Written, Edited & Directed By: Ti West
Cinematography By: Eric Robbins
Cast: Ethan Hawke, John Travolta, Taissa Farminga, James Ransone, Larry Fessenden, Karen Gillan, Toby Huss
A mysterious stranger and a random act of violence drag a town of misfits and nitwits into the bloody cross hairs of revenge.
It is a western but constantly has a b-movie type vibe.
As it is humorous at times more than maybe it should be. As even the location the film takes place in feels more like a western theme town or resort. As there is not many people or much life to the town. Even in the background.
This film feels like a western version of the movie JOHN WICK. Though much smaller scale and not as many enemies or action sequences. Though a revenge tale at heart with quite a few gunmen and gun play.
The female characters match their age and offers more humor than expected throughout the film. In addition to being vital characters.
John Travolta gives a respectable performance. Where he tries to make the situation more a manipulation and an abuse of power to save his son. He is obviously having fun in his role and showing a well roundness in his character. Who is not a total villain but is forced to be in this situation. Shockingly this is his first western in his varied career.
The film shows how one simple act grows and snowballs into having many more innocent to a degree victims.
The film is also more cold hearted than expected. As there are no sacrificial lambs yet plenty of victims.
One could be happy that director Ti West is showing range in his filmography and not just sticking to horror and this is a good attempt at making a memorable western. It just feels a bit familiar.
While the film is serviceable. It doesn't really add anything to the genre or the film. Maybe the genre helps explain the remoteness rather than a modern day film would and allows the film to stay simple.
It's fine for what it is there just seems to be an undercurrent that makes it feel a bit unauthentic. Like it's is faking the funk. Like when you visit a historical western town where they give you a performance but it never quite feels like a real visit to the old west. That is how this film comes off.
Maybe as this film seems to have nothing to offer but more of a sense of humor then most westerns.
It's not a bad film there just never seem to be any real feeling into it. It feels more like an experiment or giving an audience what it thinks it wants rather than feeling like something truly original.
It just feels small especially with it's two main stars. The film just feels like it should be bigger and stronger, With Ethan Hawke in the lead the film feels like an early side story to the character he played in the remake of THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN.
The film could easily be seen as a loose remake of FIRST BLOOD and/or JOHN WICK. Where even the director of this film has described it as a revenge film where the characters are too dumb to succeed
While it’s not entirely fair to compare this film to BONE TOMAHAWK. That film also did much with so little. Though this film plays it more mainstream and has broader appeal.
It’s pure genre entertainment that lacks depth and having any roots
Not a bad film to watch if you have time to check it out.
Grade: C+
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