Grand re-make

Rating: 9/10 (4 December 2007)

I'm actually not really much of a 'western-fan'... my favorite movies within the genre are 'Young Guns I+II' - which should say it all.
Russell Crowe has always been one of my favorite actors and Christian Bale... well - he has had his ups and downs in my view (some of his best are The Prestige, Batman Begins and Equilibrium/Cubic... the worst are American Psycho and Shaft). But my view on Christian Bale has changed completely - from this movie on he is in my good book.
Rarely have I seen a better western - it has everything (though the indians only have a very small part to play in it)- the saloon, the gun fights, the good guys (with white hats) and the bad guys (with black hats) - and of course - the sheriff who actually shouldn't be a sheriff at all... But apart from all these very common things in all westerns, this movie has both feeling, morale and empathy. The story is intriguing, the plot is deep - and good, the acting is superb, the camera guys should get a raise and the instructor likewise a lot of equally good scripts (with equally good actors).
I am not going to give any spoilers - any preview you see or read will say it all, but if you're going to see only one western movie this side of the century - make sure that this is it. I have recommended it to all of my friends - and have yet to hear an 'it is OK' or a 'that is not a movie for me at all'... and we do - oftenly - not share the same taste in movies...
From Denmark - two thumbs up and 9/10 (can't be a 10 because I'm more of a horror-man than a western-man... but as good as 'Young Guns'... or maybe even better...)