UmbertoLenziisundoubtedlythekingofItaliancrimemovies,butunfortunatelySyndicateSadistsisnotthebestexamplesofhisworkinthisgenre.Lenzi'scrimeflickstendtobeacutabovetherestbecausehemakesfilmsbasedonstorieswithapoint,andtheydon'tlackdirectionbutthisfilmfeelsabittoowaywardtofullyfitwiththerestofhisstuff.ThefilmtakesobviousinfluencefromSergioLeone'slandmarkwestern'AFistfulofDollars'(whichinturn,tookinfluencefromAkiraKurosawa'slandmarksamuraiflickYojimbo),inthatitfeaturestwowarringfamiliesandastrongcharacteratthecentre.ThecrimethatLenzifocusesoniskidnapping,andwecentreonacharactercalled'Rambo'.Ramboisdraggedintothewarbetweenthetwofamiliesafterhisbrotheriskilledbecauseofit.Rambouseshisbrainsandbrawntopitthetwofamiliesagainstoneanother,inthehopeofgainingrevengeforhisbrother'sdeath,rescuingayoungboythatthey'vekidnapped,andultimatelylettingthetwosidesdestroyoneanother.
Thefilm'sbiggestassetisundoubtedlyTomasMilian.MilianwasputtogreatusebyLenziinalmostallofhiscrimethrillers.TherangeofcharactershehasplayedforLenziisimmense,andthisoneiseasilyoneofthecoolest.ThecharacteriscalledRambo,whichimmediatelysprangtomindthepopularSylvesterStallonecharacter-butforonce,theItaliansactuallyhaven'tstolenthisnameasSyndicateSadistswasreleasedfirst!Asusual,thefilmiswickedlyentertaining,aswegettowatchMiliangethimselfinvolvedintheusualarrayofcarchases,shootoutsandbrawls.Lenzihasgothimridingamotorbikethistimeround,andeveryscenefeaturingitandMilianisarealstandout!However,thefilmoftenfeelslikeitdoesn'treallyhaveanywheretogo,andthismeansthattherunningtimeisstretchedoutmorethanitshouldbe.ComparedtothecrimefilmsofotherItaliandirectors,SyndicateSadistsismorethanaboveaveragebutinrelationtoLenzicrimeflickssuchasAlmostHumanandTheCynic,TheRatandTheFist-itdoesn'tstandtallasoneofLenzi'sbest.Still,ifyou'relookingforninetyminutesoftestosteronefuelledmayhem-SyndicateSadistswillsuffice!