Tag: Western

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Movie Review

The Dead Don’t Hurt (2023) Movie Review

The Dead Don’t Hurt – Movie Review

Read our review of 'The Dead Don't Hurt', a captivating movie set during the Civil War on the American frontier.

Director: Viggo Mortensen

Writer: Viggo Mortensen (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: Two pioneers fight for their lives and their love on the American frontier during the Civil War.

Runtime: 2 Hour 9 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Dead Don’t Hurt starts when Holger Olsen (Mortensen) meets Vivienne Le Coudy (Krieps) in the open American frontier. They have both been trying to make the most of their lives but now the Civil War has reached their doorstep.

It draws Holger to enlist for the money to support their life together. Meanwhile, Vivienne finds life alone a lot more difficult when the locals attack her. This all leads to a tense encounter that someone struggling to survive a new life faces.

Verdict on The Dead Don’t Hurt

The Dead Don’t Hurt is a western following a couple’s time on the American Frontier during the Civil War. They become separated and deal with different problems. However, their reality becomes difficult for them both to survive.

This movie is one of the slowest movies you will see this year. It brings up the struggle most already knew happened and tells that story again. It drags along, jumps around all over the place and worst of all, feels dull. Nothing much seems to happen and most of the way the story is told ends up feeling confusing, rather than compelling.

Where to Watch

The Dead Don’t Hurt is exclusively in UK and Irish cinemas 7 June. Distributed by Signature Entertainment.

Final Thoughts – The Dead Don’t Hurt is a slow, dull movie which drags along.

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Movie Review

Among the Willows (2023) Movie Review

Among the Willows – Movie Review

Discover the suspenseful movie, Among the Willows. Follow John Williams as he seeks justice for his family's murder with the help of an old friend.

Director: Tyler Smith

Writer: Jeffrey Smith, David Novak (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: John Williams must swallow his pride to partner up with an ex-friend in hopes of tracking down those responsible for murdering his family.

Runtime: 1 Hour 28 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Among the Willows starts when John Williams (Novak) discovers his family murdered. He turns to an old friend Everett Stolls (Smith) for help tracking down the outlaws who murdered someone close to him.

The outlaws have taken Mary (Fouts) as a hostage as they look to escape. However, John’s relentless nature sees him putting together a crew to track them down.

Verdict on Among the Willows

Among the Willows is an action western following a man who goes in search of his family’s killers. He puts together a team of old friends as they go hunting for the outlaw gang that tore his family apart. Along the way, they put aside their differences and they look to achieve the greater good.

This is a western that uses the young reckless outlaw crew being tracked by an older wise group they have taken from. It is the story we have seen plenty of times before and is easily the simplest one to play with in the Western genre. The movie gets the core beats done well, to give us the moments we have come to expect. However, it never challenges to become one of the best in the genre. It tries to have shocking moments, but they don’t pay off.

Where to Watch

On UK digital 20 May from Miracle Media

Final Thoughts – Among the Willows is a by-the-book western.

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Movie Review

Soldier Blue (1970) Movie Review

Soldier Blue – Movie Review 

Soldier Blue

Director: Ralph Nelson

Writer: Theodore V Olsen, John Gay (Screenplay)

Cast

 Plot: After a cavalry patrol is ambushed by the Cheyenne, the two survivors, a soldier and a woman, must reach the safety of the nearest fort.  

Runtime: 1 Hour 55 Minutes  

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review 

Story: Soldier Blue starts when a cavalry patrol is transporting Cresta (Bergen) to safety. However, along the way they get attacked by the Cheyenne soldiers, who leave only Honus (Strauss) and Cresta alive. While Cresta has experienced living in the open before, the pair must put their difference aside to survive.

Along the way, the pair learn about each other, as they face different challenges. Honus learns more about the Cheyennes and learns about the way he has been facing. However, their new friendship is meant to be heading to safety.  

