Open Range
Reviews
John Chard
I ain't going to meet my maker without knowing your real name. It's purely my own opinion of course, but Open Range is a modern day genre classic that stands up to repeat viewings. It's not a flawless Western the Western historians will tell you, and some will pick out the hats or the impact of a rifle to mark the film down, but really we should be embracing a genre piece in the modern age that is clearly being directed with love and respect by the director. It's story is of course a simply structured tale of the underdog rising up against the fat cats who want it all in the name of tyranny. But on its side is the fact that its characters are so interestingly engaging. Within a short time frame I feel that Kevin Costner manages to put us in the saddle with the main protagonists, we understand these guys without actually knowing them, and that is quite an achievement I feel. The film does flesh them out to enhance the film without boring the pants off the viewer, and it's only come the final reel that you realise you have been engaged in a very human and honest Western film. Most of the cast do great here, both Robert Duvall & Kevin Costner bounce of each other with moody and world wise aplomb as the two main leads, while in the sole female role of note, Annette Bening is gusto beautiful personified. Sadly it's hard for me to write that Michael Gambon as the villain of the piece is not only underused, but also something of a let down. Such an accomplished actor should know better than to overdo it in the context of this particular story. Yes we get the need for villainy, but gurning and frothing doesn't quite make the grade here. It's a little surprising that director Costner didn't utilise Gambon more wisely. Still, I say the film is a wondrous experience because it is, a film to have you cheering and booing in equal measure, and in the main the work on it is top dollar. Some of the shots are gorgeous, the framing that Costner uses in close ups is excellent, and the final reel shoot out ranks as one of the best in Western genre history. So all in all it's a modern day genre piece that actually sits nicely with the best from the golden era. 9/10
John Chard
I ain't going to meet my maker without knowing your real name. It's purely my own opinion of course, but Open Range is a modern day genre classic that stands up to repeat viewings. It's not a flawless Western the Western historians will tell you, and some will pick out the hats or the impact of a rifle to mark the film down, but really we should be embracing a genre piece in the modern age that is clearly being directed with love and respect by the director. It's story is of course a simply structured tale of the underdog rising up against the fat cats who want it all in the name of tyranny. But on its side is the fact that its characters are so interestingly engaging. Within a short time frame I feel that Kevin Costner manages to put us in the saddle with the main protagonists, we understand these guys without actually knowing them, and that is quite an achievement I feel. The film does flesh them out to enhance the film without boring the pants off the viewer, and it's only come the final reel that you realise you have been engaged in a very human and honest Western film. Most of the cast do great here, both Robert Duvall & Kevin Costner bounce of each other with moody and world wise aplomb as the two main leads, while in the sole female role of note, Annette Bening is gusto beautiful personified. Sadly it's hard for me to write that Michael Gambon as the villain of the piece is not only underused, but also something of a let down. Such an accomplished actor should know better than to overdo it in the context of this particular story. Yes we get the need for villainy, but gurning and frothing doesn't quite make the grade here. It's a little surprising that director Costner didn't utilise Gambon more wisely. Still, I say the film is a wondrous experience because it is, a film to have you cheering and booing in equal measure, and in the main the work on it is top dollar. Some of the shots are gorgeous, the framing that Costner uses in close ups is excellent, and the final reel shoot-out ranks as one of the best in Western genre history. So all in all it's a modern day genre piece that actually sits nicely with the best from the golden era. 9/10
Wuchak
**_Now THIS is a Western_** Four cowboys & their cattle are traveling through the Hammondville, Montana, region in 1882 when they discover that the leaders of the town don’t like free grazers. It escalates into a life or death situation. Robert Duvall and Kevin Costner play the two main cowboys while Annette Bening appears as a doctor and Michael Gambon a land baron. “Open Range” (2003) automatically brings to mind “Dances With Wolves” (1990) because they’re the only two Westerns Costner has both starred in and directed. While not quite as good, this one is still a great modern Western and nigh epic. The theme revolves around how noble Westerners like the protagonists don't seek violence, but it's sometimes necessary to make a stand for justice, even if the local law is bought and corrupt. I like the way the movie confidently takes its time and fleshes out the characters with insightful bits here and there. It feels like the way it was in the Old West and the characters speak the way you know they spoke back then. The mood is increasingly tense, but most of the action is saved for the last act when everything explodes, reminiscent of the real-life gunfight at the O.K. Corral, just longer. As such, viewers who need quick-editing and constant thrills to be entertained will likely find it boring. Mature-minded viewers, however, will appreciate the realism and the slowly developed characters, as well as the well-done romance angle. The big rancher is pompous because his arrogance has built up over the course of decades and he thinks he owns the town. But does he? In his own mind he’s King Sheet because he’s gotten away with injustice due to his power and influence. But what happens when noble citizens say “Enough”? While “Open Range” deals with dark, challenging things, it has a warm, redeemable heart, unlike “Unforgiven” (1992), which wallows in ugliness (although it’s still a worthy Western, as long as you can stomach the ugliness). The film runs 2 hours, 19 minutes, and was shot at Stoney Indian Reserve in Alberta, Canada. GRADE: A-
Movie Recommendation
Dragonfly2002-02-22A grieving doctor is being contacted by his late wife through his patient's near death experiences.More...
