Subdued Western Powered By Characterizations

Rating: 9/10 (2 September 2007)

Now I would like to clarify before the rest of my review is read that I have not seen the original off of which this film is based so my review will not be a comparison there, but I will in the future try and watch it to have a basis for comparison. So this review is of this film as a stand alone.
This film is subdued. Like Christian Bales' character Dan Evans, the film has spurts of sustained adrenaline, but nothing full fledged. It takes its time to open up revealing character for the main ones, but leaving the rest to fend for themselves in two dimensional roles. That is fine as it fleshes out the main character very well and makes for a nice ride and adventure sort of a character study than a thrilling western. There is one man to keep the flare very much alive throughout though and that is Ben Fosters' tough and good for nothing puppy dog of a side kick Charlie Prince. He's the mean tough and detached bad guy of the film. Russell Crowe as Ben Wade has to provide the psychological bad guy of sorts, but there are plenty of bad characters in this here western. Not the least of which are several of the captors escorting Wade like Tucker who has his own bad faults like burning down a certain someone's barn in the very beginning. Still though, I would call this the best western in quite a long while for its characterizations alone.
And I would say that is because of the heavy presence of Crowe and the subdued approach of Bale which adds an interesting dignity to each. The film isn't over the top, but subdued not feeling like a hard R film at all outside of a gruesome wound in the stomach and a splattering of language that is so minimal it quickly forgotten. The film also has a very good story to work with, one of redemption and heroes which also doesn't loose sight of realism and has quite fragile characters. You may be able to see most of the film coming, but it is enjoyable because of the delicacy it takes in getting there.
Spoiler Alert:
I felt sorry for many people at the end and not the least of which is Charlie as he is betrayed for coming to help Wade. For that it and the knowledge that Wade will probably go free anyways it is not a completely satisfying ending, but a realistic one. I will probably have a better judgment to make a solid grade after I see the original.