Appaloosa Reviews

[Highly rated reviewer]

superb.......................

This dvd is superb. Appaloosa is a Western film based on novel Appaloosa by crime writer Robert B. Parker.

It stars Ed Harris (who also directs the film), and Viggo Mortensen (of Lord Of The Rings fame).

Appaloosa is centred around lawman Virgil Cole (played by Ed Harris) and his sidekick Everett Hitch (played by Viggo Mortensen), who are two friends who are hired to defend a lawless 1880s town from a murderous rancher - Randall Bragg (played by Jeremy Irons).

Their efforts are disrupted and their friendship is tested by the arrival of an attractive widow - Allie French (played by Renée Zellweger of Bridget Jones fame).

Well worth watching.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Boring

Very slow cowboy film in which barely anything happens except at the beginning and at the end.I wish I hadnt bothered with this because of the lack of action.

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[Highly rated reviewer]

Deja-vu again!

What a let down. Seen it all before, many, many times. Bad rancher kills the town marshall, new guys come in to sort it out, complicated by a woman and weak towns people, but win in the end and one rides off into the sunset. Yawn!!

Now tell me that hasn't been done countless times before!!!!

Appaloosa

Appaloosa is a very well made and enjoyable drama. If like myself you have not read the book upon which it is based you'll find it to be a deeply convincing and emotive story.

It starts off as what appears to be a bulk standard western story about two hired guns (Harris and Mortensen) defending a helpless town for an evil group of bandits with a charismatic leader (Irons). However the story takes a far more complex turn when a widow turns up (Zellweger) in town and catches the eyes of both the leads.

Although the story is some what predictable in the first half the charaters are able to develop throughout taking the story to a very origional (in my experience) final act. I don't want to say to much as to not spoil it obviously.

On the downside the direction (althrough strong) is somewhat 'nuts and bolts' and in my opinion it is half hour too long; still its well worth a rental!

[Highly rated reviewer]

Solid, old fashioned western

This Ed Harris-directed film clearly knows its place: it isn't attempting to be post-modern or contemporary in any way, its focus is on giving the viewer a solid, entertaining western. And what it does, it does very well. Adapted from the novel by American pulp legend, Robert B. Parker, the film is about two lawmen for hire, Virgil Cole (an impressive Ed Harris) and Everett Hitch (the ever-awesome Viggo Mortensen), who are employed by the elders of the small town of Appaloosa (amongst them Timothy Spall), to clean up the streets from the menace of Randall Bragg (a restrained villainous turn by Jeremy Irons), a wealthy rancher, and his gang of rowdy ranch-hands.

This is the wild west of the late 1880s, and is a time of expansion and big money, and agaisnt this thematic backdrop the film examines the rigours of male friendship, as Virgil and Everett do what they do best: keep the law.

Mrs French (a peculiar, unsatisfying turn by Renee Zellwegger) appears on the scene, and quickly falls for Virgil's gruff charms - but is an easily distracted woman, running off with whichever 'king stallion' is around, be it one of Virgil's old rivals, Ring Shelton (a great small role for the evergreen Lance Henriksen) or the slimy Bragg.

This is a great reminder of how enjoyable westerns can be when they're made by film-makers who understand the genre, and Ed Harris certainly knows what he's doing. His direction is confident, unrushed and assured, resulting in a very entertaining film, complete with some excellent central performances.

[Highly rated reviewer]

2 hours of boring.

If you like your films to be action packed, or even to make progress, give this a miss, it dragged and dragged. The action was few and far. Clint Eastwood this ain't.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Spits in the face of the genre....

A total affront to any western before it, and undoes all the good work the likes of Deadwood has done for the genre. People who say this film is good need to actually watch the classics before elevating this nonsense higher than the made for TV garbage this should be consigned alongside. That, or clean out their ears and get their eyes checked.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Carlsberg....................

If Carlsberg had made this movie - it would Probably have been the most BORING movie they had ever made!!!

[Highly rated reviewer]

Not a routine horse opera...

Echos of Widmark and Quinn in 'Warlock' with a smattering of High Noon and many John Wayne 'oaters', this movie tries for the extra dimension, the hint of deeper emotions and motivation. I m not sure how successful this is but somehow the film is muted by it. Bad guy rancher, whose actions and influence arent fully explained, cold dedicated marshal and loyal deputy- the ingredients are all there but there is subdued and slightly flat quality to the film. Maybe this is Ed Harris, whose project the film is, trying to avoid cliche but sometimes a 'films gotta do what a films gotta do', forget art, forget cliche and get stuck into the action! Having said all that, its enjoyable, if you like westerns you ll get some thing out of it - its just not a great movie

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[Highly rated reviewer]

Appaloosa

A brave but somewhat short of the mark attempt to carry on the current trend of depicting the 'True west”! Yes it’s beautifully shot and the atmosphere is authentic the acting underplayed the dialogue low key the story diverse and compelling.

So what’s the problem? It’s over shadowed by greater and more recent efforts “Open Range”..”Assassination of Jesse James” etc and at its core falls down in the relationship between the 2 leads Harris and Mortenson. Harris aint no Duvall and Mortensen’s character a trifle too sychopanthtic for comfort. But it’s really Zellwegger who doesn’t quite fit and although the development of the ménage e tres has some interest it all seems quite mundane and lacking in any real intrigue.

The standard of any true western are the gun battles and duels and we are better educated now to the realities of misfiring and inaccurate pistols but what happened to the sound effects! Very strange mooted effects and reminiscent of sounds made as a boy with my own toy pistol! Finally please stop casting Irons as a villain; surely there are better actors who can perform with edge and menace! Irons seems more akin to playing English Bob parts slightly fey and full of pretence.