Alright, fellow tapeheads, slide that worn copy of "Troublemakers" into the VCR, maybe give the tracking a little nudge, and settle in. Because seeing Terence Hill and Bud Spencer back together on screen in 1994 felt like finding a beloved, slightly dusty photo album. Released nearly a decade after their last cinematic team-up (Miami Supercops, 1985), Troublemakers (or Botte di Natale / The Fight Before Christmas if you grabbed an import) landed in a world vastly different from their spaghetti western heyday. Yet, pulling this tape off the shelf felt like coming home, didn't it?
### The Boys Are Back (Sort Of)
The premise itself feels comfortably familiar, almost like a well-worn pair of cowboy boots. Terence Hill plays Travis, a smooth-talking gunslinger (naturally) who needs to track down his estranged, hulking brother Moses (Bud Spencer) and their mother Maw (Ruth Buzzi, who seems to be having a blast). Why? Maw wants her boys together for Christmas, a simple wish complicated by Moses’s grumpy reluctance, his large family, and the fact he's currently hiding out from a notorious outlaw, Sam Stone (Boots Southerland), who wants a buried treasure Moses supposedly knows about.
It’s classic Spencer/Hill territory: the mismatched brothers, the simmering resentment hiding deep affection, and the inevitable storm of slapstick violence brewing on the horizon. Terence Hill, also taking the director's chair this time, clearly intended this as a love letter to their shared legacy and perhaps even a nod to the master, Sergio Leone. In fact, the film was dedicated to the memory of Sergio Leone and Leone's influence is certainly felt in the dusty landscapes and the attempts at capturing that Western feel, even if the tone leans far more heavily into gentle comedy than gritty epic.
### A Different Kind of Dust-Up
Let’s be honest, the energy isn't quite the same as when they were tearing through Trinity films two decades earlier. Both stars were visibly older, and the trademark brawls, while present, feel a tad more... deliberate. The lightning-fast slaps from Hill and the pile-driver punches from Spencer are still there, but the sheer manic energy feels tempered by time. Yet, there's an undeniable charm in watching them slip back into these roles. The chemistry, that unique blend of exasperation and brotherly loyalty, remains palpable.
One interesting tidbit is that the screenplay was co-written by Terence Hill's own son, Jess Hill, alongside Ozgur Uzum. You can feel a certain generational warmth woven into the story, focusing on family (Moses has a whole brood of kids) and reconciliation, making it one of their gentler outings thematically. It’s less about cartoonish villains getting their comeuppance (though that happens) and more about these two old partners finding their way back to each other.
Filmed largely on location in New Mexico, the movie looks the part. The dusty towns, the wide-open spaces – it definitely evokes the Western genre, even if the plot feels more like a Christmas special occasionally interrupted by fistfights. Boots Southerland makes for a suitably grizzled antagonist, though he never quite reaches the memorable menace of villains from their prime.
### Nostalgia Glasses Included
Watching Troublemakers today is an exercise in nostalgia management. If you’re expecting the relentless pace and anarchic glee of Watch Out, We're Mad! (1974) or They Call Me Trinity (1970), you might find this a bit slow. The plot ambles, the jokes sometimes land softly, and the action sequences feel more like reunions than riots.
But – and this is a big but – is that really the point? Seeing Terence Hill’s piercing blue eyes twinkle with mischief one more time opposite Bud Spencer’s world-weary grumpiness? That’s pure comfort food cinema. It’s like hearing your favourite band play their greatest hits, even if the tempo is a little slower now. The familiar sound effects – those exaggerated thwacks and pows – still bring a smile. Remember how satisfying those sounds were, echoing out of the old CRT speaker? This film understands that appeal.
While it wasn't a massive box office smash, failing to fully reignite the Spencer/Hill mania internationally, it served as a warm, affectionate coda to one of cinema's most beloved partnerships. It was their final film together, adding a layer of poignant significance for fans rewatching it today. My own well-loved VHS copy certainly got plenty of play back in the day, less for pulse-pounding excitement and more for the sheer joy of seeing them share the screen again.
### Final Verdict
Troublemakers isn't the explosive finale some might have hoped for, but it’s a charming, good-natured reunion tour steeped in the Western tropes they helped popularize. It’s gentler, slower, and leans heavily on the established personas, but the core appeal – the unique chemistry between Hill and Spencer – remains intact. It delivers familiar slapstick, beautiful scenery, and a dose of heartfelt family sentimentality.
Rating: 6/10
Justification: The rating reflects the undeniable nostalgic pleasure of seeing the duo reunited and the charming, if low-key, execution. It earns points for heart, chemistry, and fulfilling its role as an affectionate farewell, but loses points for the slower pace and lack of truly memorable action sequences compared to their classics.
It’s a film best enjoyed with expectations calibrated – not a masterpiece, but a comforting final ride with two screen legends, perfectly suited for a lazy Sunday afternoon watch, maybe right after dusting off your old VCR.