Review: Alex Cox' 'Walker' Feels More Radical than Ever on Blu-ray

The career of filmmaker Alex Cox is filled with surrealist stories that dig deep into the ugliness of American imperialism. Some are more successful than others, of course, and his 1987 film "Walker" is emblematic of the passion that would get him ostracized from Hollywood after the release of this film. Why? Because Cox is one of the rare filmmakers whose interest in exploring the atrocities of the American government matches his raw visual talent.

Now, in the year 2022, "Walker" is much more warmly received than it was upon release. Roger Ebert wrote a famous zero-star review of the film that spouted that the film's "...poverty of imagination must be seen to be believed." Ebert wasn't the only critic to slag on it, but it's certainly heartwarming to see so many people come back around on this offbeat, witty, and rather brutal collision of punk rock sentimentality and dark historical fact.

The Criterion Collection brings "Walker" to Blu-ray with a newly restored high-definition digital transfer that vastly improves upon Criterion's 2008 DVD release of the film. All of the previous special features from the DVD have been carried over, including a 50-minute making-of documentary that provides context to the sometimes-troubled production and has a treasure trove of interviews with cast and crew on the set. As for new special features, there's a couple short docs with Cox in which he talks more about the film.

"Walker" tells the frighteningly true story of William Walker (Ed Harris), an American adventurer who traveled to Nicaragua in 1853 to bring democracy to people he thought needed it. From 1855 to 1857, Walker installed himself as the president of Nicaragua. He was executed soon after.

Alex Cox doesn't really make traditional narrative films, as we've learned from "Repo Man" and "Sid and Nancy." He infuses his work with anachronisms to take you out of the time period on screen to draw directly from the past to the present. "Walker" was filmed during the contra war and had support of the Sandinista army; a war somewhat dictated by the forces of American imperialism. Cox, shooting during this period, creates an uncanny relationship between the past and present, situating it all in a whirlwind of manic, nervous moments.

"Walker" stands as one of Alex Cox's most unique works, and certainly one of his most audacious. While your mileage may vary in terms of the film's off-kilter contents, this new Blu-ray edition from Criterion is worth picking up if you're interested.

Other special features include:

� Audio commentary by Cox and screenwriter Rudy Wurlitzer
� "Dispatches from Nicaragua" – A documentary about the filming of "Walker"
� "On Moviemaking and the Revolution" – Reminiscences from an extra on the film
� Behind-the-scenes photos
� Trailer (Blu-ray only)
� English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
� Essays by film critic Graham Fuller, actor and author Linda Sandoval, and Wurlitzer

"Walker" is now available on Blu-ray from the Criterion Collection.