Tin Cup1996-08-16A washed up golf pro working at a driving range tries to qualify for the US Open in order to win the heart of his succesful rival's girlfriend.More...
The Neighbor in the Window2020-02-08A suburban wife who finds herself and the security of her family threatened by another seemingly friendly neighborhood mom.More...
Cold Comfort Farm1995-01-01In this adaptation of the satirical British novel, Flora Poste, a plucky London society girl orphaned at age 19, finds a new home with some rough relatives, the Starkadders of Cold Comfort Farm. With a take-charge attitude and some encouragement from her mischievous friend, Mary, Flora changes the Starkadders' lives forever when she settles into their rustic estate, bringing the backward clan up to date and finding inspiration for her novel in the process.More...
The Train Robbers1973-02-01A gunhand named Lane is hired by a widow, Mrs. Lowe, to find gold stolen by her husband so that she may return it and start fresh.More...
Prelude to a Kiss1992-07-10A couple fall in love despite the girl's pessimistic outlook. As they struggle to come to terms with their relationship, something supernatural happens that tests it.More...
Çalgı Çengi2011-02-18Salih and Gürkan, two cousins from Ankara, are struggling musicians that are trying to make a living by performing at private events such as bachelorette parties. Nihat, a low profile event manager, finds a gig for the duo which leads them to encounter with unexpected guests in their "dressing room".More...
Dawn Rider2012-05-29A gripping story of vengeance and passion set in the American West. When the father of gunslinger John Mason is shot to death by masked bandits, Mason sets out with guns blazing to track down those who killed him. During his quest, he finds himself involved in a grim love triangle when he falls for Alice, the determined and beautiful woman also adored by John’s best friend. Based on the timeless John Wayne adventure, Dawn Rider is a riveting saga of retribution, duty and valor in the American West.More...
Ride with the Devil1999-11-24Ride with the Devil follows four people who are fighting for truth and justice amidst the turmoil of the American Civil War. Director Ang Lee takes us to a no man's land on the Missouri/Kansas border where a staunch loyalist, an immigrant's son, a freed slave, and a young widow form an unlikely friendship as they learn how to survive in an uncertain time. In a place without rules and redefine the meaning of bravery and honor.More...
Whispering Corridors1998-05-30The ghost of a student who died at a Korean school comes back to seek vengeance and protect her friends.More...
The Thin Man Goes Home1944-12-24On a trip to visit his parents, detective Nick Charles gets mixed up in a murder investigation.More...
The Grapes of Death1978-07-05A young woman discovers that the pesticide being sprayed on vineyards is turning people into murderous lunatics.More...
The French Revolution1989-05-10A history of the French Revolution beginning from the decision of the king to convene the Etats-Generaux in 1789 in order to deal with France's debt problem. Part one spans the event until August 10, 1792 (when the King Louis XVI lost all authority and was imprisoned). Part two carries the story through the end of the terror in 1794.More...
NY77: The Coolest Year in Hell2007-07-09New York City, 1977 - It was a time when the city had fallen into decay, with too few jobs, money, police, schools, and social services. There was a city wide blackout with major looting, a serial killer on the loose, and the Bronx was burning. And yet out of the chaos emerged one of the most creative times any city has ever encountered.More...
Auris - Der Fall Hegel2022-12-13The famous forensic phonetician Matthias Hegel is a luminary in his field. Even the slightest deviation in the sound of a voice is enough for him to distinguish truth from lies and thus convict criminals. But now the police consultant confesses to having committed a gruesome murder.More...
Lead with Your Heart2015-09-19Ben and Maura have been married for years, and they are in a rut…so much of a rut that they are contemplating if it would be better to live separate lives. That’s when their two teenage children step in and scheme to try to get them back together and make them realize how much they still need each other.More...
The Desperadoes1943-05-25Popular mailcoach driver Uncle Willie is in fact in league with the town's crooked banker. They plan to have the bank robbed after emptying it, and when Willie's choice for this doesn't show in time, he gets some local boys to do it. When his man does turn up he decides to stick around, as he is pals with the sheriff and also takes a shine to Willie's daughter Allison. This gives the bad men several new problems.More...
Apache Rose1947-02-15Roy is an oil prospector. His efforts to get drilling rights on an old Spanish land grant are countered by gamblers from an off-shore gambling boat determined to control the land (and oil) themselves.More...
The Ravine2022-05-06This true story begins on a weekday morning in a peaceful suburb of Akron, Ohio, the town awakens to discover that Rachel Turner and her son, Evan, have been brutally murdered during the night. A short while later, Danny Turner is found in his car at the bottom of a ravine, after having taken his own life.More...
