Walter Hill is a bit of a legend when it comes to "tough guy" cinema. You probably know him for The Warriors or 48 Hrs., but in 1996, he decided to do something pretty bold. He took Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo—which, let’s be real, is already a perfect movie—and smashed it together with the gritty aesthetic of a 1930s Prohibition-era western. The result was Last Man Standing. It’s dusty. It’s loud. It stars Bruce Willis at the absolute peak of his "I’m too tired for this" charisma. Honestly, if you haven't revisited this one lately, you're missing out on a masterclass in style over everything else.
The movie isn't just another action flick. It’s a remake of a remake, technically. Kurosawa’s Yojimbo inspired Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars, and then Hill brought the story back to its (supposed) American roots with a script that feels like it was written in bourbon and gunpowder.
The Weird, Gritty World of Jericho
Jericho is a ghost town. It’s a literal purgatory located in the Texas desert. When John Smith (Willis) rolls into town in his beat-up Ford, he’s not looking for trouble, but he finds it within about thirty seconds. This isn't the kind of movie where people talk about their feelings. They talk with 1911 pistols. Lots of them.
The town is split between two warring gangs: the Irish, led by Doyle (David Patrick Kelly), and the Italians, led by Strozzi (Ned Eisenberg). It’s a classic setup. Smith realizes he can make a quick buck by playing both sides against each other. He’s not a hero. He’s a mercenary. He tells us this in a dry, noir-style voiceover that sounds like he’s reading a grocery list while smoking three packs of cigarettes. This narration is polarizing for some fans. Some people find it a bit much, but it grounds the film in that 1930s pulp fiction vibe that Hill was clearly obsessed with.
One of the most striking things about Last Man Standing is the color palette. It’s orange. Everything is sepia, gold, and dirt-brown. It looks like the film was developed in sand. This was a deliberate choice by cinematographer Egil Bryld and Hill to make the heat feel oppressive. You can almost smell the sweat and the cheap gin coming off the screen.
Christopher Walken Steals the Show
We have to talk about Hickey. Christopher Walken plays the primary antagonist, and he is terrifying. He doesn't have a raspy voice because he’s a "bad guy"; he has it because his character survived a botched hanging or some other trauma that left his vocal cords shredded. Walken moves like a cobra. While Willis is stoic and sturdy, Walken is fluid and unpredictable. Their showdown is inevitable, but the journey there is filled with some of the most stylized violence of the 90s.
Hill uses a specific technique for the gunfights. When someone gets hit with a .45 ACP round in this movie, they don't just fall down. They fly. They get launched backward across rooms, through windows, and into the dust. It’s hyper-real. It’s almost cartoonish, but within the grim world of Jericho, it works. It emphasizes the power of the weapons. These aren't just toys; they are engines of destruction.
Why Critics Originally Hated It (And Why They Were Wrong)
When it dropped in September 1996, the reviews were... not great. Roger Ebert gave it one star. He thought it was too bleak, too repetitive, and lacked any sort of "soul." He wasn't entirely wrong about the bleakness. There is almost no humor in Last Man Standing. Even the "jokes" are dark. But that’s kind of the point.
It’s a nihilistic film.
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Smith represents a man who has lost everything and has nothing left to believe in except his own ability to survive. In 1996, audiences were used to the wisecracking John McClane version of Bruce Willis. Seeing him as a cold, calculating killer who barely smiles was a bit of a shock to the system. Today, we appreciate that kind of grit much more. We’ve had John Wick. We’ve had Logan. The "relentless protagonist" is a staple now, but back then, it felt a bit hollow to mainstream critics.
The musical score by Ry Cooder also deserves a shout-out. It’s not your typical orchestral swell. It’s haunting, bluesy, and sparse. It fits the desert landscape perfectly. It feels lonely. That’s the core of the movie: loneliness. Every character in Jericho is isolated, trapped by their own greed or their own past.
