Hi, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab...
Between this and the KILL BILL reviews, it’s a big day for revenge movies on AICN. Personally, I want to check this out this weekend. I haven’t been in a theater since I got back from Montreal because of health considerations, and between this and FREDDY VS. JASON, I’m itchin’ to get my butt back in a theater seat soon. I just saw DANCES WITH WOLVES for the first time in many, many years again recently, and I was struck by the fact that the film had a natural, almost naïve charm to it that I have missed in Costner’s work since. He gets the Western, and I’m rooting for him to make a good one.
Our first reviewer, however, tends to dampen my optimism a bit...
Open Range Review
(no spoilers)
I am Project Rage,
Enjoying a Costner film is like enjoying to masterbate to the Westminster dog show. It's just down right wrong.
RANT
Four Post Civil War Cowboy's are guarding their herd and taking through a town ubeknowst to them the town is run by a massive tyrannical A-hole (Michael Gambon "Dumbeldore Ver.2")who sees them as a lower form of life, he finally shoots two of the group and a dog (tear), and the lonesome dove dude(Robert Duvall) and the star (Kevin Costner) go back for a 2 min uneventful revenge gunfight, while also falling in love with the town's nurse.
RAVE
The film has two things going for it. Uno, The excellent cinematography by famed new cinematographer James Muro. The shots look like the intended range of a John Ford epic. Grand landscapes forever backlit. Simply Beautiful, rivalling John Toll's work in "Legends of the Fall'. Two, Robert Duvall performs honesty. I don't know how I can say that, but he performs his character with such humility, that it truly astounds you. But it dosn’t save the film. He's still doing Lonesome dove schlock. It's still a shit sandwich. P.S. The big Parker lewis-ER dude needs more work.
VISUAL: 2:35:1
SOUND: Dolby digital, The score was by the blathering idiot who fucked up the score to the first X-men. Surrounds non existant, though some minor bass.
RAGE
I’d rather name the corns in my shit than watch this again. Really, This is so long and boring that it makes Robert Altman look like an action director. Truly. MAIN REASON I RAGE: I like Kevin(no range) Costner, he's decent. Though to just make your character a retired "delta force type" civil war hero, is abit way-fucking much. That's more in the Steven Segal area of filmmaking. Costner should've played Jesus in Mel Gibson's Passion. Does all of Costner's character's have to be the "best" of everything? I'm surprised Duvall could keep his accent when Costner's character tells him this. The "Action scene" is the most hilarious thing. I understand this is supposed to be a serious drama piece. But damn, I was bored, and I watch BBC's Upstairs and Downstairs.
Actually this film's tagline should be titled, "This film makes me piss blood......with chunks."
I am Project Rage
And I am almost able to interpret what you meant, man. You don’t seem to like Costner, and I understand... a lot of filmgoers have chips on their shoulders regarding him these days. I’ve talked to several people I trust who really liked this film’s pace and style, and even if they had some quibbles, they seem to be responding to a certain sincerity. Let’s see what our next spy has to say:
I had a chance to see a screening of Costners "The Open Range" last night at the Mann Bruin in Westwood. I think it was the Foreign Press screening as I was surrounded by guttural musings that I didn't understand. The seats filled and the lights went down. First off, I have to say that I would call myself a Costner fan. "A Perfect World" and "Dances With Wolves", are a couple of the few movies that I will stop to watch if I come across them during nocturnal, drunken meanderings on cable. There is no trying for him. He has a natural charm and it shows in the fairly straight foreword niche he has found for himself over the last 10 or 15 years. That said, I had prepared myself for another Costner-helmed epic.
The basic story is one of revenge. A crew of dusty cattle drivers lead by Boss Spearman, (Duvall), are on there way somewhere that we aren't privy to. Costner is his riding partner of about ten years.With them are the young "Button" (Diego Luna), and hefty, but gentle giant Mose (Abraham Benrubi). One of them goes back to town for supplies, where he gets in trouble with the local sheriff who, amazingly enough is in the pocket of the local land owner/rancher and proud Irishman Baxter (Michael Gambon). Things go from bad to worse very quickly, and soon revenge is in the wind.
First, the cast. Robert Duvall. The man is amazing. Playing the trail weary Boss Spearman, he could have punched up the manly cowpoke thing. He stays away from that and focuses on a surprisingly human portrayal of a man finally ready to settle down. He is the definite father figure in this movie. To both Costner, and Luna's character. I like Duvall, and there were a few scenes here that made the rest of the movie bearable.
Kevin Costner comes back to the Western. As the mysterious and obviously pained Charlie Waite, he relies on his facial hair to do most of the acting. I could see what he was going for. The brooding cowboy with a bloody past. I just didn't buy it. He came very close though. His light hearted moments are nice . Costner has the ability to lighten a scene with his inflection, or the "Golly Gee" look that we get every once in a while.
Annette Bening plays the aging maid who works with the Doctor that our heroes frequent. She finds love and beauty in the prickly Charlie. She has been waiting for someone to give her love to. For a long time. Mrs. Bening is wonderful as always. She seemed a bit uncomfortable in her western garb, but did her job well.
The best thing about the movie, which I think it will be remembered for is the gunfights. They were loud, and they were realistic. Im a sucker for a ear splitting high noon showdown, and this delivers.
On the whole, the movie was bearable. The scenery was gorgeous, and the sets realistic, although at times I was afraid Costner was going to run into Eastwoods' Pale Rider on the street. The films strong points are the scenes between Duvall and ...anyone else who was lucky enough to work with him. Again, I am a sucker for the Western so, perhaps Im a little biased. Thanks. Call me Billy Pilgrim.
Well, like I said... I’ve been on a Western tear this last two weeks, so OPEN RANGE is going to have to be my fix until Ron Howard’s THE MISSING (which I hear rocks really, really hard) opens in December.
"Moriarty" out.