Verdict on Soldier Blue

Soldier Blue is a western following two survivors of a Cheyenne attack on a calvary group. They get to know each other and learn the war has brought out the worst in people. However, they face their toughest challenge ever to stop the bloodshed.

This is an interesting Western as we get to see the two getting to know each other and learn the truth about the war. While this side is great to see. However, it has been branded controversial due to the horrific final act. This is a disturbing watch and ends up leaving us speechless at the horrors done to the people. 

Final Thoughts – Soldier Blue is a disturbing Western.

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Movie Review

The Old Way (2023) Movie Review

The Old Way – ABC Film Challenge – Catch Up 2023 – O – The Old Way – Movie Review

Old Way

Director: Brett Donowho

Writer: Carl W Lucas (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: An old gunslinger and his daughter must face the consequences of his past, when the son of a man he murdered years ago arrives to take his revenge.

Runtime: 1 Hour 35 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Old Way starts when gunslinger Colton Briggs (Cage) steps away from that life. He settles down to run a shop with a wife and daughter Brooke (Armstrong). However, his past has come back to haunt him, when James McCallister (Le Gros) and his men have tracked him down.

After living Colton’s wife dead, Colton gets drawn back into his former life to protect his daughter. Colton teaches Brooke about surviving the open country as they bond for the first time in years. Meanwhile, McCallister knows Briggs in going to come for him, it is what he wants to happen.

Verdict on The Old Way

The Old Way is a western adventure following a father and daughter going on a revenge journey. They are being hunted by a man who wants revenge for the father’s previous life and now, they must solve the problem. It takes us across the wild west locations to end the blood feud between the two.

We have seen many of these movies over the years and this doesn’t seem to offer too much new. It gets the basic bonding between father and daughter done extremely well. The villains are presented well and Nicolas Cage as the former gunslinger being cold in every deliver helps the movie along.  

Final Thoughts – The Old Way is a by the book western with a fun Nicolas Cage performance.

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Movie Review

Murder at Yellowstone City (2022) Movie Review

Murder at Yellowstone City – ABC Film Challenge – Catch-Up 2022 – Y – Murder at Yellowstone City – Movie Review

Yellowstone City

Director: Richard Gray

Writer: Eric Belgau (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: A former slave arrives in Yellowstone City, Montana, a desolate former boomtown now on the decline, looking for a place to call home. On that same day, a local prospector discovers gold – and is murdered.

Runtime: 2 Hours 7 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Murder at Yellowstone City starts when Robert Dunnigan (McGowan) strikes gold in a Montana city. He shows his new wealth around the city, making himself known to be rich, leading to somebody murdering him. Sheriff Ambrose (Bryne) must investigate with the clues pointing to a former slave Cicero (Mustafa).

The town believes he is guilty but preacher Thaddeus Murphy (Jane) and his wife Alice (Camp) question certain things about what happened.

Verdict on Murder at Yellowstone City

Murder at Yellowstone City is a slow-action western thriller, following the events of a murder and the finger-pointing it created around the potential suspects. It creates a mystery about who was behind the murder, despite never investigating, just showing the assumptions.

It does have a big cast of well-respected actors but none of them seems to stand out in any way throughout the movie. The story feels like a slog, going nowhere fast and the fighting seems to fall into the end cycle of nothing much happening. While the settings are used to show the openness of the city, where the community together would need to band together.

Final Thoughts – Murder at Yellowstone City is a slow, dull action thriller.

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Movie Review

Rooster Cogburn (1975) Movie Review

Rooster Cogburn is an easy to watch, enjoyable western.

Rooster Cogburn Poster

Director: Stuart Millar

Writer: Martha Hyer (Screenplay)

Starring: John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Anthony Zerbe, Richard Jordan, John McIntire, Paul Koslo

Plot: Marshal Rooster Cogburn unwillingly teams up with Eula Goodnight to track down her father’s murderers.

