorite of mine. The part as the family patriarch is not the usual carefree, but tough Gilbert that we usually see. He's an understandably bitter man in this film and it was a good performance to go out on.Western fans won't mind this one and Nelson and Busey have a nice chemistry between them.

This films drifts along through some absolutely gorgeous western scenery. The cinematography is beautifully done, and is one of the finer points of this movie. The storyline is pretty episodic, and many plot points are glossed over without much explanation. Willie Nelson (Barbarosa) has some good scenes, along with Gilbert Roland who plays his revengeful father-in-law, but Gary Busey steals the show as Carl, the hard luck "farmboy". It's not the greatest movie ever made, but I enjoyed watching it......more like a fable than a western. 6/10