Oprah Western

Rating: 2/10 (10 October 2007)

This film had good performances from well-known actors, nice cinematography, fine audio, tight editing, a big budget, high production values and *WAS ABSOLUTELY AWFUL*.
This is what happens when some marketing guy says that a Western will be a hit - so let's shoot a Western without having a single clue about what makes a good Western or for that matter, a good story. Seems like everything was aimed with the idea of promotion than story - the need to make the cold-blooded killer, Crowe, redeemable (well he did read the bible - once), the need to have bloody killings but only of *really* bad guys, (or old and ugly guys), and of course, the need to preserve American family values. The image that a father leaves his son, even if it is a false one justifies any sacrifice, including the betrayal of loyal comrades.
This is not a John Wayne or Audie Murphy Western with good guys and bad guys. This is not a Clint Eastwood Western with basically good guys and bad guys or a Sergio Leone spaghetti Western with romanticized prototypes. No this isn't a Western at all. It is a made for Oprah movie with people wearing cowboy hats, and carrying deadly weapons who, in spite their differences, are able to bond and understand themselves and each other - amongst the blood, bullets and rotting bodies...
Where is the Duke when you need him...?