Going through the AFI Top 100, I wonder how many movies are on the list for being really good movies, or which ones make the cut because of the vibrant storytelling around important societal topics, or which movies are considered a member of the “greatest” simply because they set new standards in filmmaking. These categories of acceptance are not mutually exclusive; a film can succeed in all three areas; though from what I have seen thus far, most of the films have a primary strength that enhances other positives and covers weaknesses. The Wild Bunch (1969) did not strike a chord as being really good, or socially important, or aesthetically groundbreaking, so I wonder what puts it at number seventy-nine on AFI’s list. Perhaps, I need to expand my reasons for why a film can be considered one of the all-time greatest.

When I remember this list is AFI’s greatest American films of all time, a few pieces fall into place. The Wild Bunch does not appear to be a cinematic marvel, yet it provides a narrow glimpse into a transitionally important period in North American history. Is a film’s historical context enough to raise its importance? While I say a film needs to be a good viewing experience, I have also given movies significant credit for their historical documentation. A film should still be enjoyable, however, otherwise who cares to watch? That pull, where a movie digs in its hooks and does not let go until the credits, is not present with The Wild Bunch. Exciting themes are available, but they fail to develop into something more than lightly touched-upon moments.

The “Wild West” of American history had to expire at some point. Territorial expansion and growth of government authority, coupled with advancing technology, rang the death knell for an era of lawlessness and frontierism. The Wild Bunch focuses on a point during that time where the United States was still establishing its southern and western growth and Pancho Villa was riding across Mexico under a revolutionary banner. With that backdrop, an aging group of bandits aims for a last score to secure their retirement while eluding American bounty hunters and crooked Mexican military leaders. There is tremendous possibility with that staging to make a large-scale heist movie with shades of revenge, corruption, and human strife. Instead of creating a two-and-a-half hour epic that builds and flows through tension and character development, we get a mosaic of moments that are obviously connected but do not provide any incentive to invest interest in the characters or their actions. As a viewer, you are expected to believe “The Wild Bunch” gang has developing camaraderie because of a handful of scenes that end with one member laughing and the others joining in as if they did not want to be left out of a joke they did not understand. It is an awkward gimmick that maybe works the first time, but once you realize the gang does not subsequently appear any tighter than they did before, the succeeding moments are simply repetitive filler.

And that sums up the existence of the whole film, viewers have little reason to care about anything that happens. The characters have sadness in their background, but those experiences are only briefly touched upon and fail to establish any foundation to explain their decision-making and actions. Beyond shallow characterization, the “big” heist provides the film’s most excitement, yet it just comes and goes with little building anticipation and no direct consequence. As The Wild Bunch reaches its climax, it is hard to believe any of the gang members would risk laying down their life for another, yet like any western, that has to be the endgame. The “Wild West” dispensed justice via the “shootout”, and a flurrying exchange of bullets is the only way a story of theft and revenge can end.

In the end, I did not care for this movie and watched to get through it. There were positive moments, but the lack of flow through scenes and character development was too jarring for a film on the top 100 list. I can appreciate being able to cross The Wild Bunch off my watchlist, and perhaps I will view it again in the future with a renewed lens. Until then, The Wild Bunch can come off AFI’s list with little consequence.