Purty darn good

Rating: 9/10 (5 September 2007)

If you like a movie that is well thought out, well executed, well acted, well cut, action packed, and more emotionally stimulating (in a heartfelt way), than a Tarantino film, go see this movie. Funny parts, serious parts, touching at times, and fairly believable, (except for the fact that the guy with a stump for a foot can run that much without a limp). It's got it all. If you are a fan of any of the members of this cast, go see the movie. It's a great ensemble. If you feel Hollywood has been creating crap lately, GO SEE THIS MOVIE. Russell Crowe kicks hard in a way only he can do. Is it the greatest western ever made? No. But at the least it's very satisfying. It's nice to see a genre that hasn't been mainstream in a while. The primary characters are all more complex than they initially seem and interesting to the end. Good guy/bad guy gets fairly muddled, except for Bale's character, who is the obvious protagonist throughout. The pacing is fairly consistent and there's a lot of creativity in cinematography. Even if you don't like westerns, it's a strong enough film to be gratifying and worth the ticket price.