Similar Movies
Butch Cassidy and the...
1969-09-23As the west rapidly becomes civilized, a pair of outlaws in 1890s Wyoming find themselves pursued by a posse and decide to flee to South America in hopes of evading the law.M*A*S*H
1970-02-18The staff of a Korean War field hospital use humor and hijinks to keep their sanity in the face of the horror of war.Ben-Hur
1959-11-18In 25 AD, Judah Ben-Hur, a Jew in ancient Judea, opposes the occupying Roman empire. Falsely accused by a Roman childhood friend-turned-overlord of trying to kill the Roman governor, he is put into slavery and his mother and sister are taken away as prisoners.Oldboy
2003-11-21With no clue how he came to be imprisoned, drugged and tortured for 15 years, a desperate man seeks revenge on his captors.Diamonds Are Forever
1971-12-14Diamonds are stolen only to be sold again in the international market. James Bond infiltrates a smuggling mission to find out who's guilty. The mission takes him to Las Vegas where Bond meets his archenemy Blofeld.Our Hospitality
1923-11-19A young man falls for a young woman on his trip home; unbeknownst to him, her family has vowed to kill every member of his family.The Piano
1993-05-18When an arranged marriage brings Ada and her spirited daughter to the wilderness of nineteenth-century New Zealand, she finds herself locked in a battle of wills with both her controlling husband and a rugged frontiersman to whom she develops a forbidden attraction.V for Vendetta
2006-02-23In a world in which Great Britain has become a fascist state, a masked vigilante known only as “V” conducts guerrilla warfare against the oppressive British government. When V rescues a young woman from the secret police, he finds in her an ally with whom he can continue his fight to free the people of Britain.Face/Off
1997-06-27In order to foil a terrorist plot, an FBI agent undergoes facial transplant surgery and assumes the identity of a criminal mastermind. The plan turns sour when the criminal wakes up prematurely and seeks revenge.GoodFellas
1990-09-12The true story of Henry Hill, a half-Irish, half-Sicilian Brooklyn kid who is adopted by neighbourhood gangsters at an early age and climbs the ranks of a Mafia family under the guidance of Jimmy Conway.Kanchana Sita
1978-12-21The film interprets a story from the Uttara Kanda of the epic poem Ramayana, where Rama sends his wife, Sita, to the jungle to satisfy his subjects. Sita is never actually seen in the film, but her virtual presence is compellingly evoked in the moods of the forest and the elements. The film retells the epic from a womens' liberationist perspective, and is about the tragedy of power and the sacrifices that adherence to dharma demands, including abandoning a chaste wife.The Fifth Element
1997-05-02In 2257, a taxi driver is unintentionally given the task of saving a young girl who is part of the key that will ensure the survival of humanity.The Horse Whisperer
1998-02-01The mother of a severely traumatized daughter enlists the aid of a unique horse trainer to help the girl's equally injured horse.Spider-Man 2
2004-06-25Peter Parker is going through a major identity crisis. Burned out from being Spider-Man, he decides to shelve his superhero alter ego, which leaves the city suffering in the wake of carnage left by the evil Doc Ock. In the meantime, Parker still can't act on his feelings for Mary Jane Watson, a girl he's loved since childhood. A certain anger begins to brew in his best friend Harry Osborn as well...Spider-Man 3
2007-05-01The seemingly invincible Spider-Man goes up against an all-new crop of villains—including the shape-shifting Sandman. While Spider-Man’s superpowers are altered by an alien organism, his alter ego, Peter Parker, deals with nemesis Eddie Brock and also gets caught up in a love triangle.Die Hard
1988-07-15NYPD cop John McClane's plan to reconcile with his estranged wife is thrown for a serious loop when, minutes after he arrives at her offices Christmas Party, the entire building is overtaken by a group of terrorists. With little help from the LAPD, wisecracking McClane sets out to single-handedly rescue the hostages and bring the bad guys down.The Experiment
2001-03-0820 volunteers agree to take part in a seemingly well-paid experiment advertised by the university. It is supposed to be about aggressive behavior in an artificial prison situation. A journalist senses a story behind the ad and smuggles himself in among the test subjects. They are randomly divided into prisoners and guards. What seems like a game at the beginning soon turns into bloody seriousness.The Wild Bunch
1969-06-19An aging group of outlaws look for one last big score as the "traditional" American West is disappearing around them.Dances with Wolves
1990-03-30Wounded Civil War soldier John Dunbar tries to commit suicide—and becomes a hero instead. As a reward, he's assigned to his dream post, a remote junction on the Western frontier, and soon makes unlikely friends with the local Sioux tribe.Full Metal Jacket
1987-06-26A pragmatic U.S. Marine observes the dehumanizing effects the U.S.-Vietnam War has on his fellow recruits from their brutal boot camp training to the bloody street fighting in Hue.