Just got this review in of a MICHAEL BIEHN flick!!! Man, I love his films. I mean the guy is the star of The Terminator, The Abyss, Aliens, The Rock, etc... (ok ok, maybe not the star technically, but I loved him in those 4, plus alot of his other lesser known stuff) So when I got this review, I got all excited. I want Michael to hit the BIG TIME. I personally feel the guy should be a star. He is REEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL good. And personally I have always wanted him to play Cyclops in a X-Men flick, but who knows. There are some pretty heavy SPOILERS so read only at your own risk. Suffice to say, he loved it, but if you must continue reading, know that before the MAJOR spoilers there is a warning. But this report came flagged in by the Camporee supervisor at the Matchstick's Sacred Oath Society. You'll never get that one.
Had just spent a day at the movies seeing Flubber ( I think I was the oldest one in the theater, at roughly 7 yrs. younger than the Big Man himself) and Rainmaker (kinda slow and obvious, but enjoyable, and cool music). Anyways, had an extra hour and an half or so until my ride, and saw that a film called The Ride was playing. Having never heard of it, I figured what the hell, and got a ticket. I went in not expecting much, as the person at the box had not seen the film, but said its something about a kid with cancer. Now, maybe I'm being a little out of line here, but that kinda turned me off, got me thinking I was in for an afterschool special piece of crap.
Film starts out good enough - some nice scenes of a rodeo (Harry, I believe the texans could relate to this film better than I, a New Jerseyan in Minnesota :). Turns out Michael Biehn (Terminator, Abyss, Rock, other stuff I can't remember.) is the lead in this film. Personally, I wasn't exactly a big fan of the guy, although he turned in DECENT performances in the previously mentioned Cameron pics. He is absolutely wonderful in this film. In fact, one of the best performances I've seen in a while. We've have some big breakouts in acting recently like Marky Mark and Matt Damon - well I think Biehn can be put in this category - he is really a joy to watch. T The film goes on to show that Biehn's character Smokey has hit rock bottom, no longer the big rodeo star he used to be. After running into some debt and personal problems, he is about hauled off to jail. However, a ranch family offers to allow him to avoid going to jail if he comes to do work on their ranch. Some pretty well written scenes when he first arrives at the ranch - lots of humor about his cowboy ways not fitting into the structured environment. Turns out the main reason he is there is because of a kid Danny (Brock Pierce), who is a huge fan, and who wants to ride bull. Brock Pierce is amazing in this, like Biehn, this kid gives a great and touching perf. - you may recog. him from Little Big League - he gives a very mature performance. Smokey agrees to teach the kid, but only if he is allowed to ride in a rodeo in 2 weeks. However, in a really well done scene, Smokey finds out that the kid he's been teaching has cancer, and probably doesn't have a long time to live. This is tough for Smokey, and he decides he can't deal with that, so he decides to leave. The rest of the kids at this ranch don't know about this (its really a ranch for kids with problems, like criminal and whatever, but Danny is there because his dad runs it). Biehn has another run-in with the law at a local bar and some goons come after him that owe him money. He's taken off to jail again, only to be bailed out by the guy that runs the ranch. He goes back to the ranch, confronts his fears works with Danny.
MAJOR Spoilers here that may need to be cut:
Danny and Smokey work together for several weeks and he Danny gets to go to a rodeo. He is in a junior competition, and wins, doing a great job after smokey's guidance. However, that night while celebrating, and blowing out the candles to a birthday cake, he faints. He's taken to the hospital. He and Smokey talk and stuff. He gets worse and worse, then dies. Smokey has been a changed man over this, and has cleaned up his act. The film is concluded with Smokey getting his life back, and riding and winning the rodeo, and it shows images of Danny cut over Smokey's win as he has done this for Danny.
End of Spoilers
Turns out the film is quite well done. Directing is excellent I thought - all the performances were well done. Usually when I watch a film there's someone that I really can see that they are acting, but everyone did a great job here - could have been really corny (Postman ?? ) but it was not at all. The shots are always inventive and really surprisingly beautiful looking. Lots of crane shots, some well positioned shots at rodeo that are filled with energy, and great aerial shots. Overall, looked like a bigger budget film than it is.
One of those films you just watch and completely enjoy, not concerned about fx, production problems, "cute" touches, or any other crap. Just a well made, absorbing film with more than heart than 10 studio controlled films. Also of note was the music, which is better than I expected as well - very well matched to each scene, and (fortunately), not a whole lotta country music, just a nice soundtrack type that just enhances the scenes.
The latest I heard on this film was that it was supposed to be a straight to video, but it turned out much better than anyone involved expected. Acc. to a Michael Biehn fansite during editing the company releasing it decided that it was really a good film that deserved wide release. Soooo - its in a couple small venues now, in Texas and here in Minnesota. They expect to release it wide in late January/early Feb. Anyways - if you are in the area, SEE THIS FILM. Next to LA Conf. and Boogie Nights, this is my favorite film of the year. It has the tight feel and story that you would expect from an independent, with the visuals and "quality" found only in studio pics. This film is an anomaly that deserves lots of recognition.
And, there ya have it,
