Superior film will not be popular

Rating: 9/10 (18 October 2007)

After leaving the theater and wondering how much I really liked (or disliked) what I had just seen, I came to the conclusion I would have to sleep on it first.
After 24 hours, I couldn't get the images out of my mind as I replayed some of the scenes over and over again.
One sure sign of a superior movie, in my opinion, is whether or not it makes you think, and then, think some more.
The problem with most movie-goers is that they'd rather be extravagantly entertained than encouraged to think. And so, this will not be a popular movie. It will though, engender a strong group of loyal fans and will probably hit cult status in short time.
Familiarity with the Jesse James story is not a necessity to enjoy the beautiful craftsmanship that was put into making this film, but it may help with understanding some of the motives behind the lawlessness that was the James gang, and their hatred for the railroads and why they were (at least at first) looked upon as a sort of modern day Robin Hood and his merry men.
Yes, the movie is tad long (the only reason I didn't give it a 10), but it is deliberately paced punctuated by short bursts of disturbing violence, accompanied by a brilliant film score.
The cinematography and sound editing are top notch all the way. Highly recommended for those who like to think.