简介：TheCynic,TheRatandTheFistclearlytakesinfluenceregardingit'scentralthemefromtheSergioLeonemasterpiece'TheGood,TheBadandTheUgly',andherewefollowthefortunesofthreestrongmalecharactersastheirlivesintertwineinthenameofcrime.DirectorUmbertoLenzipliedhistradeinanumberofItaly'smostpopulargenres,andhisresumeincludesthelikesofzombies,cannibalsandGiallo;buttheonlyfieldhe'samasterinistheDirtyHarryinspiredsub-genre,'Polizia'.ThisisonlymythirdLenzicrimeflick,butIwouldn'tbesurprisedtofindthatit'soneofthebestheevermade,asthemasterpiece'AlmostHuman'onlyjustedgesitout.UmbertoLenzipackshisfilmwithallthethingsyou'dexpectfromthecrimegenre;withthingssuchasshootouts,carchasesandsadismfeaturingstrongly.Theactualplotisalittleconvoluted,andfollowsItalianmobboss'TheChinaman',ashehooksupwithNewYorkcrimelordFrankDiMaggio.ThecoplookingtotakethepairofthemdownisLeonardoTanzi,amannotafraidtobreakthelawinordertobringinhisman. Exactlywhichofthetitlemonikersapplytowhichofthethreecharactersisneverreallyexplained;althoughpersonally,IwagerthatTomasMilian'sChinamanis'TheCynic',JohnSaxon'smobbossis'TheRat'andMaurizioMerliviolentcopperistheaptlynamed'TheFist'.Oneofthefilm'sstrongestelementsisundoubtedlythecastlist,asthecentraltrioofcharactersarebroughttolifebythreeofcultcinema'sbestactors.TomasMiliancertainlyknowshiswayaroundasadisticpart,whiletheunderrated(andsadlyhereunderused)JohnSaxon'sresumespeaksforitself.MaurizioMerliisperhapstheleastaccreditedmemberofthecast,butleadrolesinthisandLenzi'sViolentNaplescertainlyshowsthatthemancanplaythegrittycopper.Theplotflowsverywell,andLenzi'sdirectioncontinuallyimpresses.Itcanbealittlehardtofollowattimes,butthere'salwaysenoughshootingandmurderstokeepgenrefanshappy.Theendingisamajorstrongpointtoo,asLenzispendstheentirefilmbuildinguptoashowdown,andwhenithits;itdoesn'tdisappoint.Overall,thisisafirstclassexampleoftheItaliancrimethrillerandcomeshighlyrecommended.…