Appaloosa

[Brian in Mesa]

Appaloosa

Release Date: September 19, 2008 (NY, LA, Toronto; wide: October 3)
Studio: New Line Cinema (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Director: Ed Harris
Screenwriter: Robert Knott, Ed Harris
Genre: Action, Western
MPAA Rating: R (for some violence and language)
Website: WelcometoAppaloosa.com

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris, Renée Zellweger, Jeremy Irons, Timothy Spall, Lance Henriksen

Plot Summary: Set in the Old West territory of New Mexico, "Appaloosa" revolves around a pair of hired guns (Viggo Mortensen and Ed Harris) who come to clean up a dangerous town run by a ruthless, powerful rancher (Jeremy Irons) and his band of outlaws. While boldly bringing new order to the town, the two fearless lawmen meet a provocative outsider (Renée Zellweger) whose unconventional ways threaten to destroy their decade-old bond.

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[Shane]

This looks fantastic.

 

[Chaplin]

Great movie. A little slow like Open Range was slow, but it was definitely fantastic.

It actually reminded me a lot of the old 50s Westerns with Jimmy Stewart. Plus, Jeff Beal did the music (he did the scores for Deadwood and Carnivale).

 

[Shane]

Agree Chap! Very much of an older western feel. Godo acting all the way around and good story.

LOVED IT!

Ed Harris is one of my all time favorites!

 

[Skkorpion]

Will see it next Tuesday matinee. Old fart pricing in a mostly empty theater, mid-day, mid-week. One of the few benefits of getting older and being unemployed.

 

[AZZenny]

C, C-.

Writing -- C-
Directing -- C
Acting -- B (surprisingly)
Cinematography -- B

This was a movie that didn't know what it wanted to be, and it wasn't any of them.

 

[Chaplin]

C, C-.

Writing -- C-
Directing -- C
Acting -- B (surprisingly)
Cinematography -- B

This was a movie that didn't know what it wanted to be, and it wasn't any of them.

Come on Zenny, it wanted to be a Western that hearkens back to the 50s and 60s and it accomplished that splendidly.

I'd like to hear why you think the directing is so bad. I'm curious.

 

[AZZenny]

All three of us walked out -- having wanted to like it, since we all love Westerns, like Ed Harris, like Viggo a lot, and find Zellwegger incredibly annoying, and just said, "Well... that was ... odd. What do you think it wanted to be?"

I think part of the problem is writer-director-actor can easily get myopic. It never justified the rather abrupt character changes in Virgil Cole, it explained too much with spoken narrative and too much deus ex machina. It told you rather than showed you the story.

This was NOT a 50's-60's Western, because you don't have Borderline Personality Disordered women as the catalysts in those flicks. This was too 'modern' in the sense that it was self-conscious, glib, cutesy, and a little too taken with itself as a flick (and that's the 'Ed Harris did too much' piece.)

just IMHO. I love westerns, so this was a let-down.

 

[Louis]

C, C-.

Writing -- C-
Directing -- C
Acting -- B (surprisingly)
Cinematography -- B

This was a movie that didn't know what it wanted to be, and it wasn't any of them.

I agree.

It was kind of all over the board for a western.

I even thought they were going to reveal that the 2 characters had a homosexual relationship.

When Ed Harris was beating up that drunk in the bar, Viggo sort of grabbed him and held him and gave an extra squeez and they shared this moment (it appeared) the wife and I both looked at each other confused with what that was supposed to be.

Shortly after Viggo gave the ol' we're both with him speech.

Overall the movie was very average. Which is disappointing to say because westerns aren't made all that much anymore, especially those with the acting power of Harris, Mortensen, and Irons.

 

[Mulli]

I was going to cry for :spoilerz: but I want to thank people for saving me from watching this one.

If it was gay porn could it be called:

Spoiler

Assaloosa

Sorry.