Runtime: 1 Hour 48 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Rooster Cogburn starts as US Marshal Rooster Cogburn (Wayne) finds himself being sent away because of his actions. On Rooster’s journey he comes across Eula (Hepburn) and her community. That have come under attack from Hawk (Jordan) and his men.

Rooster teams up with Eula, as they go on the hunter for the killers. In what becomes a deadly cat-n-mouse battle across the landscape that isn’t forgiving on anybody.

Thoughts on Rooster Cogburn

Rooster Cogburn is a sequel to True Grit, where we get to see another adventure in Rooster Cogburn’s career. Doing the right thing for someone in need against a larger group of outlaws. This will play out like most westerns. The journey not being easy and plenty of stand offs and shootouts going on. Without the peril being placed into them, as we know the main characters are always going to make it through. As it is more about the relationship between the two from opposite worlds.

John Wayne is everything you would expect to see and Katharine Hepburn brings the class to the film. Which is needed to step ahead of the typical westerns. It might not add anything new to the genre, it is still an enjoyable western from start to finish.

Rooster Cogburn Rating
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Movie Review

Terror on the Prairie (2022) Movie Review

Terror on the Prairie Movie Review

Terror on the Prairie

Director: Michael Polish

Writer: Josiah Nelson (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: On the Montana plains, a frontier woman must protect herself against a ruthless gang of outlaws hell-bent on revenge.

Runtime: 1 Hour 47 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Terror on the Prairie starts on the Montana plains, where Hattie McAllister (Carano) lives with her husband Jeb (Cerrone) and children Will (Becker). They don’t have the best life, with Hattie wanting to return to a previous life.

Hattie finds her homecoming under attack from The Captain (Searcy) and his men, a ruthless gang of outlaws. The Captain is out for revenge and this is his way of finding it.

Verdict on Terror on the Prairie

Characters

Hattie McAllister is a wife and mother living on the plains, she is getting tired of the struggle and wants to move back to her home. She spends most of her days in the remote home, trying to help passers-by. Her latest guests prove to be ones she will clash with, as she looks to defend her home against the outlaws. Outnumbered and outgunned, she will do anything to protect her children.

The Captain is the leader of the outlaws, he shows his ruthless nature in the opening sequence. He is a smooth talker, offering himself as a polite stranger to Hattie. Captain has motivation for coming to Hattie’s land, with his sights set on revenge.

In the supporting cast, we have Jeb Hattie’s husband who is away when the first encounter happens. The rest of the supporting cast is the Captain’s men who will do anything to help him, as they live the life of outlaws. None of them sticks out as much as they could do.

Performances

Gina Carano takes the leading role, as the typical wife from the plain era. This isn’t one of the strongest performances you will see, but it also isn’t one of the worst.

Nick Searcy as the leader of the gang is the best character to watch because he will show how easily he will snap between characters.

The supporting cast doesn’t get enough time to shine, with most of the men in the outlaw gang feeling interchangeable.

Story

The story follows a wife and mother who needs to take a stand against a group of outlaws who are out for revenge. It will see her looking to defend her home and children, as the outlaws become a bigger threat.

This is a story that feels like it escalates quicker than it suggests. With the open house idea turning quickly, without any cause to. There isn’t a single hint of what the outlaws will do with the family and it takes a long time to get to the point about what they are after.

It all plays out how you would expect, with the large number trying different tricks and not getting very far with them. this offers very little new to a world we have been in many times before.

Themes

Terror on the Prairie is an action western set in the open plains of Montana in a post-war era. This creates the remote environment that Hattie finds herself in, one she would like to escape from. The gunfights use the environment to try and create tension. With the one shocking moment the Captain does, not coming back into play later against another victim.

Where to Watch: Signature Entertainment presents Terror on the Prairie on Digital Platforms on 5th September and DVD on 3rd October

Final Thoughts – Terror on the Prairie is a by-the-books western thriller.

