Walker

Set in the mid-nineteenth century, Walker follows William Walker, an American who leads a small band of mercenaries into Nicaragua to install a new government by force. Backed by the wealthy industrialist Cornelius Vanderbilt, who wants stability for his trade routes, Walker takes power and eventually declares himself president. His rule grows increasingly tyrannical, turning the local population and his own former sponsor against him.

Alex Cox directed the film, his third feature after Repo Man and Sid and Nancy, from a screenplay by Rudy Wurlitzer. Ed Harris plays Walker, with Richard Masur, René Auberjonois, Keith Szarabajka, Sy Richardson and Xander Berkeley among the supporting cast. The production was a co-production between Spain, Mexico, Nicaragua and the United States, made on a budget of six million dollars.

Walker was released in December 1987 and runs 95 minutes. It is classified as drama, history, war and western. On TMDB it holds a rating of 6.5 out of 10 from 92 votes, indicating a modest audience response. Cox returned to directing with The Winner in 1996, followed by Repo Chick in 2009 and Dead Souls in 2025.