Comparing the Three Versions
If you’re a film nerd, comparing the versions of this story is a blast:
- Yojimbo (1961): The original samurai masterpiece. Toshiro Mifune is a legend.
- A Fistful of Dollars (1964): Clint Eastwood’s breakout. The Man with No Name.
- Last Man Standing (1996): The urban-western-noir hybrid.
While Leone’s version is more iconic, Hill’s version is arguably the most brutal. It leans into the "noir" elements of the story—the idea that the protagonist is just as flawed as the people he’s killing. Smith isn't cleaning up the town for the sake of the law. He’s cleaning it up because he can.
The Technical Craft Behind the Mayhem
The production design is incredible. They built the town of Jericho in Santa Clarita, California, and they made it look like it had been rotting for a century. The wind is a constant character. It blows dust through every scene, obscuring the horizon and making the town feel even more claustrophobic.
The gunplay was choreographed with a level of detail that was rare for the time. Willis spent a massive amount of time training to handle the 1911s. You can see it in how he reloads—it’s muscle memory. He doesn't look at the guns. He just works them. It adds a layer of authenticity to a movie that is otherwise very "heightened" and stylistic.
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Interestingly, the film was a bit of a box office bomb. It cost about $67 million to make and barely cleared $47 million worldwide. New Line Cinema was hoping for a massive hit, but the R-rating and the grim tone kept the casual crowds away. It found its life on DVD and cable, where it slowly became a cult favorite for people who love "men on a mission" movies.
Key Misconceptions About the Film
One big thing people get wrong is thinking this is a "remake" of the Bruce Willis movie Die Hard. It’s not. It’s actually closer to a Greek tragedy. Another misconception is that the film is "slow." It’s actually very fast-paced, but the dialogue is slow. Hill gives the scenes room to breathe. He lets you look at the characters' faces. You see the fear in the eyes of the minor thugs before they get blasted.
There's also a rumor that the film was supposed to be even longer. There are whispers of a much more complex subplot involving Smith's backstory that was trimmed to keep the focus on the action in Jericho. Honestly? The movie is better without it. The mystery of who John Smith really is makes him more compelling. He’s a cipher.
Actionable Takeaways for Movie Buffs
If you’re going to sit down and watch Last Man Standing tonight, here is how to get the most out of it:
- Watch the Sound Design: Pay attention to the sound of the guns. They don't sound like "movie guns." They sound like cannons.
- Look at the Wardrobe: Notice how Smith’s suit slowly degrades throughout the film. It’s a visual representation of his physical and moral exhaustion.
- Double Feature It: Watch Yojimbo on a Friday and this on a Saturday. It’s fascinating to see how the same story beats translate from feudal Japan to the American Prohibition era.
- Check the Background: Walter Hill loves filling his frames with detail. Look at the posters on the walls and the items in the general store. It’s a very lived-in world.
To really appreciate what Hill was doing, you have to accept that the movie isn't trying to be "deep" in a traditional sense. It’s an exercise in style. It’s about the weight of a gun, the heat of the sun, and the cost of being the last one alive. It’s a tough, mean, beautiful piece of cinema that doesn't apologize for what it is.
If you’re a fan of Bruce Willis, this is arguably one of his most underrated performances. He manages to convey so much with just a squint and a slight tilt of his head. He’s the anchor that keeps the movie from drifting off into pure action-movie absurdity. Go find a high-def copy, crank the sound system, and enjoy the chaos. It’s a wild ride that still holds up nearly 30 years later.
Next Steps:
- Locate a 4K or Blu-ray copy: The cinematography is so specific that streaming compression often ruins the fine grain and "dusty" textures of the film.
- Research Walter Hill’s "Hard Times": If you like the vibe of this movie, Hill’s directorial debut is another masterclass in stripped-down, masculine storytelling.
- Explore the Soundtrack: Ry Cooder’s work here is available on most music platforms and is excellent background music for focused work or a long drive through the desert.