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Movie Review

No Name and Dynamite (2022) Movie Review

Director: Errol Sack

Writer: Clint Lilley, Errol Sack, Steven Shaffer (Screenplay)

Starring: Vernon Wells, Natalie Burn, Patrick Gorman, Bonnie Morgan, Don Collider, Rich Ting, Kacie Borrowman, Chris Northup

Plot: In this classic action-packed Spaghetti-style Western, the line between the good guys and the bad guys is blurred as ruthless bounty hunters No Name and Dynamite Davenport shoot their way through the Wild West collecting rewards and making more enemies than friends. But with the outlaw John Wilkes Booth on the run and gold hidden in the hills, justice must be served.

Runtime: 1 Hour 31 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: No Name and Dynamite starts as we meet the bounty hunting partnership of No Name (Northup) and Dynamite Davenport (Ting) who go their own way to collect the bounties, but help each other out when it comes to the more challenging bounties.

As the pair find themselves with their latest target, they will find themselves getting into a larger amount of troubles along the way to collect their latest bounty.

Thoughts on No Name and Dynamite

Thoughts – No Name and Dynamite is a western adventure film following a pair of bounty hunters roaming around the wild west looking to collect bounties on the outlaws hiding away. While the chemistry between the leading pair is fun with Chris Northup and Rich Ting, bringing everything to the roles, the rest of the story does feel like it does drag along without much happening. When it comes to the main part of the story, we are focusing on where the hunt will take the pair next, with a look at bringing along real life outlaws into their story. In the world of westerns, this is an entry that wants to help build future adventures, so we don’t get the biggest bit of peril along the way either. When it comes to the headshots, the special effects used are not the strongest either.

Final Thoughts – No Name and Dynamite is a simple entry to the western, looking to build more adventures.

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Movie Review

The Power of the Dog (2021) Movie Review ‘Slow Bland Movie’

The Power of the Dog – Slow Bland Movie

Director: Jane Campion

Writer: Jane Campion (Screenplay) Thomas Savage (Novel)

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst (Melancholia, All the Good Things), Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Genevieve Lemon, Kenneth Radley

Plot: Charismatic rancher Phil Burbank inspires fear and awe in those around him. When his brother brings home a new wife and her son, Phil torments them until he finds himself exposed to the possibility of love.

Runtime: 2 Hours 6 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Power of the Dog starts when George Burbank (Plemons) meets Rose Gordon (Dunst) leading to their marriage and moving into the ranch with George’s brother Phil (Cumberbatch), a strict man who has created fear around him from everyone he knows.

Phil takes pleasure in making Rose’s son Peter (Smit-McPhee) fear him, before slowly taking him under his wing, showing a side of him not many people have seen before.

Thoughts on The Power of the Dog

Characters & Performances – Phil Burbank is the charismatic rancher who has created a fear about him that everyone respects, knowing he is the best in the area, however he will keep to himself, not liking letting people into his life, until his new step-nephew gives him motivation to show who he really is. Benedict Cumberbatch does create a presence on screen with this role, being the character we are drawn to most. Rose is the barmaid that falls for Phil’s brother George, she takes her son back to the ranch, but her time there will see her struggle with her own addictions in the world. George is the brother that marries Rose, he is more forward thinking in the land, looking at business over anything else. Peter is the son of Rose, he has a creative mind, which is easily mocked by Phil, before the two have a new bond about finding their place in world.

Story – The story here follows a fear demanding rancher that reluctantly decides to take his new step-nephew under his wing, showing a different side to himself that no one else has seen before. This is a story that moves at an incredibly slow pace, going nowhere fast, leaving us wondering is anything is going to happen, as most of the film is just following the ranchers doing cowboy things and an alcoholic spiralling out of control. This isn’t a very engaging story, falling flat by the end of the film.

Themes – The Power of the Dog is a western that does have one of the most beautiful backdrops of any movie you will see this year, making this the only real highlight of the film, as everything else involved in the western genre, has been done before.

Final Thoughts – The Power of the Dog is a movie that doesn’t seem to get going, moving at such a slow pace.